Gambang Semarang

Having watch the movie of “ Ca-Bau-Kan”, I became remember to the music they used as a background. The music was one of the unique,yet ethnical music of Semarang. This music knowned as “Gambang Semarang”. The word of Gambang was taken from Javaneese word mean the group of Javaneese music instrument ,such as gong,bonang,and kendang. Based on the word definiton,it can be conclude that Gambang Semarang mean a group of Javaneese music instrument played in Semarangan style.

What do we mean by Semarangan here is refer to the style of culture they had.Those style is very identic with combination of Javaneese and oriental style,in which Semarang’s style of culture is very much influenced by Chineese. It makes Gambang Semarang being one of a result from culture assimilation of oriental and natives. So that, gambang Semarang adapt the oriental style of music into Javaneese style,while the form of assimilation can be noticed at the way of the instrument used combined and the choreopgraphy involved in it. The music instrument used on Gambang Semarang isn’t only the traditional instrument of Java but also they add violin and cello,as the strings instrument for enriched the oriental sense. Meanwhile, the choreography occasionally used on it is one of Semarang’s traditional dance called “Congkek”. This dance is quite contemporer,because the appearance looks very oriental but the gesture is quite traditional. Although it belongs to contemporer dance,it still reflect the natives culture.

Based on the choreography involved and the music played on Gambang Semarang ,seemed to be that those “traditional orchestra group” belong to the contemporer art of performances.