Bibliography

“Colotomic Structure.” Britannica Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2016.

“Gamelan Tonality.” GCSE Bitesize. N.p., n.d. Web.

Gamelan music. (2014). Retrieved November 3, 2015, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/world_music/gamelan_music5.shtml

“Period: Impressionist.” ClassicalArchives. N.p., n.d. Web.
 

“Impressionism.” Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Jan. 2016.

“Ostinato.” N.p., 2011. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.

“Types of Contrapuntal Motion.” Open Music Theory. N.p., n.d. Web.

“Whole Tone Scales.” N.p., n.d. Web.

 Rudge, Alice. Monet’s 1873 Painting Impression, Sunrise. Digital image. Http://www.varsity.co.uk/culture/4236. Vanity, n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016. <http://www.varsity.co.uk/culture/4236>.

Singapore Gamelan SingaMurti. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E-OEfAmGQ8Y/maxresdefault.jpg>.

Gamelan Instruments. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.

Citation for Balinese Gamelan Music (Tabuh Pisan) Track 1 Audio Example:

Umi699. "Gamelan. Bali: Music for the Gong Gede." YouTube. YouTube, 01 Oct. 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.

Conclusion

              While France and Bali are nations separated great distance, it appears that along with the expected differences, there are quite a few similarities present. Through my investigation it is evident that there are links such as the use of ostinato and countermelody between the Gamelan piece "Tabuh Pisan" and the Impressionist piece "Pagodes". Though many may believe that music from different cultures are vastly different, my investigation has shown me that despite the changes music faces throughout time and culture, the universality of music as a language and art is something that cannot be disputed.

Introduction

In my musical links investigation, I will be looking at the musical structure of French impressionist music and Balinese Gamelan music. I will specifically be looking at Debussy’s impressionist piece, the first movement of Estampes, called Pagodes. The Gamelan piece will be comparing it to is called Tabuh Pisan, which is an instrumental piece. Between the two musical cultures I will be investigating the links between the use of ostinato and countermelody.

Here are the links to the music videos that I used in my Analysis of the pieces:
Tabuh Pisan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRvVZ5WVKds
Pagodes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lswHSnJ0Rlw

Introduction to Gamelan Music and Impressionist Music

Gamelan Music is the tradition ensemble music from the java and Balinese regions of Indonesia. My investigation will specifically be looking at Balinese Gamelan Music. This music culture derives its name from the Javanese word for hammer which his “Gamel”, as the main method of instrument playing is through hammering instruments. Gamelan music is often performed at celebrations and in theatre performances or it can be used as accompaniment for puppet shows, poetry or drama. Music is usually passed on through oral tradition and not written down. Unlike western orchestras, the instruments in the ensemble have equal roles, no instrument is emphasized or given more attention than others, this emphasizes community and group values over individual(“Gamelan”). Musicians in an ensemble often play variations of a main melodic line simultaneously and create a hypnotic a pulsating sound that involves a static repetition of rhythm and melodies.

Citation: (Singapore Gamelan SingaMurti)

A Gamelan ensemble usually consists of a variety of instruments, included the rebab, a bowed fiddle, the suling which is a flute, hanging gongs (gong and kempul), metallophones like the saron, racked gongs called the bonang and kenong, and hand played drums (Kendhang). The music is made of interlocking layers, with different instruments playing in each layer, with the rbalungan as the main melodic line. Gamelan music is tuned to either the Pelog or the Slendro scale and is cyclic, with different cycles that might be repeated in each piece.(“Gamelan Music”)

 Citations: (Gamelan Instruments)                     (Gamelan Tonality)

Impressionism in music was a movement that happened among a variety of composers during the late 19^th century and early 20^th century.

(Impressionist Art : Monet’s 1873 Painting Impression, Sunrise) Citation:(Rudge)

As music was an abstract art form, it was ideal for projection the vague images of impressionism. Impressionistic music focuses on suggestion and atmosphere and worked to convey the mood and emotions of the subject rather than create the image of a detailed picture. Impressionistic composers enjoyed using the orchestra and the piano. The orchestra could convey a variety of different tones and colors, whereas, the piano had a damper pedal that allowed vibrating harmonies to “suspend mid air”.  Impressionist music emphasized on the instrumental timbres, static harmony and used ornamentation to obscure melodies(“Impressionism”)
. Claude Debussy is considered to be the artist that initiated the impressionistic style, and he has a variety of different impressionistic piano pieces. The prominent musical characteristics of this genre of music include: Modal Influences, Whole-Tone Scale, Pentatonic Scale, Impressionist Harmony, Escaped chords and Parallel Motion. (“Period: Impressionist”)

Citation: (Whole Tone Scales)

Link 2 : Countermelody

Counter melody can be defined a sequence of notes, perceived as a melody that is played at the same time as a prominent leading. A counter melody is similar to a secondary melody that is played in counter point with the primary melody. The lines have independency from each other and can function as their own melody. Pagodes appears to use counter melodies and has a contrapuntal texture, while Tabuh Pisan creates a similar sounding contrapuntal texture.

            In Pagodes, the use of layers and contrapuntal texture can be first seen in measure 7 to 9, where there are 3 independent layers to the measures:

If we look at measure 7, counter melody is evident as the right hand plays an ostinato while the left hand plays a counter melody.

We can see that the first layer lies in the use of the pedal note, low F sharp, while the middle layer (highlighted by the blue pen) consists of eight notes, a moderate speed, with the last layer (highlighted by the black pen) consists of eight and sixteenth notes, moving at a higher speed in comparison with the other two layers. Linear contrapuntal movement can be seen between the middle and top layers(“Types of Contrapuntal Motion”).
 

The left hand plays that melody that is countered by the right hand counter melody of triplet notes played in ascending notes of a pentatonic scale.

This contrapuntal texture can be seen in the use of layered sections in Tabuh Pisan. Different instruments play different melodies simultaneously that layer on top of each other, creating a rich and complex sound. Where the gong plays an ostinato (every four beats it is struck once). The gong is immediately followed by a three note melody played by the rebab. The kendhang also plays a fast percussive rhythm that punctuates the piece.

Audio Example Track 1

Together, the contrapuntal melodies of Tabuh Pisan and Pagodes create a contrapuntal texture in the pieces. Debussy mimics the typical Gamelan use of layering with the structuring of his counter melodies. In Gamelan music, instruments with a lower pitch tend to play slower melodies, where as instruments in a higher register play at more rapid tempos. Referring to figure 5, the red section (low part) is the pedal note, hence, the lowest register. This pedal note is similar to the punctuating sound of the gong that is played in Tabuh Pisan and it is the slowest section of the piece. The middle section plays a faster melody, in Pagodes; this blue highlighted section is composed of eight notes. The highest section, marked by blue pen, is composed of eight notes and sixteenth notes and plays the faster most elaborate melody. Together these three sections work together to create a contrapuntal texture of the piece.

When comparing the use of countermelodies in both Tabuh Pisan and Pagodes it is crucial to note that the effect of the countermelody in each piece differs from each other. While Pagodes creates a distinctive gamelan sound, there is a hierarchy of melodies where sometimes, the right hand plays a melody that is slightly more dominant than the countermelody played by the left hand. This is evident in measures 7-9 as well because while the left hand and the right hand are playing a counter melody and a primary melody, even though they are independent from each other, it is clear that the melody in the left hand is more dominant that the ostinato that the right hand is playing. As the ostinato is static it serves as a back up melody that adds depth to the overall sound of the piece. This is reflective of the French impressionist style, that is part of western music culture and usually has a more dominant melody. However, in Gamelan music, a key characteristic of the Gamelan Ensemble is that each instrument is equal in its standing and no instrument is more dominant than the other. The emphasize is on collaboration and the sound that is created when all the interlocking melodies from each instrument come together. The use of countermelody in Tabuh Pisan gives each independent melody, whether its a countermelody or a primary melody equal standing, and the overall sound of the Tabuh Pisan can only be created when the various interlocking melodies are played simultaneously. However, it is crucial to state, that Debussy only had the piano as he tried to re create the shimmering sound quality created by an ensemble of various instruments.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link 1: Use of Ostinato and Pedal Point

                              
                  Despite the vast cultural differences between both pieces, the use of ostinato and the pedal note is apparent. It is crucial to note that a key characteristic of gamelan music is the use of a colotomic structure, which is defined as a structure of music where specific instruments mark off established time intervals. In Gamelan music, instrument like the gongs are struck at different intervals, each playing their own repetitive rhythm, rhythmic ostinato, throughout the piece. In Pagodes, Debussy uses an ostinato (“Colotomic Structure”), a repeated melodic or rhythmic phrase, which is similar to the way colotomic gamelan structure uses repetition. An ostinato is introduced right at the start of the piece, starting in measure 3, and repeated throughout measures such as 5, 7, 53, 55, 57, 59, 80, and 82. The effect of this ostinato is to create a unifying structure of the pieces (“Ostinato”). This ostinato can be seen in figure 1, which will be shown below:

 

However, Debussy does not only use one ostinato, he also uses another ostinato to create unity, and it can be seen in measures 77-80, seen in figure 2 below.

 

This ostinato uses rapid 32^nd notes in the right hand melody and quarter notes in the left hand, and the cyclic upwards and downwards shape of the right hand melody is continued over several measures creating a very strong and intense ostinato. This repetition brings in a static quality that in addition to the first ostinato ties together and unifies Pagodes as a whole. However, Debussy doesn’t stop there. He proceeds to include a third ostinato, to elude a sense of strong unity. By using three varying ostinato phrases, the piece does not get dull and repetitive, yet is able to use repetition of 3 different types of ostinato to create unity. Furthermore, the ostinato can also create a mesmerizing, daze like atmosphere to the piece. Especially in Pagodes, where the alternating pianissimo dynamics and forte dynamics coupled with the ostinato phrases lulls the listeners into a fugue like state. This third ostinato can be seen within the use of two conjunct notes, C# and D#. This two note ostinato is used throughout the piece and is performed by alternating sections of the piano, creating a sense of call and response, otherwise known as antiphony. In figure 3 below, we can see the two note ostinato:

 

            In Tabuh Pisan, an actual colotomic structure is present. While Pagodes uses the ostinato to create the feel of a colotomic structure, this Gamelan piece uses a colotomic structures where the highly layered texture with interlocking layers based off the core melody, Balungan, are played in a system where musical intervals are marked off by the entrance of the gongan, a gong like instrument that creates a deep and resonating sound. Though this is not specifically a rhythmic ostinato, the use of the gongan in Tabuh Pisan is reminiscent of Debussy’s use of ostinato. In the gamelan piece, one can hear the entrance of the gong that is consistently repeated in four beat intervals. This lasts for a majority of the song, from 1:12 all the way to 11:35. This can be heard in Track 1 below:

Audio Example Track 1

            In addition to the ostinato mentioned above, another ostinato can be heard in Tabuh Pisan. This is the repeated motif ostinato played by an idiophone, most likely the Slenthem. The motif consists of two four beat measures of ascending notes that continue to repeat itself.  In contrast to Debussy, Tabuh Pisan’s use of colotomic nature not only creates a sense of unity, it also creates tension that builds up, as in addition to the four beat interval entrance of the gong, the interlocking layers of all the other instrumental sections of the piece create a harsh and slightly chaotic sound.

            While the use of ostinato in both pieces are a link, there are differences in the effect and roles of the ostinato. As Gamelan music is very cyclical and repetitive, the use of ostinato and repeated instrumental sections played simultaneously are the focus of the Gamelan piece and creates a lulling, shimmering and hypnotic sound. Whereas in Debussy's piece, Pagodes, the use of Ostinato is more of an accompaniment, that mimics and echoes the hypnotic sound so brazenly performed by the Gamelan Ensemble in Tabuh Pisan. Rather amazingly, Debussy shows the versatility of the piano by demonstrating how a solo instrument can almost imitate the sounds and tones of a full Gamelan Ensemble that is rich with instruments of varying timbres. 

           Furthermore, Debussy’s use of a pedal point also creates an impression of colotomic structure in gamelan music. A pedal point can be defined as a sustained note during which the harmony above it changes, often creating a dissonant sound. The effect of this is to create a static feel, as the unchanged pedal point ties the piece together and makes the listeners hear a strong tonal effect. Similar to the cyclical gong ostinato played every four beats as mentioned above, a whole note is often sustained in each measure of Pagodes as can be seen in measures 19 to 26. Refer to the highlighted whole notes in figure 4:

However, even though the whole note that is sustained in Pagodes can create a similar effect of unification and a static-feel, it is less powerful and unifying as the cyclic gong in Tabuh Pisan which resonates loudly throughout the piece and remains constant.