HISTORY OF THE ANGKLUNG

History:
Based on the Balinese mythology, angklung consist of two words, angka which mean is tone, and lung which mean is broken, incomplete, or gone. Then, angklung could be meant as broken or incomplete tone. By those definitions, arranged that angklung is one of the traditional musical instruments made of Bamboo, and to sound it by shaking the angklung to produce certain tone. But, if we are really consider the history of development of sundanese arts and culture performances, strongly believed that angklung originally invented and developed in West Java, Indonesia.

In its development, angklung spreaded and reached almost all region in West Java, and being used to enriched the traditional ceremonial in Banten, Baduy, Sukabumi, Cirebon, etc. Angklung has its special functions related to religious and ritual matters. Angklung played to honor the Dewi Sri as the Goddes of Fertility in Indonesian’s ancient believe.

Beside functioned as religious and ritual matters, it also used for the entertainment purposes. In this function, angklung played along with other Sundanese traditional arts and culture, and later known as Angklung Degung, that played as musical background in traditional dancing or traditional plays. And further, developed until Angklung Padaeng that already has diatonic tone scale and it made possible to play in modern musical arrangements.

Angklung, also played in the Royal Ceremony, and used to play to escort the soldiers and warriors before they went to the wars. And then, angklung not played only in the royal functions, but also played in the traditional village functions, to honor the gods and the goddess before the plantations and the harvesting seasons. The region that developed and spreaded angklung are Garut, Tasikmalaya, Ciamis, Sukabumi, etc.

In 1938, Daeng Soetigna the late, modernized the angklung arrangement into diatonic tone scale, so it could be popularized and be known and also could be played many international and popular songs.

The angklung history and development, divided into two diversifications, which are:
1. Traditional Angklung.
a. Angklung Baduy.
b. Angklung Buncis.
c. Angklung Gubrag.
d. Angklung Bungko.

2. Modern Angklung.
a. Angklung Padaeng by Daeng Soetigna the late.
b. Angklung Udjo by Udjo Ngalagena the late.

THE HISTORY OF SAUNG ANGKLUNG UDJO
Bandung, 50 years ago
A wisdom that based on the value of cooperative that became a beautiful frame of thought, that unity in diversity became a concept that sounded in Asia Africa Conference, and presented in the harmony of culture and nature that represented by traditional musical instrument from simple bamboo, named ANGKLUNG. The performance itself presented by the students of Elementary Teachers School of KARTINI Bandung, that led and trained by Daeng Soetigna the Late and Udjo Ngalagena the Late.

1958
Long before a concept called a Multiplier Effect concept be known by the social modern science, Udjo Ngalagena the Late and Wife, Mrs. Uum Sumiyati the Late, had already started to empower their neighbourhood in Padasuka, in their path to make an independent business related in Sundanese traditional music instrument and performed it as well.

1962
The love and dedicated efforts from both of them to Sundanese traditional arts and cultures started to have its benefits and advantages, the production’s department had increased their productions capacities. One of the main reasons why Saung Angklung Udjo became the centre of Sundanese Traditional Arts and Cultures that organized professionally is the willingness and dedications of its management to conserve, preserve, and develop the Sundanese Traditional Arts and Cultures. And the very best thing is, the willingness of the Big Family of Udjo Ngalagena to involve actively in the management Saung Angklung Udjo, and together hand in hand develop the traditional arts and cultures that extinguished by the modern side of the world.

1966
The active role of Saung Angklung Udjo in the National arts developments once again being recorded, Saung Angklung Udjo actively involved in the 11th Independence Day of Republic of Indonesia, back in the year 1966. and Saung Angklung Udjo awarded nationally that given by Major General of TNI Mashudi, for the continuity and consistency in conserving, preserving, and developing the Sundanese Traditional Arts and Cultures

1992
As Saung Angklung Udjo grown and developed, it structured vision and mission of it all that will be the true path of how Saung Angklung Udjo must be developed considering the golden aim and the only achievement that the founder of Saung Angklung Udjo always desired it to be, which are:

Vision
Saung Angklung Udjo is a main tourist attraction, typically performing the traditional art of Sundanese culture. It’s concerned to the preservation and development of West Java Cultures through Angklung music.
As a centre of research and study, training, and performing Angklung musical orchestra of the Indonesian Angklung music industry.

Mission
Being active in participate in cooperate with people in developing and preserving cultural and arts of West Java through art performances both abroad and domestic.
Give means for international tourist and Indonesian pupil to be able to see, to learn, and appreciate Angklung as a traditional music instrument.
Produces and develops a qualified Angklung music instrument.

1997
a multi – dimensional crisis occurred in Republic of Indonesia that effected especially to the economic and financial sides, recently, the crisis named Monetary Crisis. Saung Angklung Udjo without any doubt, had its own negative effect, had negative multiplier effects as the general conditions, related with the tourism and hospitality industry collapsed.
The Monetary Crisis had its effects on Saung Angklung Udjo related to the political and security conditions that full of uncertainty. It directly effects to the trust of international community, which are our tourists – market that made them felt insecure to be in Indonesia.
Based on the good relations and cooperation from all stakeholders, both local and internationally, eventhough we did have received the significant effect, Saung Angklung Udjo used the brand new marketing strategy that adjusted to the current situations, there are many obstacles, but fortunately, we passed it.

1988
Saung Angklung Udjo’s segmented target market spread and differentiated, nowadays, Saung Angklung Udjo not only visited by the international tourists, but also local tourist as well.

2000
Saung Angklung Udjo made its marketing strategic, which is optimizing Saung Angklung Udjo’s role in the local community, especially in Bandung. Those marketing strategic actualized in several programs, such as:
a. Optimizing the depth of Sundanese traditional arts and cultures to the niche market – based, which are the
educational institutions and segmented mass in Bandung.
b. Optimizing the professionalism and productivity of Saung Angklung Udjo.
c. Optimizing the role of each students of Saung Angklung Udjo.
d. Optimizing the land and space using that Saung Angklung Udjo already owned.
e. Preparing prospected area in the Saung Angklung Udjo’s master plans.