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Munggang is the name of the oldest music known in Java. It is also the name of the “dedicated” gamelans that in kratons and palaces play exclusively that music. The gending, as we know it to-day, is essentially an iteration of a three-tone four-note melody - to give an idea, something resembling the sequence A, G#, A, F in the Western scale. It should be noted that gending Munggang is also known as gending Lokananta (which in Javanese means “supernaturally produced gamelan music from heaven”).The origin of the music goes so far back as to be rooted in myth. The story is told in the introduction of an old manuscript of the Yogyakarta Kraton, Kitab Jitapsara. Both Jaap Kunst in his fundamental “Music in Java” and Mantle Hood in his more imaginative “The Evolution of Javanese Gamelan” refer to the story, which briefly goes as follows. Batara Guru (Shiva), king of the gods, needed an instrument with which he could summon the gods for consultation, or when going into battle. He fashioned a gong and established the number and types of strokes which would communicate to all the gods the various messages. But, as the combination of strokes grew in number, the gods got confused and the messages misunderstood. So, Batara Guru made a second gong with a different pitch. Now the two gongs could be struck in alternation, making the combinations and the corresponding messages more clearly differentiated. But the number of messages eventually grew further, to the point that the gods got confused again. So, Batara Guru made a third gong tuned to a third pitch. Hence the three-toned Munggang, with its specialised use, was created.Jaap Kunst further notes that “the first one of its kind was called Lokananta and is said to have been put into service in 347 A.D. The position which it occupied in the kraton of Majapahit corresponded, it appears, to that which is reserved to-day for the gamelans sekati in the kratons of Central Java.” It is generally aknowledged that in the 13th century Munggang music was used in connection with religiose Hinduism. One is led to wonder what was the likely nature of the ancient melodies now lost to the repertory. To-day the one known melody is played on solemn and festive occasions, and also regularly on certain days and times in kratons and palaces. Gending Munggang uses two great gongs (gong ageng) - an unusual feature compared to normal gamelan music, which limits its use to one gong. All three gendings may happen to be played on “normal”gamelans, but the authentic way assumes that each gending be played on its own “dedicated” gamelan - which would in fact comprise a reduced number of instruments compared to a normal complete gamelan. The dedicated gamelans usually form part of the sacred possessions - pusaka - of kratons, palaces, and distinguished families. [In 1999] Prince Mangkunagoro decided to relocate the ceremonial gamelans and two of the other gamelans, leaving only the world-renowned gamelan Kanyut Mesem for playing in the Pendopo. The reasons for this move are not reported. The consequence - up to the Summer 2001 - is that the three Mangkunagaran gamelans Munggang, Kodok Ngorek, and Carabalen no longer resound every Saturday morning from 9 to 10.