Timbre and Tone Colour

Let us then move on to another aspect of the Balinese gamelan: timbre and tone colour. Important characteristics of the Balinese gamelan include

i. shimmering acoustic effects,
ii. percussive sounds,
iii. a full and mellow melody,
iv. bright, explosive sounds and
v. a gradual change in tone colour.

To explore the similarities and differences, we shall examine each characteristic with close reference to Debussy’s second movement of the string quartet.
In the Gamelan Gong Kebyar, certain instruments such as the xylophones are tuned in pairs. The microtonal differences in intervals between pairs of instruments are the cause of the shimmering, acoustic effects that typically resonate in gamelan music. While the western style of music doesn’t allow for similar tuning, the shimmering, acoustic effects are brought about through the imitation of quick, progressive microtonal intervals in tremolos and trills, such as those found in bars 160-163 of the 1st violin and the cello part. The tremolos and trills do not vary in pitches, but the narrow range of notes and quick playing imitates the effects.













Bars 161-162: Imitation of shimmering, acoustic effect

Secondly, the percussive sounds. Created through the use of mallets on a xylophone-like instrument made of wooden bars in the gamelan, Debussy imitates the percussive effect through the use of pizzicato in the lower strings (i.e. bars 56- 63, 70-77; cello part).

Thirdly, the full, mellow melody produced by the cradled gongs and the xylophone-like instrument, found wrapped in the middle range of the music, is re-created in the string quartet by using the deeper-sounding strings such as the viola (i.e. bars 3 – 30) and cello (i.e. bars 47-53) interchangeably for the main melodic line.

Fourthly, bright, explosive sounds produced by the hanging gongs and un-dampened keys of xylophones are brought out through the range of dynamics used: ppp – ff. However, because of the use of gradual dynamic techniques such as crescendo, decrescendo, and diminuendo in Debussy’s string quartet, the effects are not as explosive, despite the wide range of dynamics.

While a characteristic of this Balinese piece is its colourful harmony, this does not imply that there are drastic harmonic changes within the piece, but rather that it maintains a constant and careful mix of high tones, lows tones and a melody that remains in the middle-tone range. At the most, tone colour change in gradual. Yet, as in a previous example, Debussy chooses to adopt the sudden change of harmony or tone colour. For example, notice that in bars 124-139, the expressive melodic line in the 1st violin and the accompaniment in legato in the 2nd violin and viola parts are harshly juxtaposed by the sudden change to staccato and accents in bars 140-147, where the main melody alternates between the upper and lower strings, creating a sense of discordance. The sudden change of key and expressive use of articulation aids in creating tone colour.





















Bars 136-148: Sudden tone colour change at bars 140, 143 and 147