End-blown flute
Vernacular Name
- Suling, slendro
Maker
Ud Soepoyo
Date1999-2000
Place MadeSurakarta, Java, Indonesia, Asia
Serial No.None
SignedNoneDescriptionThe suling is a one-piece bamboo flute. The slendro suling has four finger holes in addition to the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is a thin strip of bamboo tied over part of the end-hole. There is a string tied around this strip of bamboo that stretches several inches along the length of the flute and is then tied around the body of the flute.
The instrument has its own stand that matches construction design of the NMM gamelan. One side of the top bar of stand has a lotus and leaf decoration. The rest of the stand is decorated throughout with flower motifs similar to those on the other instruments of the NMM gamelan. All carving is gold-leafed and the stand is varnished a chocolate brown color.
DimensionsFlute:
Length: 525 mm
Diameter: 22 mm
Stand:
Length: 323 mm
Width of feet: 220 mm
Height short end: 378 mm
Height tall end: 532 mm
ProvenanceThe NMM gamelan was made by artisans working under the director of Ud Sopoyo, a fifth-generation gamelan master. Ud Sopoyo's workshop was in eastern Central Java, not far from the famous Indonesian Institute of the Arts. Joko Sutrisno, a Minneapolis-based master gamelan player, was the NMM’s consultant, who selected Ud Sopoyo’s workshop for the high quality of its craft. Joko Sutrisno then collaborated with Ud Sopoyo to determine the specifics of the NMM set.
From Indonesia, the gamelan was shipped by sea towards Seattle, Washington, and then by train to St. Paul, Minnesota, where it was first unloaded and processed by U.S. Customs. A final truck drive delivered the gamelan to the NMM in Vermillion on July 14, 2000.
Credit LineBoard of Trustees commission. Purchase funds gift of Margaret Ann and Hubert H. Everist, 1999
Object number09894
On View
On view
1973 ca.
