Music of Indonesia
Suling is an Indonesian bamboo ring flute which is used in various traditional musical ensemble performances, including gamelan, gambus, and dangdut.
The rhythmic strains of the kecapi are slow in tempo, produced by strings that blend into soft music when combined with the melody of the suling or melismatic vocals.
The kacapi is a traditional zither of Sundanese musical instrument derived from the Chinese guzheng, and similar to the Japanese koto, the Mongolian yatga, the Korean gayageum, the Vietnamese đàn tranh and the Kazakh jetigen, and suling is a bamboo flute.
The most popular and famous form of Indonesian music is probably gamelan, an ensemble of tuned percussion instruments that include metallophones, drums, gongs and spike fiddles along with bamboo flutes.
The Osing Javanese minority in eastern Java are known for social music for weddings and other celebrations called gandrung, as well as angklung, played by young amateur boys, which is very similar to Balinese gamelan.
Gamelan can be performed by itself – in "klenengan" style, or for radio broadcasts – and concerts presentation are common in national arts conservatories founded in the middle of the 20th century.
Gambus literally means oud, referring to a type of lute or 12-string pear-shaped guitar, is the Middle-Eastern-derived Islamic vocal and instrumental music.
Qasidah modern were derived from Islamic pop, adding local dialects and lyrics that address Indonesian contemporary issues.
In Indonesia, as a predominantly Muslim country, many singers perform tradisional or contemporary nasheed, a genre of Islamic vocal music, either primarily or in addition to their repertoire.
Over the years it has been re-released many times by notable artists, mainly within Asia but also beyond (like Anneke Grönloh), and in some places it is seen as typifying Indonesian music.
Gesang himself remains the most renowned exponent of the style, which although it is seen now as a somewhat starchy and "dated" form is still popular among large segments of the population, particularly the older generation.
The patriotic theme and romantic wartime romance was obvious in the works of Ismail Marzuki, such as "Rayuan Pulau Kelapa", "Indonesia Pusaka", "Sepasang Mata Bola", "Keroncong Serenata" and "Juwita Malam".
American jazz was heavily marketed in Asia, and foxtrots, tangos, rumbas, blues and Hawaiian guitar styles were all imitated by Indonesian musicians.
Another popular Indonesian coming of age teen movie Ada Apa Dengan Cinta (2002) also produced successful soundtrack hits with most songs written and performed by Melly Goeslaw.
The main genres are nasheed (Aa Gym), Islamic rock (Ahmad Dhani and Dewa 19), and fusion style (Cak Nun and Kiai Kanjeng).
Classical music has been restricted to the refined, wealthy and educated high-class citizen, and never penetrated the rest of the population during the East Indies colonial era.
Today it is known as Jakarta Symphony Orchestra that has existed in the country's musical world for almost a century through its changing formats to suit prevailing trends and needs.
The Indonesian composer who is considered most prominent and well known worldwide in the classical / contemporary music is Ananda Sukarlan (born 1968), with many orchestral works, chamber and instrumental.
Among contemporary Indonesian musicians who associated with classical music are: the composers Ananda Sukarlan and Sinta Wullur; the pianists Hendry Wijaya, Eduardus Halim, Esther Budiardjo, and Victoria Audrey Sarasvathi; the flautist Embong Rahardjo; the soprano singers Pranawengrum Katamsi, Aning Katamsi, and Isyana Sarasvati (she is also successful pop sentimental ballad vocalist).
In late 90s through 2000s, the popular pop/poprock bands include Slank, Dewa 19, Peterpan, Gigi, Sheila on 7, Jamrud, Padi, Ungu, Radja, Letto, D'Masiv and Nidji, all of which tour regularly in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia and was featured on MTV Asia.
Punk music scene also had steady underground success, with band like Pee Wee Gaskins, Superman Is Dead, and Netral rose to mainstream.
Famous for its throbbing beat and the slightly moralistic lyrics that appeal to youth, dangdut stars dominate the modern pop scene.
A significant experimental music scene has developed in Indonesia, with many acts combining traditional Indonesian vocal techniques and instrumentation with metal and electronic genres such as gabber and ambient.
Gospel music itself experienced its peak of popularity in Indonesia in the 1991s, at which time Franky Sihombing created many Christian spiritual songs.
In the case of Krakatau and SambaSunda, the bands from West Java, the traditional Sundanese kacapi suling and gamelan orchestra is performed alongside drum set, keyboard and guitars.
It involves such bands as Steven & Coconut Treez, Shaggydog, and Souljah, and singers Mbah Surip, Amtenar, Dhyo Haw, Imanez, Nonk'Q Nongkray, and Tony Q Rastafara.
Both musicians who already have big reputations and newcomers present their own musical colors which are enough to help introduce R&B more widely so that it can be accepted by various groups of Indonesian society.
By the end of the 2000s decade, several indie bands such as Mocca, White Shoes & the Couples Company, and Efek Rumah Kaca emerged into the mainstream, providing soundtracks for film and subsequent tours in overseas territories.
Upon entering the new decade (2010s), indie music broke into mainstream culture with its far greater appeal amongst adolescents due to its minimalist, melancholic sounds and age-related lyrics.
The commercial breakthrough for its genre was led by Payung Teduh, Fourtwenty, Stars and Rabbit, Danilla, Banda Neira, Barasuara, and Fiersa Besari.
