"Naar aanleiding van de wereldtentoonstelling, die in 1998 in Lissabon gehouden is, heeft het Portugese label Tradisom een twaalftal cd's uitgebracht met muziek uit de kolonies die Portugal tijdens haar befaamde ontdekkingsreizen (vanaf de 15e eeuw) gesticht heeft. De cd-boekjes bevatten mooie kleurenfoto's en uitgebreide historische en culturele uitleg in de Portugese en Engelse taal. De Portugese invloed reikte van het Zuid-Amerikaanse Brazilië tot de Aziatische eilanden Sri Lanka en Timor. Het is interessant te bemerken hoe de versmelting van Portugese muziek met inheemse muziek gezorgd heeft voor nieuwe klanken. De cd met muziek uit Timor is nog het meest afwisselend, met signaalmuziek op buffelhoorn, muziek tijdens politieke demonstraties en (katholieke) ceremonies, dansmuziek en liefdesliederen." (Muziekweb).
Traditionele gamelan muziek uit Bali.
The Toba and Karo from North Sumatra developed complex instrumental traditions. The Toba, one of the few societies to use tuned drums to carry a melody, combine them with gongs and oboe-like instruments, creating dynamic melodies and rhythms. The Karo ensemble features expert drumming full of snaps and pops. The Ono Niha people from the island of Nias perform ornate choral songs called hoho, which use only four tones and embody their oral tradition. Unknown outside of Indonesia, these 1990 digital recordings include extensive notes. 72 minutes. "Its variety—in sound, feel, and purpose—is astonishing and inspiring." — Rhythm Music. (folkways)
"Like most releases in the Rough Guide series, this compilation provides a solid overview of the music of a particular region, but Indonesia's musical traditions are probably among the least well-known in the West. World music aficionados may be familiar with the gamelan orchestras for which the region has become known, but this 15-song CD exposes the broad diversity of sounds you might expect from a country with over 550 ethnic groups spread across more than 17,500 islands. From the traditional gamelan and throbbing percussion of CBMW's folksy "Sambasunda" and the lilting guitar picking and melancholy vocals of Grup Bamba Puang's "Los Quin Tallu-Tallu" to the more modern, Indian- and Arabic-influenced pop sounds of artists like Elvy Sukaesih and her former partner, Rhoma Irama, The Rough Guide to Indonesia provides an accessible introduction to some very unfamiliar musical traditions." (AllMusic)
"This is a truly wonderful recording. The all-woman Nasidaria is a supergroup by Javanese standards, with 32 cassette releases under their belts. This is yet another of the great Muslim crossover sounds, with Indian and Arabic (including contempo-Cairo) influences, but also a sound totally its own. Traditional Qasidah was epic poetry accompanied by percussion and response singing. Indonesian Muslims use the form as a kind of Islamic calypso of social and topical comment, and Nasidaria added synth, guitars, and so on, along with Indian drumming, filmi touches, and all the usual wonderful stuff." (Allmusic)
"The province of Maluku contains many diverse musical cultures, each based on a unique, creative synthesis of local traditions and outside inluences. Many musical forms are linked to religious practices, including the church music-influenced styles of the Christians, the Middle East-influenced musical expressions of the Muslims and the music associated with ancestor and nature spirit-based religious beliefs. In this selection the focus is on vocals and you can sing along since lyrics are provided." (Harmonies.com)
De opnames op deze cd werden in 1974 gemaakt, toen het ensemble en zangeres Ida Widawati op uitnodiging van het Tropeninstituut in Amsterdam daar optraden.
" This CD was recorded by walter Quintus at pura bale batur, kamasan, klungkung,bali,Indonesia,in September 1991. It containts four gending(pieces) in three different saih (modes): gending lasem, saih selisir (23’28”); gending tembung, saih tembung(19’04) ;gending tabuh gari, saih selisir (10’42’) ;gending unduk, saih baro(10’18”). The performing group is sekaa semar pegulingan saih pitu from kamasan village, directed by I Wayan Sumendra . The term semar pegulingan consists of two words:semar, the god of love, often called samara; and pegulingan , wich means “ bad chamber” in Balinese. Semar pegulingan, thus, mean” love music for the badroom.” Another understanding of the name is “ music for ecstasy.” Saih pitu means that this gamelan uses the seven-tone pelog scale, one of the tuning systems in traditional Balinese music." (ISI Denpasar)
