Search - Various Artists :: Living Art, Sounding Spirit: The Bali Sessions

Beautiful music packaged ephemerally

dig-it-the-most | 09/25/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This collection of Balinese music moves roughly from pure tradition to modern "new music", and as such should be valuable for scholars and world music enthusiasts alike. Sound quality is warm and captures well the acoustic "beating" of the gamelan orchestras (as well as that of the kecak performers.) The only caveat with this set is its packaging: The designers had a nice idea, covering the packaging with appropriate motifs and arranging it in a fold-out format, but the discs fall out of their sleeves and the cardboard material is ultimately ephemeral, which is luckily not true of the music."

Electrifying and well worth it's value!!! Excellent music !!

Kean Chhay Chang | Vic, Australia | 04/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This cd recorded by Mickey Hart is from my opinion to be the best so far on Balinese gamelan music. The cd contains are wide range of music styles from the very rare gamelan selonding right through to the more popular vocals of the kecak (monkey chant). The recordings are crystal clear and the cd cover, the contents are excellent. Such creativity goes with very well recorded music.Mickey Hart has done an excellent job with this cd. The first disc contained very rare as well as sacred music from the Bali Aga (the original Balinese inhabitants who refused to accept Hindu-Javanese influence). The music itself is very distinct especially when there are no other instrumentations like most Balinese and Javanese gamelans that tended to include drums and flutes. With gamelan selonding the orchestra just comprised of metallophones. The sound is incredible, light, shimmery, hazy and nostalgic to ones ear. The sounds reverberate an ancient music style giving that mysterious side of the Bali Aga since nothing is much known about their music therefore making it more exotic. Gong suling or the flute orchestra was very fast as well as soothing with great dynamics and tempo which similar to the kebyar style found the modern repertoires from gamelan gong kebyar. The sounds of the sulings are very haunting as well as airy. Gamelan genggong, the jew's harp I found was quite enjoyable. It was so different from all of the tracks because of the twang sounds given when played. It reminds me of frogs or cicadas having a conversation or communicating with one another of their species. Gamelan jegog with it's large bars made from bamboo gave loud thunderous roars sounding like heavy fat rain falling down to earth. Very earthy in texture and sound because of the woody keys when they are struck.Disc 2- was more a folk more with gamelan joged sounding much similar to classical Thai court music and Cambodian music from the mohori orchestra. The kecak with their haunting chants as well as narrators giving the story line in kawi or kakawin (Old Javanese language). 54 minutes of this electrifying epic was enough to make me want to see the real performance itself. Disc 3- was something unsual and totally unexpected. Here in this last cd there are modern creation of new styles of music based on the traditional Balinese gamelan orchestra. The first two tracks are very beautifully composed with vocals as well as a different technique and style never heard before. Giving a wonderful twist to the whole track itself. The third track was performed by the now rare gamelan gong gede. Since the 1900s the gamelan gong gede disappeared with Balinese kingship only to be replaced with gamelan gong kebyar. It's wonderful to hear the ancient gamelan gong gede play a new piece of music in a new style. Very heavy in style and in composition and I found it quiet relaxing to listen to them.This cd is great and I recommend this cd to anyone. Well worth it's value. Three wonderfully recorded disc of Balinese gamelan music, from the sacred, folk and contemporary music. The cd also provided a 30 page booklet giving credit to the musicians and the sekaa (gamelan clubs) who help contribute to the performance as well as information about the orchestras. Very ingenious with the cd case itself. However the cds tended to fall out but it's un-comparable with the music itself. This one is on my cd list if I was given a second chance to buy another copy."