Xylophone, \'Gilded Elegance\'

The dark, gleaming tone of mahogany wood is lavishly accentuated with luminous golden leaf paint. Ading creates this handsome saron (a type of xylophone), also called gangsa jongkok. It is the basic melodic instrument in the gamelan, an energetic orchestra at the center of Indonesia\'s art-music tradition. The importance of the gamelan goes well beyond the pleasure of music and into the realm of ritual ceremony; each instrument in the ensemble is considered a work of art and an object of devotion. This versatile piece makes an inspired gift for the dedicated musician or an elegant decorative piece for the home. Ading first carves the wood by hand. He then lays the brass keys over the wooden trough resonator and holds them in place with posts. The instrument is then adorned with golden paint. A mahogany mallet, which is included, is used to play this beautiful and sonorous instrument. A musician himself, Ading handcrafts the traditional musical instruments of his native Java. He uses mahogany, jackfruit wood, and bamboo, skillfully eliciting the right tones from each instrument.