Syrah: A Mesmerizing Clash of Brass and Bronze

A Visionary Fusion of Worlds

In the realm of contemporary music, few compositions dare to bridge the gap between East and West as boldly as Syrah (2002). Composed by Philemon Mukarno, this twenty-minute work for chromatic gamelan ensemble and saxophone quartet stands as a testament to the composer’s visionary ability to sculpt sound.​

Commissioned by the Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst and performed by the Multifoon Gamelan Ensemble (led by Sinta Wullur) alongside the Aurelia Saxophone Quartet, Syrah is not merely a fusion; it is a collision. Mukarno takes the ancient, resonant world of the Indonesian gamelan and crashes it into the modern, fluid agility of the western saxophone. The result is a “mesmerizing and kaleidoscopic sound experience” that defies easy categorization.[Music Page]​

The Chromatic Gamelan: A New Palette

To understand Syrah, one must first understand the instrument at its heart: the chromatic gamelan. Traditionally, Javanese gamelan music operates on pentatonic scales (Slendro and Pelog), dividing the octave into five or seven unequal tones. This tuning gives gamelan its distinct, shimmering, and “exotic” quality.

However, the ensemble Multifoon developed a chromatic gamelan—a collection of bronze instruments tuned to the twelve-tone Western scale.[Armand Serpenti review] This innovation broke new ground. It allowed for a seamless integration of “eastern sounds, playing techniques, and western music.”[Armand Serpenti review] For a composer like Mukarno, this was a gift. It meant he could write complex, chromatic harmonies for the gamelan that would lock perfectly with the saxophones, while still retaining the “unique allure” and “surreal effect” of the bronze timbre.[Armand Serpenti review]

A Kaleidoscopic Sound Experience

The sound of Syrah is described as “kaleidoscopic.”[Music Page] Just as a kaleidoscope fractures light into shifting geometric patterns, Mukarno fractures sound. He exploits the “overtone features” of both instrument groups to create a texture that is constantly changing.[Music Page]

The saxophone, a brass instrument with a reed, has a rich harmonic spectrum. The gamelan, a percussion instrument of bronze, has a complex, inharmonic decay. When these two spectra meet, they create “unexpected, hybrid timbres.” At times, the saxophones blend so perfectly with the metallophones that they sound like a single, new instrument—a “gamelan with lungs.” At other times, they clash, creating a “mesmerizing” friction that keeps the listener on edge.[Music Page]​

From Warmth to Intensity

Mukarno’s aesthetic is never static. In Syrah, he guides the listener through a vast emotional landscape. The sound fields vary from “warm and muffled”—perhaps utilizing the soft, breathy low register of the baritone sax against the deep hum of the gongs—to “different shades of raw and intense.”[Music Page]

This intensity is a hallmark of Mukarno’s “uncompromising nature.” He is not afraid to push the instruments to their limits. The “wild, mesmerizing, and sometimes jazz-inspired compositions” mentioned in the tour description suggest that Syrah has moments of chaotic energy.[Armand Serpenti review] The saxophones might scream and wail, mimicking the “high-pitched wringing” found in his other works like Iyona, while the gamelan hammers out “mercilessly tight repetitions.”[Gynoids XX page]​

The Acoustics of Bronze

The performance of Syrah is deeply affected by the physical space. The review notes that the “top-notch acoustics” of the venue (likely Rasa in Utrecht or the Tropentheater in Amsterdam) played a crucial role.[Armand Serpenti review]

Bronze instruments need space to breathe. Their sound waves are long and complex. When combined with the directional sound of the saxophones, they create a “resonating composition” that physically penetrates the listener.[Music Page] The reviewer describes it as a “pleasurable sound massage.”[Music Page] This physical, tactile quality is central to Mukarno’s philosophy. He wants the audience to feel the weight of the sound, to be immersed in the “monolithic aura” of the piece.​

Uncompromising Aesthetics: No Irony

Despite the “jazz-inspired” elements and the cross-cultural instrumentation, Syrah is characterized by a “complete absence of irony.” Mukarno does not use the gamelan as a piece of exotic kitsch. He treats it with the same seriousness as the saxophone quartet.​

He respects the “mystique of traditional gamelan music” but is not bound by it.[Armand Serpenti review] He uses the chromatic gamelan to create a new, “global musical language” that transcends the binary of East vs. West. The music is “terrifyingly sincere,” demanding that the listener accept this hybrid world as a new reality.​

A Tour of “Gamelan Meets Saxophones”

Syrah was the centerpiece of a tour titled “Gamelan Meets Saxophones.”[Armand Serpenti review] This program was an adventurous undertaking, featuring works by eight different composers. Yet, Mukarno’s contribution stood out for its “innovative approach” and “brilliant” handling of the distinct instrument groups.[Music Page]

The tour brought this unique sound to venues across the Netherlands, from the Witte Dame in Eindhoven to the KIT Tropentheater in Amsterdam.[Armand Serpenti review] It was a celebration of “musical adventure,” proving that contemporary music can be both intellectually rigorous and sensually overwhelming.[Armand Serpenti review]

Conclusion: A Sonic Massage for the Mind

Syrah (2002) is a masterpiece of timbral synthesis. Philemon Mukarno took two disparate worlds—the bronze percussion of Java and the brass winds of Europe—and forged them into a single, shimmering entity.

By harmonizing their overtones and exploiting their dynamic ranges, he created a work that is both “mesmerizing” and “kaleidoscopic.” It is a piece that demands to be heard live, where the physical vibration of the instruments can perform its “sound massage” on the audience. It stands as a shining example of the “unique and mesmerizing performance” that defines Mukarno’s career.[Music Page]

Meta Title: Philemon Mukarno Syrah: Gamelan & Saxophone (2002)
Meta Description: Discover “Syrah,” Philemon Mukarno’s mesmerizing work for chromatic gamelan and saxophone quartet. A kaleidoscopic fusion of bronze and brass.[Music Page]​