T

he Denpasar-based Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) has been campaigning since November last year for the revitalization of the Balinese traditional rebab, a bowed instrument known for its soft sound and subtle harmony.

This string instrument has gradually faded into the background of Balinese traditional music, which relies heavily on percussion instruments.

“We have organized a workshop for young rebab players and research on the origin and distribution of the Balinese rebab,” ISI deputy rector I Gede Arya Sugiartha said.

Sugiartha disclosed that rebab used to be found in almost every region of Indonesia. However rebabs from different regions would display different physical and audio characteristics.

“In previous times, the Balinese rebab was made of half a coconut shell covered with dried cow skin. The neck of the Balinese rebab is generally shorter than the Javanese rebab. Both instruments, however, produce a similar set of sounds,” he said.

It was reported that the resort island now had only one remaining rebab maker. Much of the island’s demand for rebabs was now being channeled to artisans in the neighboring island of Java.

“We have yet to determine the history of rebab in Bali and specific research is being carried out on the topic,” he said.

The history of rebab in Bali would be an interesting topic, he argued, because rebab was the only known bowed instrument in Balinese traditional musical ensembles, known as gamelan.

“All the other instruments in gamelan are percussion instruments. One gamelan troupe usually has only one rebab and one rebab player,” he added.

In a workshop co-organized with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, ISI experts taught various theoretical aspects of the bowed instruments to 70 young rebab players from all over Bali.

“The experts also train them on ways to compose musical repertoires with rebab as the main instrument,” he said.

At the end of the workshop, the participants performed two new traditional-style musical compositions.

The sounds produced by rebab were the dominant voice in the ensembles. The compositions required at least 20 rebab players in a single ensemble.

The ministry’s research and development head Endang Martani praised the institute’s efforts to
revitalize rebab.

“We will approach the tourism industry to provide wider opportunities for traditional musical ensembles to showcase our musical heritage,” she said.