英语听力—环球英语 906 Traditional Music in Indonesia

　　Voice 1
Hello and welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Christy VanArragon.
Voice 2
And I'm Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
The Republic of Indonesia is made up of more than 17,500 islands. These islands are a home to more than 225 million people. There are 300 different ethnic² groups in Indonesia. That is a lot of different cultures! It is hard to identify one particular style of music with that many different cultures. But there is one style of music that can be considered traditional in Indonesia. Today's Spotlight program is on Gamelan music.
Voice 2
Gamelan music is a traditional form of music that is popular in the areas around Java and Bali in Indonesia. Gamelan music is influenced by many other cultures, including China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and even parts of Europe.
Voice 1
Gamelon music is played by groups of musicians – orchestras⁴. The root of the word gemalen is gamel. This means to hammer or hit with a mallet⁵. Many of the instruments are round metal discs⁶, or flat bars. A musician hits them with a stick - a mallet.
Voice 2
Each gamelan orchestra³ is different from each other. However they all still have the same organization. Each orchestra organizes the musicians in the same order, based on the kind of instruments. The music from the Javanese gamelan sounds a little different than the music from the Balinese gamelan. The areas of Java and Bali have a different history and culture, and this creates different kinds of music.
Voice 1
The earliest evidence of Gamelan music and its many instruments is from about twelve hundred [1,200] years ago. The evidence includes stone pictures of the instruments in the Borobudur Buddhist⁷ temple in Java. Many of the instruments in the pictures are not used today. But they still played an important part in the earliest Gamelan music.
Voice 2
One instrument that is missing⁸ from the pictures is the gong. The gong is a very popular and important instrument in Gamelan music today. Gongs are usually flat metal discs or circles. A person hits the gong with a mallet. There are often different kinds of gongs. There are gongs that hang in the air. Some gongs sit on an open table. There are even hand held gongs. These different positions help to create many different sounds.
Voice 1
Historical documents show that gongs first appeared in Indonesia around the ninth century. At this time, they were only a weapon for battle. The sound made enemies afraid. They did not appear as instruments until the thirteenth [13th] and fourteenth [14th] centuries. Historians⁹ date the gongs to this time because of pictures on temple walls. However, gongs probably did not come from Indonesia. There is no evidence of the bronze gongs in Indonesia before the ninth century. But gongs were common in surrounding countries before then. It is likely that these instruments were brought from other countries.
Voice 2
During the Majapahit period, all the elements of gamelan music came together. This empire, or kingdom, covered most of Indonesia and some surrounding areas about seven hundred years ago. The music included the influences from China and Southeast Asia. Java became known as the birthplace of gamelan music.
Voice 1
The Majapahit empire ended in the fourteenth century. This led to the rise of the Mataram empire. The remaining Majapahit kingdoms moved to the island of Bali. This led to a cultural divide between Bali and the rest of Indonesia.
Voice 2
The music you are listening to is Balinese gamelan music. This music is still played today. It is very similar to the music of the Majapahit period. The music sounds similar because musicians play many of the same instruments as in the past. But while the instruments have remained similar, the style of music still changed. Each generation has added their own sound to the music.
Voice 1
The music you are now hearing is Javanese gamelan music. The rise of the Mataram empire here changed the music and the instruments in many important ways.
Voice 2
For example, bronze metal workers of this period made bronze differently. The new techniques helped to make new bronze instruments, including very large gongs. Today, they are used in both Javanese and Balinese gamelan music. But Mataram bronze first made them possible.
Voice 1
The use and purpose for the music also changed. In the Majapahit period, gamelan music was played in open air temples. People believed that the music invited ancient spirits, and made evil¹⁰ spirits afraid. But the Mataram empire changed the way the people worshipped. The people had been Hindu. Now they were Muslim. Musicians did not play for worship¹¹. Instead, they played for important government events. Instead of the open air temples, the music was played inside. People used the music to meditate¹² - to slow and direct their thoughts.
Voice 2
The change of environment and purpose changed the sound of the music. Because the Javanese music was played in buildings, the instruments had to change. The mallets and the gongs needed to be softer. This made the instruments a little more quiet. The softer vibrations¹³ made for more pleasing music for the ears. The music also slowed down to take advantage of the sound in the new buildings.
Voice 1
Even during the past one hundred years, gamelan music has continued to change. Today, government performing arts schools are the future of gamelan music. Students create new music and dance with the gamelan music. They are influenced by Western music. But the students are also expanding the popularity¹⁴ and knowledge of gamelan music around the world.
Voice 2
Gamelan music has been important in Indonesia for hundreds of years. It is not the same as it was eight hundred years ago. But it continues to be important today. Change in music is something every culture experiences. Each culture changes with each generation. These changes keep culture alive and important to the people. With the interest of the Indonesian people, Gamelan music will continue to live for many centuries more.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

3 orchestra   

n.管弦乐队；vt.命令，定购

参考例句：

• He plays the violin in an orchestra.他在管弦乐队中演奏小提琴。
• I was tempted to stay and hear this superb orchestra rehearse.我真想留下来听这支高超的管弦乐队排练。

4 orchestras   

管弦乐队( orchestra的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The orchestras, the choruses, the drama and opera casts, will be cut to pieces. 各个管弦乐队、合唱队、戏剧和歌剧的演员名单都将支离破碎。
• In Indonesia, gamelan orchestras play music on gongs, drums, and xylophones. 印度尼西亚，佳美兰乐队用锣、和木琴演奏音乐。

5 mallet   

n.槌棒

参考例句：

• He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet.他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。
• The chairman rapped on the table twice with his mallet.主席用他的小木槌在桌上重敲了两下。

6 discs   

n.圆盘( disc的名词复数 )；唱片；磁盘；背脊骨间的软骨层

参考例句：

• Laser discs can store prodigious amounts of information. 激光磁盘能够贮存大量信息。
• From this master disc, plastic discs are stamped out cheaply. 从这个总盘很便宜地复制出塑料盘。 来自辞典例句

7 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

8 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

9 historians   

n.历史学家，史学工作者( historian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Historians seem to have confused the chronology of these events. 历史学家好像把这些事件发生的年代顺序搞混了。
• Historians have concurred with each other in this view. 历史学家在这个观点上已取得一致意见。

10 evil   

n.邪恶，不幸，罪恶；adj.邪恶的，不幸的，有害的，诽谤的

参考例句：

• We pray to God to deliver us from evil.我们祈求上帝把我们从罪恶中拯救出来。
• Love of money is the root of all evil.爱钱是邪恶的根源。

11 worship   

n.崇拜，礼拜；v.崇拜，敬仰；做礼拜

参考例句：

• The Greeks used to worship several gods.过去，希腊人崇奉好几种神。
• Blind worship must be ended.盲目崇拜必须停止。

12 meditate   

v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想

参考例句：

• It is important to meditate on the meaning of life.思考人生的意义很重要。
• I was meditating,and reached a higher state of consciousness.我在冥想，并进入了一个更高的意识境界。

13 vibrations   

n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动

参考例句：

• We could feel the vibrations from the trucks passing outside. 我们可以感到外面卡车经过时的颤动。
• I am drawn to that girl; I get good vibrations from her. 我被那女孩吸引住了，她使我产生良好的感觉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。