Hang® Balu’s Musical Vitality

Music therapist and Hang player for many years, Christopher Baron, shares impressions and his experiences with the new Hang Balu set.

Harking

When a PANArt tuner calls it a day on one of their sound-sculptures, it may sit on the shelf seasoning for a while until it is entrusted into the hands of a curious player, non musicians and musicians alike. From here the dance of the hands continue, ‘Harking’. A phrase I picked up from Felix that I use metaphoricaly to describe how one mirrors the movement of the PANArt tuner whilst playing, but without a hammer! Harking, playing without trying to play, is a definitive challenge, especially to western ears, here rests one of the secrets of pang play. Under the hands one explores the instruments landscape with mind, body and soul, whilst listening inwardly to the rich musical language and feeling the form of the instrument. The heart is moved, a new relationship is formed and music arises.

Human Musicality

Perfect for this moment is the social sound-sculpture Hang® Balu, four pieces, one instrument and 25+ years of PANArt’s musical heritage. In the time following the many hours alone and in small ensembles playing Hang® Balu, I have discovered that creative group compositions support the natural enjoyment of shared musical experiences and offers the potential space for performance art creativity and therapeutic musicing simultaneously. Vitality, unpredictability, emotional depth, playfulness and equality are just some of the copious characteristics that form the Balu, it is a social sound-sculpture that grounds and taps directly into the gift, ‘innate human musicality’.

Letting Go

I love the proverb of St Francis of Assisi, “He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist”. As I experience it, Balu is an invitation to discover anew the musical artist within each of us and is a sure reminder that making really good music together, has proven to be accessible and has always belonged to the people. In these moments the collective do not try to master an instrument, rather we learn how to let go of preconceived concepts shaped by contemporary social constructs of musician, music, artist, expectations and untruths that limit us and hold us back. We learn how to permit the instruments to reveal their compelling charisma to us, too reveal ourselves to ourselves, ourselves to each other and to dissolve the ego. You will be surprised that on the Hang®

Balu’s path, you will appreciate and create new music together that you’ve never heard before, its all there!

The Swell

One interesting phenomenon is a strong and active musical energy ‘the swell’ quickened through harking. This is when the music surges like a wave in the ocean and swings back and forth in a dissonant wobble, pang music generated by the deep pulse (Gung) and the harmonic frequencies. The collective bathe in it anticipating where the pulsating rhythmical gestures will take us next? I propose from a musician’s and therapist’s perspective that Hang® Balu’s diverse musical vitality and unique therapeutic properties is defiantly a pinnacle in PANArt’s reputable history and contribution of unique cross cultural instruments to the world. Let's play Balu!

Christopher Baron

UK www.pangensemble.com