Key points at a glance
- There are different statements about the age of the gong.
- The main centers of gong culture are Burma, China, Annam and Java.
- The gong often served to transmit signals or was played at religious ceremonies or rituals.
- The gong first came to Europe in the 16th century.
- Peter Hess has been integrating gongs into his concept of Sound Massage and sound methods since the end of the 1989s.
Where did the gong first appear in history?
There is speculation about the age of the gong: Some suspect that there were already precursors in the Bronze Age, i.e. 3,500 BC. Others refer to facts according to which the origins can be traced back to 2,000 BC.
The main centers of gong culture are primarily Burma, China, Annam and Java, with the so-called "Kettle Drums", bronze kettle drums, being unanimously recognized as the precursors of the gongs. Various forms of gongs developed from this. Over the centuries, the various instruments spread via the famous Silk Road to Japan.
Note
Throughout the Far Eastern cultural region, the gong was and is of great importance in people's lives.
What was the gong used for in the past?
It was not until the 16th century that these fascinating instruments came to Europe from Asia via sea routes as a result of colonization. Due to their precious metal alloy and their often artistically and sonically impressive appearance, they were sought-after trade goods. Unfortunately, they often only existed as signal instruments, which announced mealtimes in bourgeois households or were intended to represent the cosmopolitan nature of the house.
When did the gong come to Europe?
It was not until the 16th century that these fascinating instruments came to Europe from Asia via sea routes as a result of colonization. Due to their precious metal alloy and their often artistically and sonically impressive appearance, they were sought-after trade goods. Unfortunately, they often only existed as signal instruments, which announced mealtimes in bourgeois households or were intended to represent the cosmopolitan nature of the house.
The gong's entry into Western musical culture
The actual entry into Western musical culture can be dated to 1889. At that time, the World's Fair took place in Paris and Javanese and Annamite Gamelan ensembles presented the music of their cultural circle in the Dutch pavilion. The typical sound of the Gamelan orchestras, which were developed into a high culture mainly in Java and Bali, is primarily based on gongs, gong rows and metallophones, which, depending on the size and intended use, are supplemented by drums, stringed instruments, flutes and vocals.
Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel as pioneers of sound work with gongs
Claude Debussy was one of the first musicians to seriously explore the influences of this musical style. Maurice Ravel is also one of the pioneers, as he gave the gong its rightful place in his "Bolero". Many other musicians use the exotic instrument, even if its use was and still is often limited to dramatic effects. In recent years, musicians such as Jens Zygar, Johannes Heimrath and Bardo have made the gong popular through international concerts.
Note
Peter Hess discovered the potential of gongs and integrated them into his concept of sound massage and sound methods as early as the end of the 1989s.