In the center of Yogyakarta, a bustling city amidst the fertile plains of the densely populated island of Java, Indonesia, sits the resplendent palace of Sultan Hamengku Buwana IX ("He Who Cradles the World in His Lap"). Founded in 1755 as the result of civil conflict, the palace today is a living museum of Javanese court culture functioning in a political and economic environment quite different from that of its origin.

In the Sultan's palace, music does not take place merely for entertainment, but it is carefully orchestrated into the ceremonies that mark dates of special meaning to the royal family and their kingdom. These recordings were made in 1982 and 1983 during actual Hadiluhung performances in the Palace of Yogyakarta.