This is a creation I did with four Indonesian musicians. The idea was to mix two traditional musics: the one from my region in France -Bretagne- and the popular one coming from central Jawa.
I’m singing in the beginning, trying to find some musical phrases “à la Bretonne” and Wahyu is answering “à la Javanese”.
The flute I’m playing is a wooden flute made of ebony, the traditional Irish flute that you can find everywhere in Bretagne to play Celtic music.
The guitar is tuned in DADGAD (open tuning) and the 5 strings bass is supporting everything.
The drums are traditional, named “kendang”, you can find them in the traditional Indonesian Instrument, the Gamelan.
My friend Okky just added the violin to give more colour to this piece.
aloha Voxmarie – I like the spirit behind this. the flute to me has that ??Irish? flavor (maybe Celtic??). I like that. I like the instrument too. I’ve spent a little time in Indonesia and like some of that traditional music including the gamelan (which in my memory I think of as being made up of many instruments). I like music that combines traditional and new in new ways as well, altho I am not musically inclined (I am visually inclined and like words and sound a lot). very cool music. aloha.
hello! thanks a lot for your comment, it goes straight to my heart!
The flute I’m playing is an irish flute. It is used a lot in my French region but it’s, first of all, Irsih.
About the Gamelan, you are right there are many elements in this instrument. What could look like an orchestra from outside is taken as one in Indonesia. If one element is not here it’s very difficult to play. We could call it a collective instrument 🙂
ah. yes, that is exactly how i was remembering it—in comparison with an orchestra. your explanation makes more sense to me now than it has in the past, that as “one” instrument, if any part is missing it doesnt work. like missing a hole in a flute or a string on a guitar perhaps?? a collective instrument. yes, that makes a lot of sense, thank you.
yes, i like flutes. i used to buy them on my travels from various parts of the world and make sounds with them in patterns (that’s as close as i get to music—it is music, it is just not something i could write down or read if it was written down). there are so many ways a flute can sound—almost as if each human being has a counter part in the sound of a flute. thank you. aloha.
Like if the flute was an extension of the body. You just play as you talk or breeze… In the knowledge that everybody talk and breeze in a different way, the sound will be so personal. But it’s crazy how naked you are when you play this instrument, the same as when you sing -even more actually. You are not hidden at the back of a guitar or a saxophone or a piano, everybody see you and you see everybody.
And for the gamelan: yes! it’s the exact example I was telling my students when I was teaching it in Paris. If one is missing, it”s like playing the guitar with one string missing 🙂 same comparison
I played in a Gamelan (Balinese) for a year when I lived in the Bay Area. It still exists and has a website: http://www.gsj.org/ (Gamelan Sekar Jaya). It is unique music because of how the individual instruments in the ensemble are tuned to match each other.
I listen to this over and over again. I hope you do more of this mixture of sounds.
Thanks a lot.
I did record another piece with those dudes, I will post it tomorrow or later today.
Hey glad you like my blog and follow 🙂 I’ll check yours out now!
Thanks for following me too 🙂
That’s really beautiful. I especially like the singing.
Thank you, it’s my favorite part as well 🙂
I love when 2 different inspirations are mixed : it’s often interesting and different ! Merci beaucoup (I’m French and have lived in Bretagne for 6 months in 2000 !) for following my blog ! Greetings from Marseille.
Merci! Where about were you in Bretagne?
Btw, my brother is playing in a band and there name is Mayann 🙂 they play musique Bretonne 🙂
Oh, I’m really proud of that !!! I was living in Rennes : I loved the music vibes of this city !!!
The first 20 seconds seems to come from another world. Gosh that’s nice voice u have.
Thanks for that ma chérie, and for everything else too 🙂
I really like this, it’s quite fun to listen to. Thanks for following me btw! 🙂
Sakari
Thx and I’m glad you choose to folllow me too, hope you’ll like it.
This is beautiful. Thank you!
This goes straight to my heart! Thanks 🙂