Kroncong (pronounced "kronchong"; Indonesian: Keroncong, Dutch: Krontjong) is th

e name of a ukulele-like instrument and an Indonesian musical style that typical

ly makes use of the kroncong (the sound chrong-chrong-chrong comes from this ins
trument, so the music is called keronchong), the band or combo or ensemble (call
ed a keronchong orchestra) consists of a flute, a violin, a melody guitar, a cel
lo in pizzicato style, string bass in pizzicato style, and a female or male sing
er.
Contents
1
2
3
4

Characteristics
History
Instrumentation
The Evolution of Kroncong Music
4.1 Early Long Evolution 1552 1880
4.2 The Last Short Evolution 1880 now
4.2.1 Tempo Doeloe (1880 1920)
4.2.2 Kronchong Eternity (1920 1960)
4.2.3 The Era of Modern Kronchong (1960 2000)
4.2.4 Millennium Kroncong (2000 present)
5 References
6 External links

Characteristics
The name "Kroncong" may be derived from the jingling sound of the kerincing reba
na, as heard in the rhythmic background of the music created by the interlocking
of instruments playing on or off beat. This background rhythm runs faster than
the often slow vocals or melody, and is created, typically, by two ukuleles, a c
ello, a guitar and a bass. These instruments, especially the pair of ukeleles, i
nterlock as do the instruments in a gamelan orchestra, and it is clear that the
musical traditions of Indonesia have been applied to an orchestra of European in
struments. Previously, they also used the Portuguese musical instrument called c
avaquinho, a four steel stringed musical instrument that looks like a guitar; ho
wever, cavaquinho was then modified into a prounga, a 3 nylon stringed instrumen
t with low pitch, and a macina, a 4 nylon stringed instrument with high pitch.[1
]
One ukulele, called the "cak" (pronounced "chak"), may be steel-stringed. The in
strumentalist strums chords with up to 8 strums per beat in 4/4 rhythm. The offbeat strums are often accentuated. The other ukulele, called the "cuk" (pronounc
ed "chook"), is larger and has 3 gut or nylon strings. The instrumentalist may p
luck arpeggios and tremoloes using a plectrum, and the on-beat is emphasised. As
a set, the cak and cuk form an interlocking pair that mostly gives Kroncong its
characteristic kron and chong.
The cello may have 3 gut or nylon strings and the chords are plucked rapidly, of
ten with a unique skipped-beat using the thumb and one finger. This instrument t
hen adds both rhythm and tone. The guitar may play similarly to either cak or cu
k, but plays are often extended scalar runs that provide an undulating backgroun
d to a chord or bridge chord changes. The bass is often played in a minimalist s
tyle reminiscent of the large gongs in a gamelan.
On top of this rhythmic layer, the melody and elaborate ornamentation is carried
by a voice, flute, or violin. The violin or flute are used to play introductory
passages that are often elaborate. The fills and scalar runs are both faster an
d more elaborate than the guitar's. The vocalist sings the melody which is slow
with sustained notes in traditional Kroncong.
The repertoire largely uses the Western major key with some arrangements in the

minor. One departure from this occurs when Kroncong orchestras play Javanese son
gs (Langgam Jawa). Javanese music ordinarily uses scales and intervals that do n
ot occur in Western music. Kroncong Jawa maintains Western intervals but adopts
a 5-tone scale that approximates one of the main Javanese septatonic scales. Whe
n playing this style, cak and cuk leave their characteristic interplay and both
play arpeggios to approximate the sound and style of the Javanese instrument the
siter, a kind of zither. The cello adopts a different rhythmic style as well.
History
Music of Indonesia
Traditional indonesian instruments04.jpg
Kempul gongs from Java
Timeline
Samples
Genres
Classical
Kecak
Kecapi suling
Tembang sunda
Pop Indo
Dance-pop
Dangdut
Hip hop
Kroncong
Gambang kromong
Gambus
Jaipongan
Langgam jawa
Pop Batak
Pop Minang
Pop Sunda
Qasidah modern
Rock
Tapanuli ogong
Tembang jawa
Specific forms
Gamelan
Angklung
Beleganjur
Degung
Gambang
Gender Wayang
Gong gede
Gong kebyar
Jegog
Joged bumbung
Salendro
Selunding
Semar pegulingan
Regional music
Bali
Borneo
Java
Moluccan Islands

Papua
Sulawesi
Sumatra
Sunda
v
t
e
Kroncong music began in the 16th century when sailors from the Portuguese Empire
brought Portuguese instruments and music to Indonesia. Lower-class citizens and
gangs, commonly called buaya (a reference to buaya darat, a term for playboys l
iterally meaning "crocodile on land") adopted the new musical styles. Eventually
, they were assimilated by the upper-class citizens. Paul Fisher writes,
The small kroncong guitar, also the name of a music, is derived from the Por
tuguese braguinha, sharing its root with the Hawaiian ukulele. Kroncong music is
believed to have originated in the communities of freed Portuguese slaves in th
e 16th century. European influence from this time can also be heard in the music
of the Batak people of North Sumatra. From the end of the 19th century, the beg
innings of guitar accompaniment incorporated within a distinctly Indonesian idio
m in music came from Sumatra, South Sulawesi and elsewhere.