"ANGKLUNG" traditional instrument of west java

Angklung is the musical instrument originated from Indonesia, angklung is used and played by the Sundanese since the ancient times. In Hindu period and Padjajaran kingdom era, Sundanese people used the angklung to sign the time for prayer. Later, Padjajaran kingdom use this instrument as corps music in Bubat War (versus Majapahit kingdom). Angklung functioned as building the peoples community spirit. It was still used by the Sundanese until the colonial Dutch East Indies (V.O.C) era. Because of the colonial times, the Dutch East Indies government tried to forbid people playing the angklung instrument.
Angklung made out of two bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame. The tubes are carved so that they have a resonant pitch when struck. The two tubes are tuned to octaves. The base of the frame is held with one hand while the other hand shakes the instrument rapidly from side to side. This causes a rapidly repeating note to sound. Thus each of three or more angklung performers in an ensemble will play just one note and together complete melodies are produced. Angklung is popular throughout Southeast Asia.
The Angklung got more international attentionand respect when Daeng Soetigna, from Bandung West Java, expanded the angklung notations not only to play traditional pelog or slendro scales, but also diatonic scale in 1938. Since then, angklung is often played together with other western music instruments in an orchestra. One of the first well-known performances of angklung in an orchestra was during the Bandung Conference in 1955. A few years later, Udjo Ngalagena, a student of Daeng Soetigna, opened his Saung Angklung (House of Angklung) in 1966 as centre of its development.
In the early 20th century, the angklung was adopted in Thailand, where it is called angkalung (อังกะลุง). The Thai angklung are typically tuned in the Thai tuning system of seven equidistant steps per octave, and each angklung has three bamboo tubes tuned in three separate octaves rather than two, as is typical in Indonesia. Angklung had also been adopted by its Austronesian neighbours, inparticularly Malaysia and Philippines, where they are rather played as part of bamboo xylophone orchestras. Formally introduced into Malaysia sometime after the end of confrontation, it found immediate popularity. They are generally played using a pentatonic scale similar to the Indonesian slendro, although in the Philippines, sets also come in the diatric and minor scales used to perform various Spanish-influenced folk music.
At least one Sundanese angklung buncis ensemble exists in the United States. Angklung Buncis Sukahejo is an ensemble at The Evergreen State College, and includes eighteen double rattles (nine tuned pairs) and four dog-dog drums. Wow, those are the prove of Angklung’s movement in the world.
Well, I just can say that angklung is incredible instrument. As the Indonesian, angklung is our spirit musical instrument, the spirit to proud of our motherland and nation.