*Picture courtesy of Tropen Museum

HISTORY OF ANGKLUNG

Originally, the Angklung had a religious ritual function. The main function of Angklung was as a medium to invite Dewi Sri (rice goddess/prosperity) to come down to the earth and gave fertility to plants. They used tritonik (three tones), tetra tonik (four tones) and pentatonic (five tones) Angklung. This kind of angklung usually called Angklung buhun, meaning ‘the old angklung’. Some villages still use Angklung buhun in many ceremonies, such as pesta panen, ngaseuk pare, nginebkeun pare, ngampihkeun pare, seren taun, nadran, helaran, turun bumi, sedekah bumi, etc. Most, however, use a single tone Angklung.

PHILOSOPHY OF ANGKLUNG

According to Sundanese elders, Angklung tubes symbolize human life; the tubes themselves being the people. 
The Angklung could not be the instrument that it is, had it only consisted of one tube. 
This embodies the fact that humans are "social animals," as said by Aristotle, and that they may not live appropriately in isolation. 
The large and small tubes that are situated next to each other in each instrument represent an individual's growth and capabilities.
Different tube sizes signify the truth that all people have different roles to play to create somekind of harmony in this world.

Courtesy of  http://www.angklung-udjo.co.id