Kroncong

An Indonesian musical style that makes use of the kroncong, a ukulele-like instrument that makes a chrong-chrong-chrong sound.A kroncong ensemble traditionally consists of a flute, a violin, one or a pair of kroncongs, a cello in pizzicato style, string bass in pizzicato style, and a vocalist. Kroncong originated as an adaptation of a Portuguese musical tradition brought by sailors to Indonesian port cities.

The music features a background rhythm (kerincing rebana) created by the interlocking of instruments playing on or off-beat. This background rhythm runs faster than the slow vocals or melody, and is created by two ukuleles, a cello, a guitar, and a bass. 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 repertoire largely uses the Western major key with some arrangements in the minor.

One departure from this occurs when kroncong orchestras play Javanese songs (langgam jawa). Javanese music ordinarily uses scales and intervals that do not occur in Western music. Kroncong jawa maintains Western intervals but adopts a 5-tone scale that approximates one of the main Javanese septatonic scales.  1870s–    .