Barring a trip to Asia you can engineer a total sense immersion in the comfort of your home. Get one or two of the Nonesuch CDs: Java: Court Gamelan or Bali: Gamelan & Kecak are good places to start.Then move your stereo into your bathroom, release 37 frogs and 100 crickets, run hot water until it’s nice and steamy, light a clove cigarette and start playing the CDs. Turn the shower on and off to simulate falling rain. Arrange for an occasional earthquake.
(Steve Tibbetts)
3 Comments
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Uli Koch:
Vor Jahren besuchte ich einmal einen Erdbeben-Simulator in den Timanfaya-Bergen auf Lanzarote. Nach dem anfänglichen leichten Brodeln mit akustischer Untermalung begann dann der ganze Boden zu beben – eine dunkel infernalische Erfahrung. In diesem Moment habe ich keine Gamelan-Musik vermisst. Umgekehrt aber kann ich mir die genialen Klänge der Nonsuch-Serie als dramaturgisch höchst wirkungsvolle Steigerung dieser apokalyptischen Erfahrung vorstellen.
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Brian Whistler:
For a simulated Bali experience, I wouldn’t recommend the Java series. The Nonesuch CDs are fantastic,But 2 are Javanese and there seems to be only this one Bali album Steve Tibbets mentioned. Not sure if it includes some of the music off my favorite Nonesuch disc.. But I would definitely recommend the Bali CD. The one I grew up with, Music From the Morning of the World, is sadly only available in used vinyl. It was the one that turned me onto Balinese music and is still a favorite.
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Uli Koch:
I nearly forgot about Music From the Morning of the World. This record introduced the world of Balinese music into my world, too. I’ve been listening to it for hours in the repeat mode till i was totally absorbed by these whirling metallic beats.