Instrumentation
2.picc.2.2.2 - 4231 - timp(=BD) - perc(3) - pno: gong/susp.cym/4 bongos/timb/whip/mcas - strings
Availability
Score 0-571-50307-1 on sale, parts for hire
Programme Notes
Sun Music II ‘Ketjak’ The basis of Ketjak was written in 1968 as additional material to the Sun Music series, for Robert Helpmann’s presentation of the Sun Music Ballet. Ketjak is the word for a Balinese circular dance which evolves from the vocal and rhythmic accompaniment to the trance-ritual sanghyang. The Ketjak is often given the more colloquial name ‘monkey-dance’; it is performed only by men, who imitate the sound of gamelan in their singing, which is ecstatic in character. Although Sculthorpe drew his rhythmic and textual ideas from the Balinese prototype, in no way does his composition attempt to imitate the Indonesian, but remains content to reflect the composer’s interest in Asia as opposed to Europe for his source of inspiration. Sun Music II was written for the 1969 Sydney Promenade Concerts. Peter Sculthorpe