Arma Art Group

Gamelan gong kebyar, the most popular musical style in Bali, was born at the start of the twentieth century after the music of the court had vanished entirely as a consequence of the Dutch occupation. The slow and stately music played in the palaces made way for fast, energetic music full of dramatic contrasts and rapid changes of tempo. 'Kebyar' was the magic word, meaning 'like a flower bursting open'! The Arma ensemble from Pengosekan - an artists' village not far from Ubud - comprises thirty musicians who play in the 'kecak' and 'jego' styles. 'Kecak' was originally a vocal style for male voices that takes its name from the typical 'cak...cak...cak' sound. This music was sung during the preparations for the sacred Sanghyang dancers. The stirring sound is said to urge the goddesses to enter the dancers' bodies. 'Jegog' is an impressive bamboo gamelan. Some parts are more than three metres long. The instruments are played with rubber hammers and are tuned on a four-tone system. The 'jegogan', the main instrument, is played by several musicians and produces a deep melody around which the other musicians weave patterns.