master musicians of java

Jasmine and the exotic, subtle sounds of the orchestra called gamelan are inextricably linked in the life of Java, Indonesia's most populous isle. Sacred musical instruments, religious offerings, dancers, brides-all are decorated with jasmine. And where there is jasmine, there is the music of the gamelan: at religious ceremonies, at the theater, at popular entertainment. The rich, intricate texture of the Javanese gamelan is in sharp contrast to the extrovert brilliance of gamelan gong kebjar, found on the neighboring island of Bali.