Year 2, #4

Saturday, 19 October 2002
Laweyan, Solo

Hello klenengan friends,

Sorry this e-mail is unusually late. I'm in Solo on a 10-day break, so my routine and schedule is thrown off a bit. We had the fourth klenengan of the 2nd fiscal year last Saturday night at Laweyan. It started at 8 pm and went until 2 am. Everyone was concerned about the events in Bali, and many expressed their concern about foreigner's safety in Indonesia as well as their horror that terrorism was so close to home (with everything going on with Abu Bakar Ba'asyir's arrest here in Solo). At midnight, in commemoration of the events in Bali, they conducted a muryararas--turned the lights off and played a gadhon/no sindhenan version of Menyan Kobar. It's been rough in some ways lately(a teacher at my school was killed in Bali and it's been a very emotional time at work and tense in Jakarta in general). On the other hand, life in Solo seems fairly normal and relaxed, and none of the foreign students here seem to feel at all threatened, including myself during this break. "Non-essential" (spouses and children)embassy personnel from the US, Canadian, Australian, and British have evacuated from Jakarta (to their "safe havens" in the Washington DC suburbs--no comment), but no foreigners have left Solo or are even thinking about it. Rehearsals, performances, etc continue as normal.

We had a full-house, although a number of musicians were unable to attend. Despite recent events, it's been very busy here leading up to the fasting month. Pak Anom's daughter is getting married as well as Pak Manteb's son, which leads to a whole string of klenengan and wayang events in Solo. Pak-s Yadi, Dalimin and Wiyono were in Jakarta playing for the Mangkunegaran (Guruh Sukarnoputra--Megawati's brother--was getting married and they were part of the musical ceremony). Pak Tarno, Bu Tarini and perhaps a few others were at a klenengan in Jagalan. Bu Tugini and Pak Priyo were at a Condhong Raos reunion that served as the midodareni for Pak Manteb's son's wedding. Bp. Darsono/STSI has been ill and couldn't come.

We had a few new musicians--Ibu Yayuk/Triyagen came for the first time, as well as Pak Mulyono--a gerong singer from Boyolali who is a close friend of Bp. Darsono "jepang"'s. Pak Min from the Mangkunegaran joined us, as well as Mas Hartono from the Danar Hadi group. Bp. Parno, a gamelan teacher from Jakarta, originally from Sragen, also came because he happened to be in town. A bonang penerus player from the Mangkunegaran also joined us (neither I nor Mas Wakidi know his name--next month we'll get it!)

Next month, under advice from the Laweyan community, the klenengan will not happen, as it is in the middle of fasting.

The next klenengan will be December 14th (moved up to the 2nd Saturday, since I go to the States on the 3rd Saturday.....)

Acara Gendhing

  1. Gd. Bn. Sidamukti kt 4 arang mg 8, slendro manyura

    bn: Mardi
    kd: Wakidi
    kethuk: Wahyo

  2. Gd. Tejanata kt 2 kr mg 4 kalj. Ldr. Playon, pt wantah, pl 5

    rb: Wahyo
    gd: Kamso
    kd: Wakidi
    bn: Mulyono
    gb: Narto

  3. Gd. Lokananta kt 2 kr mg 4 kalj Ldr. ??? (I've searched and can't find what it was! I know that Pak Wahyo meant to do Gonjang Seret, but I don't know what it became!) irama wilet, pt wantah

    rb: Wahyo
    gd: Karno
    kd: Wakidjo
    bn: Mardi
    gb: Narto

  4. Gd. Semburhadas kt 2 kr mg Tombohoneng kalj. Ldr. Kagok pt ngelik jugag, pl 5

    rb: Wahyo
    gd: Kamso
    kd: Wakidjo
    bn: Mulyono
    gb: Narto

  5. Gd. Guntur kt 2 kr mg Majemuk, sw gropak, ada2 girisa, Srepegan Pinjalan, palaran Gambuh, Dhandhanggula--Srepeg rangkep--Ayak2an pt jugag

    rb: Wahyo
    gd: Karno
    kd: Wakidjo
    bn: Mardi
    gb: Narto

  6. pt. pl 6 jugag Bawa (Mulyono) dhawah Gd. Gendhiyeng kt 2 kr mg 4 kalj. Ldr. Sukarsih

    rb: Raji
    gd: Kamso
    kd: Wakidi
    bn: Mulyono
    gb: Narto

  7. Lgm Gagat Enjang (Warti)
    Lgm Tamansari (Yayuk)

  8. MURYARARAS for Bali trajedy
    Gd. Menyan Kobar kt 4 kr mg 8

    rb: Wakidjo
    gd: Karno
    kd: Wakidi
    gb: Narto

  9. Ldr. Pangkur Tanjung Gunung pl 7, malik slendro

    rb: Raji--diganti Wawan once Pangkur biasa started
    gd: Pahang
    kd: Wakidjo
    gb: Narto diganti Wakiyo when the rangkep got too fast

  10. Ldr. Loro2 Topeng, pl 7

    rb: Wawan
    gd: Pahang
    kd: Kamso
    bn: Mardi
    gb: Wakiyo

  11. Ayak-ayakan

Musicians Attending

  • Rebab: Wahyo, Raji, Wakidjo, Wawan
  • Gender: Kamso, Karno, Pahang
  • Kendhang: Wakidi, Wakidjo, Kamso
  • Sindhen: Mulyani, Parni, Tukinem, Dharmi, Munirah, Warti, Yayuk/Triyagen Gerong: Panut, Mulyono, Yasa, Darsono "jepang", Min Gambang: Narto, Wakiyo
  • Gender Penerus: Tulus
  • Bonang: Mulyono, Mardi
  • Bonang Penerus: ????from Mangkunegaran
  • Siter: Joko "Tipes"
  • Suling:Hartono "Danar Hadi"
  • Kenong: Sarsidi
  • Gong: Ali
  • Slenthem: Sutat
  • Balungan: Wakiyo, Parno, Prapto/RRI, Ngatno, Warjina, Pardi/STSI, Sardiman Kethuk: Wahyo and Mujiono (!)

Audience

  • Greg McCourt, Linda, Niall (USA)
  • Kaoru, Japan
  • Akira, Japan
  • Steve Laronga, USA
  • Kathryn, England
  • Ross, England
  • Chris, England
  • Sophie, England
  • Esther, England
  • Ryan, USA (Minn.)
  • Niemh, Ireland
  • Bambang Siswanto (came really late)
  • 3 members of the Kecatmatan Jebres Bapak2 group 3 members of the Laweyan bapak2 group

Budget

We spent Rp. 4.315.000 which at the current rate of Rp. 9.150 comes to $472, under our 2002-2003 ceiling of $500 per klenengan. We, as of last month if you remember, have raised the rates to Rp. 70.000 for penabuh (raised from 60.000) and Rp. 170.000 for the 3 senior sindhen (raised from Rp. 150.000).