VA - The Roots of Gamelan: Bali 1928, New York 1941 (1999)

Bali 1928: 1 - 8 Gong of Belaluan 9 - 12 Pelegongan of Kuta, directed by I Wayan Lotring 13 - 14 Gong of Busungbiu 15 Gender wayang of Kuta, directed by I Wayan Lotring 16 Janger group of Abian Timbul 17 - 18 Angklung of Sidan New York, 1941: Colin McPhee's transcriptions 19 - 24 Colin McPhee & Benjamin Britten, duo pianists 25 Georges Barrere, flute with Colin McPhee, piano


Since the West became acquainted with it in the late 1920s, Balinese gamelan music has inspired musicologists, given birth to minimalism, and even been mimicked by electronica artists. It's easy to hear why: with its complex, polyrhythmic sounds played out on perfectly tuned gongs and chimes, gamelan music is one of the most exciting and exotic sounds heard in the world. It's gorgeous to listen to, thrilling to witness, and sounds like nothing else on earth. On The Roots of Gamelan, we're given a real treat: the earliest commercially available recordings of gamelan music (dating from 1928), along with the 1941 transcriptions that composers Colin McPhee and Benjamin Britten made in their attempt to recreate gamelan sounds with Western instrumentation (mainly, the piano). Recording quality is mediocre here, but the music pours forth. A wide variety of styles is played (from the lyrical and comedic Janger to the wildly furious Kebyar compositions) by some of the finest gamelan musicians alive in the era of recorded music. This aural history lesson is filled with delights, and it's easy to see why composers Britten and McPhee (and latter, a whole batch of New Music composers, including Harry Partch) were smitten with the music. And, though the pair are unable to convey the power of the gamelan on their Steinways, it's fascinating to hear their interpretations. --Jason Verlinde