Music of Sunda (Sundanese: ᮙᮥᮞᮤᮊ᮪ ᮞᮥᮔ᮪ᮓ, Musik Sunda), is an umbrella term that encompasses diverse musical traditions of the West Java and Banten in western part of Java, Indonesia. The term of "West Java" is preferred by scholars in this field. The word "Sunda" originally referred to Java Island and has a strong association with the highly centralized Sunda Kingdom based on Java Island and its high culture practiced by nobility (ᮙᮨᮔᮊ᮪, Menak) and Folk class in its capital Parahyangan. By contrast, scholars who cover a much broader region lay emphasis on Music of Java.
Music of Sunda (Sundanese: ᮙᮥᮞᮤᮊ᮪ ᮞᮥᮔ᮪ᮓ, Musik Sunda), is an umbrella term that encompasses diverse musical traditions of the West Java and Banten in western part of Java, Indonesia. The term of "West Java" is preferred by scholars in this field. The word "Sunda" originally referred to Java Island and has a strong association with the highly centralized Sunda Kingdom based on Java Island and its high culture practiced by nobility (ᮙᮨᮔᮊ᮪, Menak) and Folk class in its capital Parahyangan. By contrast, scholars who cover a much broader region lay emphasis on Music of Java. The Sundanese are indigenous people in the western part of Java. Until the 15th century, the Sunda region of Java was home to a powerful kingdom which remained independent of numerous Javanese empires. As a result, the musical forms of Sunda were profoundly different from those of other areas of the island. Eventually Sundanese music would incorporate Javanese cultural and musical influence, but without losing its own creative spirit.