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Puzzling Origin of Javanese Tuning Systems

1963; Acoustical Society of America; Volume: 35; Issue: 11_Supplement Linguagem: Inglês

10.1121/1.2142797

1520-9024

J. Murray Barbour,

Musicology and Musical Analysis

The Javanese sléndro system is a pentatonic scale of approximately equal intervals of 240 ± 20 cents. Three consecutive intervals constitute the sléndro fifth of about 720 cents, although it is less stable than might be expected. In the heptatonic pélog system, there are five small intervals and two that are about twice as large, all of these intervals being unstable. Pélog fifths that contain two large and three small intervals average about 780 cents. The normal pélog fifth, comprising one large and four small intervals, is remarkably stable at about 665 cents. Although gongs, metallophones, and xylophones form an integral part of the Javanese orchestra, there is no evidence that their inharmonic partials have affected these tuning systems. Nor does Erich von Hornbostel's theory of a Blasquinte of 678 cents have a bearing on the tuning, for his theory was completely discredited 25 years ago. Thus, the origin of the sléndro fifth of 720 cents and the pélog fifths of 665 and 780 cents remains a mystery.