TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Yogyakarta Cultural Agency launches a book documenting ancient scripts of Nyaogyakarta gending (Javanese traditional music). Entitled ‘Wiled Berdangga Laras Slendro’, the book was transliterated from Javanese script Titilaras Andha written by Radeng Tumenggung Kertanegara in 1819.
A member of transliteration team Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung Purwodiningrat said the publication was born after concerns on how little documentations about Yogyakarta-style Javanese gending that currently exist. Such music has also been rarely played in karawitan stages.
“Most (of the documentations) are about gagrak Surakarta,” said Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung Purwodiningrat on Monday, August 31.
Yogyakarta and Surakarta gending are basically similar both in the melody and how it is played because Surakarta and Yogyakarta used to be one kingdom. However, Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung Purwodiningrat insisted that there are differences between the two.
“The transliteration run since 2005,” he added.
“The publication is a bid to save the ancient script that was written in handwriting.”
ANANG ZAKARIA