Irama

{{short description|Indonesian musical tempo used in Gamelan}} {{Other uses}} thumb|400px|Number of ''saron panerus'' notes per ''saron'' note in each ''irama''.<ref>Lindsay, Jennifer (1992). ''Javanese Gamelan'', p.54. {{ISBN|0-19-588582-1}}.</ref> '''''Irama''''' is the term used for tempo in Indonesian gamelan in Java and Bali. It can be used with elaborating instruments. It is a concept used in Javanese gamelan music,<ref name=Peeters>{{cite web | url=http://recherche.ircam.fr/anasyn/peeters/GAMELAN/index.html | title=The Javanese Gamelan | access-date=December 5, 2011 | author=Peeters, Geoffroy}}</ref> describing melodic tempo and relationships in density between the balungan, elaborating instruments, and gong structure.<ref>Spiller, 2004.</ref> It is distinct from tempo (Javanese: ''Laya''), as each ''Irama'' can be played in different tempi.<ref name="Sumarsam">{{cite web | url=http://www.gamelan.to/pangkur_one/pangkur_oneBOOKLET.html | title=Gamelan of Central Java | publisher=Yantra Productions (gamelan.to) | work=Gamelan of Central Java – XII. PANGKUR ONE | year=2008 | access-date=December 5, 2011 | author=Sumarsam}}</ref><ref name="Jordan">{{cite web | url=http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~jjordan/gamelan/glossary.html | title=Javanese Gamelan | work=Javanese Gamelan: Glossary | date=May 25, 2002 | access-date=December 5, 2011 | author=Jordan, Bern | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212201853/http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~jjordan/gamelan/glossary.html | archive-date=February 12, 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Irama'' thus combines "the rate of temporal flow and temporal density"; and the temporal density is the primary factor.<ref>Sumarsan, 1996. page 156</ref>

One way to think of ''Irama'' is to use the most consistently struck instrument in the gamelan, the ''saron panerus'' (or ''peking''). In some pieces, it plays once per note in the ''balungan'' (such as played by the ''saron barung''). In others, it may play twice as often, or four times, as the notes of the ''balungan'' are more spread out. This corresponds to a slower ''Irama''. In most cases, the more spread out the ''balungan'' is, the longer it takes to reach a ''gong ageng''.<ref name="Nyai Saraswati">{{cite web | url=http://www.ibiblio.org/gamelan/education/index.php?topic=peking&view=education | title=Gamelan Nyai Saraswati | publisher=University of North Carolina | work=Introduction to the Peking | access-date=December 5, 2011 | author=Guberman, Daniel}}</ref>

There are five ''Irama'':<ref name=Peeters />

{| class="wikitable" |- valign=bottom ! ''Irama'' number ! ''Irama'' name ! ''Saron panerus'' beats per ''balungan'' note |- | 1/2 || ''Irama lancar'' || 1 |- | I || ''Irama tanggung'' || 2 |- | II || ''Irama dados'' (or ''dadi'') || 4 |- | III || ''Irama wilet'' || 8 |- | IV || ''Irama rangkep'' || 16 |}

In slower ''Irama'', there is more space to be filled, and typically elaborating instruments become more important.

Each ''Irama'' can be played in three ''Laya'' ("tempi"): * ''Seseg'' ("fast"), * ''Sedeng'' ("medium") * ''Tamban'' ("slow"). Frequently, a change of ''Laya'' signals a new section.

==See also== {{Portal|Music|Indonesia}} * Gamelan * Gamelan notation * Music of Indonesia * Music of Java

==Bibliography==

* Spiller, Henry. ''Gamelan: the traditional sounds of Indonesia''. ABC-Clio, 2004. {{ISBN|978-1-85109-506-3}} * Sumarsam. ''Gamelan: cultural interaction and musical development in central Java''. University of Chicago Press, 2nd Edition, 1996. {{ISBN|978-0-226-78011-5}}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Gamelan}}

Category:Gamelan theory Category:Rhythm and meter