Throughout Indonesia, the importance of the gamelan
extends far beyond its use in making music. In Java, the royal courts maintained
their own ensembles as emblems of power and authority. Their ensembles were made of
bronze, the most valued material for gongs and drums. The production of bronze requires forcing raw
ore from the earth and forging it into metal. The symbolic power of bronze embued legitimacy and
authority to those rulers who possessed grand collections of these metallic instruments.
With its unique identity, each court collection was accorded special respect.
In fact, each court ensemble was given a permanent name
and each had a distinctive historical tuning.