Angklung
Traditional musical instruments from Indonesia made of bamboo
Indonesian art and culture are so diverse and very unique.
One of the musical instruments from West Java that is widely known in the archipelago is the Angklung. This bamboo tube-shaped musical instrument is played by shaking it, then producing a tone. The history of angklung begins with a musical instrument that is played at harvest time to thank God.
Angklung in the Hindu era became a substitute for bells (clappers) which were often used in religious rituals. Therefore, from the beginning angklung was not used as a pure artistic tool, but for religious or religious activities.
Later, angklung became a musical instrument for the royal army. This happened when the Pajajaran kingdom was ready to fight in the Bubat war (against Majapahit). At that time, angklung was used by the royal army corps to raise the spirit of war.
Until finally this one musical instrument continues to grow throughout West Java, even throughout Indonesia. However, it is still not recorded when the angklung was first made, considering that most traditional Indonesian musical instruments are also made with bamboo.
The Modern Angklung : Angklung Mr. Daeng
Angklung originally used pentatonic scales, both selendro and pelog. However, since 1938, Daeng Soetigna has tried to make angklung capable of playing diatonic notes. Daeng Soetigna’s angklung innovation is the forerunner of modern angklung. In the end, this modern angklung was given the name Padaeng angklung, to appreciate the innovation of Daeng Soetigna.
In 1946, the angklung group Daeng Soetigna entertained the delegates in the Linggarjati agreement. Meanwhile, in 1955, Daeng Soetigna’s angklung group became an entertainer at the Asia-Africa Conference. That’s what makes this modern angklung famous all over the world, and Pak Daeng’s Angklung group is one of the widely known angklung groups.
The anatomy of a modern angklung consists of a sound tube (the main part, which produces sound) in the form of a bamboo tube with the bottom or bottom closed. So it is able to produce the desired tone.
Then there is the base tube, which is a bamboo tube with a hole for inserting the foot part of the sound tube. The foot of the sound tube is what will hit (hit) the base tube and produce a tone.
Finally there is the frame, which is made of bamboo slats assembled to hold the previous two tubes, the base tube and the tone tube.
Pak Daeng’s angklung standardization
To make sure the tone of the angklung is right, the size is ensured to remain standard. Previously, it was used by Daeng Soetigna which became the standard size for Padaeng angklung.
However, there are still two more standards used for modern angklung. First, there is the Udjo standard, which is 2 cm shorter than the size set by Daeng Soetigna. The reason is that the type of bamboo used comes from the Tasikmalaya area.
Next up is the standard Handiman size. The size is right in the middle between Padaeng and Udjo standards. This means that the difference or shorter is 1 cm from the Padaeng standard, also 1 cm longer than the Udjo standard.
Types of Modern Angklung
There are two types of angklung, namely melody angklung and accompaniment /chord angklung.
Angklung melody consists of three types, namely:
Angklung melody (tone F#3 — C6)
Angklung Bass-party (G2-F3)
Ant Angklung (C6 — up)
Akompanimen Angklung consists of 4 types, namely:
Angklung major accompaniment (tone D#3 — D#4)
Minor accompaniment angklung (tone D#3 — D#4)
Angklung chord major (tone C4 — C5)
Minor chord angklung (tone A3 — A4)
Angklung Listed by Unesco
Because it is interesting, unique, and also stunning, Angklung was also included by Unesco as an Original World Cultural Heritage from Indonesia on November 18, 2010. At that time, Unesco confirmed it in a meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya.