Bali: Music from the Morning of the World

Amazon.com
This first album of the influential Explorer Series was a harbinger of the present fascination with traditional world music. British producer David Lewiston was moved to tape these illuminating works in 1966 during a visit to Indonesia. When he auditioned his finds for Teresa (Tracey) Sterne (1927-2000) of Nonesuch Records, she decided to release them, even though unadulterated field recordings had never before been marketed as entertainment for discerning listeners. The eight tracks function as a stylistic sampler, ranging from bell-like, percussive gamelans to a flute solo accompanied by drums and what sounds like a mouth harp. There is also a sweet lullaby sung by a young girl with a fresh, hesitant voice. However, the single most amazing track is an excerpt from a kecak, or monkey chant, where scores of male voices face off in uneven, staccato yips, groans, and yells, over a foundation of hypnotic repeated melodic fragments. --Christina Roden

Product Description
Full Title - Bali Music From The Morning Of The World. The sound of the Balinese orchestral style known as Gamelan Gong Kebyar is justly famous, for in no other music does one find such shimmering brilliance & tempestuous rhythms. But is less widely known that Gamalan Gong Kebyar is only one of many beautiful musical styles found in Bali, which in its small area contains a cornucopia of artistic wealth which would do honor to a country ten or twenty times in size. Recorded in Java by Robert E. Brown. Originally released in 1967. Slipcase. Nonesuch. 2003.

Bali: Music from the Morning of the World,Various Artists,Nonesuch,Bali,Balinese,Int'l & World Music,Pop,World Music

Average customer rating: Great Intro to Balinese Music

Bali: Music from the Morning of the World Various Artists Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Bali: Golden Rain Bali: Gamelan Semar Pergulingan:Gamelan of the Love God Explorer: Java - Court Gamelan 2 Java: Court Gamelan Explorer: Bali - Music for the Shadow Play ASIN: B000083GHL Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

1. Gamelan Gong Kebyar: Baris/Gambang Betjak
2. Sekehe Genggong: Pemungkah/Frog Song/Flute Solo
3. Sekehe Gambuh: Sekar Leret
4. Gamelan Gong: Barong Dance
5. Lullaby
6. Gamelan Angklung: Margepati
7. Ketjak Dance
8. Gender Wayang: Ansarun

Amazon.com

This first album of the influential Explorer Series was a harbinger of the present fascination with traditional world music. British producer David Lewiston was moved to tape these illuminating works in 1966 during a visit to Indonesia. When he auditioned his finds for Teresa (Tracey) Sterne (1927-2000) of Nonesuch Records, she decided to release them, even though unadulterated field recordings had never before been marketed as entertainment for discerning listeners. The eight tracks function as a stylistic sampler, ranging from bell-like, percussive gamelans to a flute solo accompanied by drums and what sounds like a mouth harp. There is also a sweet lullaby sung by a young girl with a fresh, hesitant voice. However, the single most amazing track is an excerpt from a kecak, or monkey chant, where scores of male voices face off in uneven, staccato yips, groans, and yells, over a foundation of hypnotic repeated melodic fragments. --Christina Roden

Album Description

Full Title - Bali Music From The Morning Of The World. The sound of the Balinese orchestral style known as Gamelan Gong Kebyar is justly famous, for in no other music does one find such shimmering brilliance & tempestuous rhythms. But is less widely known that Gamalan Gong Kebyar is only one of many beautiful musical styles found in Bali, which in its small area contains a cornucopia of artistic wealth which would do honor to a country ten or twenty times in size. Recorded in Java by Robert E. Brown. Originally released in 1967. Slipcase. Nonesuch. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Great Intro to Balinese Music.......2003-11-29

Having played Balinese gamelan for a few years and visiting the island last summer, I've come to appreciate the large variety of music you find there. I was partial to the gong kebyar style, now I love it all. This CD serves as a good introduction to the different kinds of music from Bali. The excerpt of Baris is good and including the kecak, gender wayang and angklung gives you idea of the vast differences in style. Though, it does help to have some context for the music, like gender wayang is used primarily for shadow puppetry, angklung for funeral ceremonies, and kecak was created specifically for tourism. I have the orginial issue of this CD and not sure, but hope, the reissue has notes on the pieces. It's a good thing Nonesuch has been reissuing these world music recordings, they are really well done.

Average customer rating: Hot and beautiful oh well the music of my home town exuberant and packed with energy and life Balinese Music Before Mass Media Very energetic!

Music From The Morning Of The World: The Balinese Gamelan & Ketjak, The Ramayana Monkey Chant Various Artists Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music Bali | Indonesia | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | Far East | Compilations | International | Styles | Music ASIN: B000005IZB Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Ketjak Dance
2. Gamelan Gong Kebyar: Baris; Gambang Betjak
3. Sekehe Gambuh: Sekar Leret
4. Gamelan Gong: Barong Dance (Excerpt)
5. Lullaby
6. Gamelan Angklung: Margepati
7. Sekehe Genggong: Pemungkah; Frog Song; Flute Solo
8. Gender Wayang: Ansarun
9. Golden Rain (Hudjan Mas)
10. Ketjak: The Ramayana Monkey Chant

Customer Reviews:

Hot and beautiful.......2005-07-25

The transition midway through "Golden Rain" made me think "Wow... balinese gamelan is the punk-rock of world music". Probably not really a good description, but this is the recording that turned me on to gamelan, leading to joining a gamelan orchestra.

oh well the music of my home town.......2001-05-25

well I just give my comment to this music, Im a balinese. I like to hear the music from my hometown, it is a part of our energy and powerfull spirits by playing the gamelan orchestra. Besides the hinduism ceremonial music the artists played, I also feel that the international music media are interrested in the morning eastern music than the Techno,...ha ha ha ha!!!!!! Oh well,..I wish ya well and have a fun with this record, if you have a highly spirit and you will have a hardly energy too.

exuberant and packed with energy and life.......2000-10-18

Great music and very well recorded for sure, I really enjoyed this cd because, it's nothing like I have ever heard before, packed with energy, life, vibrant and full of sudden shifts in mood. Gamelan gong kebyar or just kebyar mean "to burst into full bloom, lightning or to strike a match" and indeed it does desrcibe this musicial style for sure. Track 1 and track 10 is the ketjak or kecak the monkey chant which enacts scenes from the well known Hindu epic of the Ramayana. Very exotic and unusual even though it had been recently developed and spawned from an older vocal chant used to put girls into trance. The vocal chant is interesting as it shifts in vocals and moods and also the style... pretty good... even better is to watch them perform live and get the experience performance. Track 2 packed with energy and colour from the musical composition used for a dance, 3 is the traditional and rare dance theatre which was believed to have originated from Java, this style is very mellow and quite distinct however the conclusion of the track ends with a large ringing of the gong, track 4 an excerpt from the barong dance which is often performed for tourist, track 5 a very rare and unusual vocal performed by a young girl, quite beautiful and delicate and my favourite was track 6 with the gamelan angklung this track was packed with everything from the quick and sudden intro through to the shifting of moods and compositions and the list just goes on for sure. This cd is great packed with goodies... The quality of the music is very outstanding as well. To record music from Bali was a break through for sure... The booklet contains information about the music but not as spectacular as the cd and music itself... I recommend it for music lovers who like something exotic...

Balinese Music Before Mass Media.......2000-10-07

This is a classic recording. The only grounds on which you can really fault it is that it is just excerpts of these different genres, so each selection is, by traditional Balinese standards, incomplete. But they do shine and pulsate with the different energies of Balinese creativity. The Ketchak excerpt is evocative of far more spiritual, visceral energy than you feel seeing a typical performance these days in the big hotels, or down on Kuta beach, or even in Ubud nearer the old cultural center. The same goes for the other excerpts. A classic recording by a pioneer of fine quality field recording.

Very energetic!.......2000-01-22

An interesting recording that is of excellent quailty. All voices and bells and other musical instruments are crystal clear and at the appropiate recording levels. The tonality of the vocal music can to tinny and high pitched at times, hard to the sensative ear, and the majority of bells that are used are high pitched as well. A tough hear if one is used to the deep resonous tones.

Average customer rating:

Music From the Morning of the World Various Artists Manufacturer: Bmg ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Indonesia | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music Bali | Indonesia | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00003IR09 Release Date: 1999-11-04

Tracks:

1. Ketjak Dance [Excerpt]
2. Gamelan Gong Kebyar: Baris/Gambang Betjak
3. Sekehe Gambuh: Sekar Leret
4. Gamelan Gong (Barong Dance) [Excerpt]
5. Lullaby
6. Gamelan Angklung: Margepati
7. Sekehe Genggong: Pemungkah/Frog Song/Flute Solo
8. Gender Wayang: Ansarun
9. Golden Rain (Hudjan Mas)
10. Ketjak: The Ramayana Monkey Chant

Album Details

Excellent World Music Compilation featuring the Best Recordings from the Most Famous Artists Representing this Genre of Music. Deep Forest, Sacred Spirit, Wes, Pangea, Khadja Nin, Cesaria Evora and Others.

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9. Dancing With My Soul
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Rock Music

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