In 1935, a music supervisor in Pasadena California Music School, Lilian Mohr Fox, created an auto-harp which was modified from a German traditional music instrument.  Since then, the instrument has quickly become interesting, especially for children, because it is very easy to play. Nearly at the same time (1937), diatonic angklung was introduced in Indonesia by Daeng Sutigna. Mr. Daeng Sutigna (he prefered being called Padaeng) started the angklung modernization based on his experience as a teacher in Kuningan. He thought of a music instrument that was suitable for his pupils.

At that time, Padaeng felt a pity to see angklung, which had been a noble instrument, being forgotten. In fact, angklung was used by beggars, so that anyone who played angklung would be mocked as a beggar.  Moreover, the effort to popularize angklung apparently got an obstacle because of the difficulty to find angklung. It was extinct!

Fortunately, Padaeng met Aki Jaya, an old angklung maker. Being persuaded, Aki Jaya eventually taught Padaeng to make angklung. But Padaeng made a different kind of angklung. He created a diatonical angklung instead of angklung in salendro or pelog scale. Padaeng hoped the pupils would like it better.

Well, they did. The pupils, who were boyscouts, loved it and became a little bit fanatic about it. At the beginning, the rehearsal was concealed and there was no intention to perform the angklung playing in public, but eventually the modern angklung came up to the surface and unfortunately it was followed by controversy. But still, based on the conviction that angklung is very educative, Padaeng continued the rahearsal.

Angklung Padaeng attracted more people. In fact, Padaeng’s angklung group performed in Linggarjati Conference and also in many affairs of the state.

In 1961, at the opening of PON V (a national sports competition), 1000 players were involved in a massive angklung performance or “angklung massal”. Other massive angklung performances are in the Celebration of  the 25th Anniversary of Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung (1980), in the National Jamboree in Cibubur (1981), and in the Harpenas (National Education Day) in Senayan (1984). Specifically for the celebration of the anniversary of Asia-Africa Conference, the “angklung massal” was repeated on the 30th (1985) and 40th (1995) anniversaries.

The development of angklung not only takes place in Indonesia. For example, University of Missouri posseses angklung which was made by Padaeng in 1968. Moreover, Ajip Rosidi in a daily newspaper has mentioned that in Austria, angklung is being observed to make it a part of classical music.

Well, how about us, who are the true heir of angklung? Will we be left behind in angklung development and knowledge?