Bringing the Music Out, Bringing the Listener In: The Gerong in Java']Javanese Gamelan

This article explores the function of the gerong, the male chorus in Central Javanese gamelan, from a primarily analytical perspective but also includes ethnographic material. It argues that the four separate musical roles that the gerong perform share a unified purpose within the ensemble: to make particular elements of musical structure and interpretation more readily apparent and approachable for nonspecialist audience members. It argues that the gerong roles act as a form of meta-narration within the ensemble that is similar to the interpretive and explanatory roles found in theatrical traditions across Indonesia.