# Gamelan on strings (for string quartet)



## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

Following in the same lines of complex rhythmic textures over a steady pulse, now I present this piece, which will be the second movement of my String Quartet No.1, titled "Rhythmum, chaos et ordinem" (which, of course, will be dominated by this idea of changing rhythmic textures over a steady pulse). The first movement is the "Rhythmic crescendo" that I have posted here before. This one is called "Gamelan on strings" (it would be the "slow movement" of the String Quartet No.1), since in addition I'm trying to emulate gamelan music with the string quartet:


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https://soundcloud.com/aleazk%2Fgamelan-on-strings


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

from 0'49'' - 1'12'' is very nice, interesting, nicely active and then you drop it almost as soon as you've begun -- I would like to hear it go on longer, perhaps with some slight permutations, so that its later return in that configuration with another harmony seems to have more 'connected' sense. right now, it is as if it tore off into the next room, and we missed out on an important part of the conversation before we here from it again a number of bars later. The fault, so you do not feel alone, is one of almost every 'young' or beginning composer -- short-winded, and without much practice in 'developing' an idea.

Throughout, you are often missing that third layer, essential to give the feeling of how Gamelon music moves. Much of what is there is a top and a bottom, with a middle, as a teacher of mine said, you could drive a truck through! It is not heard as a 'nice' extreme of high and low activity, which can be accomplished. Here, it sounds like a hole in the middle.

That missing layer is part of the 'formula' (of course you don't want all layers active all the time.) There is often, very much based on 'speaking time' of instruments in different ranges, a slow bass, a moderate tempo tenor / alto melodic role, and an upper register double-time activity. You have four instruments - do not be afraid to use them all, and in independent roles.

Actual Gamelon music, from one of the finest one CD collections there ever was, "Golden Rain" -- field recordings of the real thing by David Lewiston. The CD is called 'Golden Rain,' after the name of one particlular Gamelon Piece. From that CD, you could do much worse in studying the rhythms used in "The Ramayana Monkey Chant."

'Golden rain' 
Listen especially to the layers of elements which get going a bit after the one minute mark, slow bass, medium speed tenro / alto range melody, soprano double speed note activity.





Two rather charming 'western' takes on this:
Lou Harrison Suite for Violin, piano and small orchestra; III. Gamelon 1 @ 6'45''





Colin McPhee:
Nocturne





Tabuh-Tabuhan


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## chee_zee (Aug 16, 2010)

wow you just keep doing my favorite musics huh! you should do gagaku next, and an adi-vilambit khyal from north india! https://ccrma.stanford.edu/groups/gagaku/
I have pretty much the same critique as petrb, the middle voice needs to be in there more. that motif he was talking about, I'm not sure how you can develop that more at the beginning but you're a pretty damn good writer so I think you could work up at least on extra phrase on it.


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