Week 3

It seems that even though both are Gamelan pieces, the performances are very different. In the "Ratna Ayu" the piece is composed of both dancers and musicians. Here the focus of the attention is on the dancers and the story they are trying to portray, and so the music complements the dancers. Music serving to complement the dance can be seen in all aspects of the dance. These include, the musicians wearing similar but less elaborate traditional costumes like the dancers, and also allowing the dancers to take center stage while the musicians are out to the sides, in the background. Also the music takes it cue from the dancing. The dancing is largely synchronous and so the music for the most part keeps on playing the same melody and keeps with the synchronity. Also the dance is slow, and the music sets that tone by being delicate, even, and slow paced.

In the Bali Nyepi, it is just composed of music, and so music is the central part of the performance. The dress is less elaborate and the focus is on the music. Here there is interplay between the different instruments, and the music is more fast paced throughout the piece. There also seems to be changes in the rhythm.