Plainfield Village Gamelan with Dennis Murphy

Classic live performance video from the 1991 Vermont Composers Festival in Putney. Dennis Murphy directs the Plainfield Village Gamelan in their first away-from-home appearance since their founding. Murphy built the first gamelan in the United States.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• gamelan
• plainfield
• vermont
• dennis murphy

[mannafromheaven814]

Thank you for posting this. Dennis was my grandfather. I really enjoyed watching him and my grandmother play in the Gamelan. I don't think I ever got to see him play, and was probably too young to remember. I do remember seeing the shadow puppet performance once... anyway... thanks again, loved it!

[Kalvos]

@mannafromheaven814 Wow, so glad to hear this. There is no video of Dennis playing gamelan except this one, I believe. He played at the Vermont Composers Festival after VERY MUCH coaxing. He was a fantastic person ... we all loved him.

[Kalvos]

Yes, Dennis died not long ago. The AGI will get you most likely to Jody Diamond, composer and leader in the American gamelan movement. She will want to be sure the Plainfield Village Gamelan stays alive & well. And Aurora, I sent the DVD quite a while ago, but you never acknowledged receiving it.

[Kalvos]

Yes, Dennis died not long ago. The AGI will get you most likely to Jody Diamond, composer and leader in the American gamelan movement. She will want to be sure the Plainfield Village Gamelan stays alive & well. And Aurora, I sent the DVD quite a while ago, but you never acknowledged receiving it.

[Kalvos]

Correction: This video is from the 1989 Vermont Composers Festival in Putney, Vermont. Apologies for the error.

[AuroraAbstract]

@SlowGas I checked Weslyan site but I don't see anyone teaching Gamelan, I found AGI (American Gamelan Institute , but that may have been Dennis Murphy , not sure , but here's a tel number 603-643-9037 Po Box 1052 Lebenon, NH 03766 , there is quite a bit in the last issue of their magazine from 2010, maybe will give you some leads.

[AuroraAbstract]

@SlowGas Hi, I don't know as I have not been back there in many years, I believe Dennis died this past year , but my guess is that the Plainfield Gamelan Players still are there, try joining us on Facebook , Goddard Alumni, and repost your question, there are alums still up there today. If you are looking for a person to replace Dennis , that certainly would be hard to do! He was one of a kind!! Very special man!! Possibly ask at the World Music Center at Wesleyan College in Middletown , CT.

[SlowGas]

@AuroraAbstract Hi! I'm currently a student at Goddard, and I'm trying to find some people to play the gamelan we have. Do you know of anyone? Thanks! Anyone else out there in gamelanland looking to play a gamelan in central VT?

[AuroraAbstract]

Yes! Thanxs so much for osting! Brought back great memories of Dennis and Company playing in the hills of VT. in 1973 thru 1976 when I was at Goddard college! Loved Dennis' music and the Javanes Shadow puppet plays that often accompanied the music, it was wonderful!! Please post more! And can we get a DVD?

[sekarmelati]

Hello Dennis,

Please upload more Javanese Gamelan.

Thank you