Retuning Javanese Identities: The Ironies of a Popular Genre

In this ethnographic analysis of the popular Javanese-Indonesian fusion genre campur sari, I focus on embedded cultural meanings while following the career trajectory of the late popularizer of the genre, Manthou's [sic]. A key site of contention lies in the choice of either indigenous or Weste...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Asian music 2015-07, Vol.46 (2), p.55-88
Main Author: Cooper, Nancy I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asian culture
Cultural identity
Ethnography
Javanese
Music
Musicology
Williams, Sean
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In this ethnographic analysis of the popular Javanese-Indonesian fusion genre campur sari, I focus on embedded cultural meanings while following the career trajectory of the late popularizer of the genre, Manthou's [sic]. A key site of contention lies in the choice of either indigenous or Western tuning systems by particular performing groups. Their choices reveal ambivalence toward modernization itself, resulting not only in renewed identities and musical fusions but also in alternative modernities. Ironically, gamelan musicians who play campur sari may also be preserving their treasured traditional music in an era in which social and economic support for classical genres is declining. Ini analisa etnografi tentang aliran musik Jawa-Indonesia campur sari. Saya akan menyetel lensa terhadap arti budaya dalam secara serempak ikut karir Manthou's, yang bikin populer musik hiburan tersebut. Tempat pertandingan penting adalah pilihan laras Jawa atau laras Barat oleh bermacam rombongan-rombongan campur sari. Pilihan mereka menyatakan dua perasaan yang bertentangan terhadap modernisasi yang mengakibatkan tidak hanya identias baru dan music perpaduan, tetapi kemoderan cadangan. Yang ironis bahwa niyaga gamelan yang main campur sari boleh juga cagar musik adi luhung di jaman ketika sokongan atas aliran klasik menurun.
ISSN:0044-9202
1553-5630
1553-5630
DOI:10.1353/amu.2015.0016