Photo of Lesung group Sentong Toga from Kunden, Imogiri, Java.
Waiting to perform at ISI in Yogya, Java, 3 Feb 95.
Photo and notes copyright ©David W. Hughes, 1995.
Recording session organized by Sri Hastanto, part of an evening of various folk musics from around Central Java, most of which are now enshrined (in short excerpts) in the CD Traditional music of the archipelago [Musik tradisi nusantara], vol. 1, issued in 1997-8 by Depdikbud, not for sale.
A rhythmic music derived from the act of rice-pounding. Two tubs (played identically) of 5 women each; a male leader lurked and acted like the boss; no rice in the tubs. Vague sense of pitch differentiation, but not the clear melody of the Bunun (Taiwan) equivalent (maturtur, part of millet harvest celebration). A very stiff performance, probably because of the setting (on a stage, with many ISI and other musicians and researchers present) and the fact that this was indeed a group trained for (or forced into) public âperformanceâ by their boss-man, rather than having a fun time back home.