Langgam jawa
Encyclopedia
Langgam jawa is a regional form of Indonesian kroncong
music most often associated with the city of Surakarta
(Solo). As is the case with traditional kroncong music, langgam jawa utilizes a variety of non-native instruments, such as the flute
, guitar
, ukulele
, cello
and violin
. However, these instruments are performed using a seven-tone Java
nese gamelan
scale known as pelog
. The cello typically plays the role of a gamelan ciblon drum, with the performer slowly plucking or slapping the strings in a percussive fashion.
Langgam jawa's roots can be traced back to kroncong ensambles going back to the 1920s, but emerged as a style of its own in the 1950s. Among the leading exponents of the style is Andjar Any. He and his ensemble, Orkes Kroncong Bintang Nusantara, are said to have composed over 2000 songs in the langgam jawa style.
Kroncong
Kroncong is the name of a ukulele-type instrument and an Indonesian musical style that typically makes use of the kroncong , the band or combo or ensemble consist of a flute, a violin, a melody guitar, a cello in pizzicato style, string bass also in...
music most often associated with the city of Surakarta
Surakarta
Surakarta, also called Solo or Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia of more than 520,061 people with a population density of 11,811.5 people/km2. The 44 km2 city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and...
(Solo). As is the case with traditional kroncong music, langgam jawa utilizes a variety of non-native instruments, such as the flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
, cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
. However, these instruments are performed using a seven-tone Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
nese gamelan
Gamelan
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
scale known as pelog
Pelog
Pelog is one of the two essential scales of gamelan music native to Bali and Java, in Indonesia. The other scale commonly used is called slendro. Pelog has seven notes, but many gamelan ensembles only have keys for five of the pitches...
. The cello typically plays the role of a gamelan ciblon drum, with the performer slowly plucking or slapping the strings in a percussive fashion.
Langgam jawa's roots can be traced back to kroncong ensambles going back to the 1920s, but emerged as a style of its own in the 1950s. Among the leading exponents of the style is Andjar Any. He and his ensemble, Orkes Kroncong Bintang Nusantara, are said to have composed over 2000 songs in the langgam jawa style.