Solonese Gamelan

Solonese Gamelan is the court gamelan tradition of Surakarta (Solo) in Central Java, one of the two great Central Javanese styles that diverged when the Mataram kingdom split in 1755. It is characterised by a soft, intricate and highly ornamented playing style, contrasting with the more forceful manner of Yogyakarta, and by elaborate pieces (gendhing) performed on paired sets of metallophones, gongs, drums and bowed and plucked strings tuned to the sléndro and pélog systems. Both the Kraton Surakarta and the Mangkunegaran palace maintained the tradition, whose repertory accompanies dance, theatre and ceremony.