This picture is taken from this website Ever imagine that the pieces of bamboo can create diatonic tones when they are shaken? That, is what you will find in Angklung.
Originated from West Java, Indonesia, angklung is is a musical instrument made out of two bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame. The tubes are carved so that they have a resonant pitch when they struck. The two tubes (see the picture above) are tuned to octaves. The base of the frame is held with one hand while the other hand shakes the instrument rapidly from side to side. This causes a rapidly repeating note to sound. Thus in a musical ensemble one note will be played by one or more performers and together with other players who hold different-noted angklung, complete melodies are produced
In Hindu period and Padjajaran kingdom era in the 10th century, Sundanese people used the angklung to sign the time for prayer. Later, Padjajaran kingdom use this instrument as corps music in Bubat War. Also, considered as magical religious medium, in ancient Sundanese culture in West Java, the voices of angklung were believed to be equal to the voice of Dewi Padi (Goddess of Rice). Therefore, in that era, angklung was sacral instrument and held only by special people for ritual ceremonies. Nevertheless, angklung already had it purposes transition through the ages.
In the era of Islamic Kingdoms in Indonesia, angklung was a typical entertainment music instrument and also played its part as Indonesian soldiers’ fighting spirit booster. As Indonesia (called as East Indies at that time) was later colonialized by the Dutch Empire, in mid 19th century, angklung was restricted in West Java by the Dutch collonial government. They were apprehensive about angklung’s effects on the Indonesian's fighting spirit. Angklung, at that time was only allowed for children and beggars. Thus due to that restriction, angklung was never been profane in that era.
However, Daeng Soetigna, a teacher from Kuningan, West Java, was concerned about the angklung declination and tried to reprise angklung back to its former level. He learned how to make angklung from Aki Jaya, an illiterate who mastered Sundanese traditional music in Kuningan. Daeng Soetigna, expanded the angklung notations not only to play traditional pélog or sléndro scales, but also diatonic scale in 1938. Since then, angklung is often played together with other western music instruments in an orchestra. This kind of angklung has two or three tubes of bambu and commonly comes in small-sized form. This kind of angklung is also called as Angklung Padaeng, taken from Daeng Soetigna’s name. In the contrary, the former traditional pentatonic scale angklung usually came in four tubes of bamboo and big-sized form. With the new form, Angklung gradually received national and international recognition.
Angklung has passed its sacral era, so we’re able to hear and play angklung anywhere, anytime. One of the first well-known performances of angklung in an orchestra was during the Bandung Conference in 1955. A few years later, Udjo Ngalagena, a student of Daeng Soetigna, opened his "Saung Angklung" (House of Angklung) in 1966 as centre of its development. In Indonesia, nowadays, angklung is part of education in elementary and high schools and usually played in orchestral form.
In the early 20th century, the angklung was adopted in Thailand, where it is called angkalung (อังกะลุง). The Thai angklung are typically tuned in the Thai tuning system of seven equidistant steps per octave, and each angklung has three bamboo tubes tuned in three separate octaves rather than two, as is typical in Indonesia.
Angklung had also been adopted by its Austronesian neighbours, in particular by Malaysia and the Philippines, where they are rather played as part of bamboo xylophone orchestras. Formally introduced into Malaysia sometime after the end of confrontation, it found immediate popularity. They are generally played using a pentatonic scale similar to the Indonesian slendro, although in the Philippines, sets also come in the diatric and minor scales used to perform various Spanish-influenced folk music.
And, if you are curious to see how it is played and how it sounds, the following is a video for you to see. It is a rehearsal for an Angklung performance done by Indonesian students in Japan. They play "Manuk Dadali", a Sundanese folk song.
Sources:
- KPA ITB (as summarized by Indresvari)
- Wikipedia
- Encyclopedia Brittanica
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