University of Iowa
Iowa Research Online
Theses and Dissertations
Spring 2016
An exploration of Thai traditional music for
Western percussion instruments
Wannapha Yannavut
University of Iowa
Copyright 2016 Wannapha Yannavut
This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/3231
Recommended Citation
Yannavut, Wannapha. "An exploration of Thai traditional music for Western percussion instruments." DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts)
thesis, University of Iowa, 2016.
http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/3231.
Follow this and additional works at: http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd
Part of the Music Commons
AN EXPLORATION OF THAI TRADITIONAL MUSIC FOR WESTERN
PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS
by
Wannapha Yannavut
An essay submitted in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the Doctor of Musical
Arts degree in Music
in the Graduate College of
The University of Iowa
May 2016
Essay Supervisor: Professor Daniel Moore
Copyright by
WANNAPHA YANNAVUT
2016
All Rights Reserved
Graduate College
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
____________________________
D.M.A. ESSAY
_________________
This is to certify that the D.M.A. essay of
Wannapha Yannavut
has been approved by the Examining Committee for
the thesis requirement for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Music
at the May 2016 graduation.
Essay Committee:
____________________________________________
Daniel Moore, Essay Supervisor
____________________________________________
Christine Getz
____________________________________________
David Gompper
____________________________________________
Richard Mark Heidel
____________________________________________
William LaRue Jones
To my parents, who always support me and allow me to do what I love
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout my education and
my music career here at the University of Iowa. I would like to thank everyone on my
committee for their support, wisdom, and dedication in helping me through the challenges
of this essay. I have learned so much from each one of them through academic classes,
rehearsals, and performances. Everything I have learned will be always with me—and will
be shared with the next generation of musicians. I would especially like to thank my major
advisor, Dr. Dan Moore, for all the ways he has helped, guided, and encouraged me—and
opened my mind to help me become a better musician, teacher, and person. Thank you to
the Iowa percussion studio for all of your support and for the warm welcome throughout
my stay here. I have gained great experiences, knowledge, and values—and wonderful
memories—at the University of Iowa.
I would not have been able to come this far without the help of Dr. Sugree
Charoensook, Dean of the College of Music, Mahidol University, Thailand. I am deeply
grateful for his support and encouragement. I also would like to thank all of the Thai
music scholars and instructors from Mahidol University, especially Dr. Narongchai
Pidokrajt, Dr. Sanong Klangprasri, Mr. Suchao Harimpanich, and Mr. Paron Yuenyong,
for their knowledge and lessons in Thai music: without them, my project could not have
been completed, or filled with such valuable and rich information. Also, I appreciate the
support of my colleagues at Mahidol University as well.
Throughout my musicianship, a number of instructors and mentors made me
“me”—and I am always grateful. I would like to thank Mrs. Kae Reed and Mr. Shane
Taylor Constant, my percussion mentors in the master’s program at Mahidol University,
iii
who first made me fall in love with classical percussion and who ultimately led me to be
a professional percussionist. Thank you to my middle school percussion teachers,
Nanhathai Vitayanantapornkul and Chumpol Channarong, for introducing percussion and
inspiring me with Western music, and my sincere thanks to other music mentors who
have polished my musical skills throughout my career including John Parks, Shawn
Kelly, Supawat Panphum, and Pinai Preechaporn.
Lastly, thank you for love and support from my parents, family, and friends to
help me make this journey. This dream would not have come true without their constant
encouragement. And finally, I apologize and thank anyone whose name might be missing
here who has been part of my musical path: I always appreciate your inspiration and help
every day of my life.
iv
PUBLIC ABSTRACT
This study consists of five compositions/arrangements and one excerpt of a
composition from the folk music of Thailand for Western percussion solo and ensembles.
These compositions/arrangements were selected from Thai folk songs from the four
regions of Thailand (central, northern, northeastern, and southern) in order to represent
each region’s culture and characteristics: Bats Eat Bananas for percussion ensemble, plus
an excerpt for mallet percussion (from the central region); Long Mae Ping Fantasia for
marimba solo and percussion ensemble (from the northern region); Mang Poo Tom Dok
for percussion ensemble (from the northeastern region); and Krao Talung Dance for
percussion ensemble (from the southern region). This study also includes a history of the
selected folk songs and the instruments used, a brief introduction to traditional Thai
percussion instruments and techniques, and a discussion of how these techniques can be
adapted to Western instruments.
The purpose of this study is to introduce Thai music into Western awareness
through the medium of Western percussion instruments. It also serves to assist Thai
musicians, especially percussionists, in bringing Western percussion to Thailand and also
generating renewed interest among Thai audiences for their own folk music—not only
creating a new fusion style of music but also helping keep traditional Thai music alive for
future generations.
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Examples ............................................................................................................... vii
Orthography ..................................................................................................................... viii
Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1
A Note about the History of Western Music in Thailand ............................................... 1
Purpose and Justification................................................................................................. 1
Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 5
Methodology ................................................................................................................... 6
Review Literature ............................................................................................................ 7
Conclusion....................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter 2: Introduction to Thai Percussion Instruments and Techniques ........................ 10
I. Central Region ........................................................................................................... 10
Bats Eat Bananas .......................................................................................................... 12
II. Northern Region (Lanna) ......................................................................................... 19
Long Mae Ping Fantasia ............................................................................................... 21
III. Northeastern Region (Isan) ..................................................................................... 24
Mang Poo Tom Dok ...................................................................................................... 27
IV. Southern Region...................................................................................................... 29
Krao Talung Dance ....................................................................................................... 31
Chapter 3: The Compositions ........................................................................................... 34
Bats Eat Bananas .......................................................................................................... 34
Background ................................................................................................................... 34
Formal Analysis ............................................................................................................ 35
Adapted Techniques and the Use of Thai Instruments in a Western Setting ................ 36
Long Mae Ping Fantasia ............................................................................................... 40
Background ................................................................................................................... 40
Formal Analysis ............................................................................................................ 41
Adapted Techniques and the Use of Thai Instruments in a Western Setting ................ 45
Mang Poo Tom Dok ...................................................................................................... 45
Background ................................................................................................................... 45
Formal Analysis ............................................................................................................ 46
Adapted Techniques and the Use of Thai Instruments in a Western Setting ................ 48
Krao Talung Dance ....................................................................................................... 49
Background ................................................................................................................... 49
Formal Analysis ............................................................................................................ 50
Adapted Techniques and the Use of Thai Instruments in a Western Setting ................ 52
Chapter 4: Conclusion and Further Research ................................................................... 54
Glossary ............................................................................................................................ 57
Appendix: Scores .............................................................................................................. 66
Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 123
vi
LIST OF EXAMPLES
Example 1 — A Typical Sabad Technique ...................................................................... 15
Example 2.1 — Long Mae Ping Fantasia m. 83 .............................................................. 43
Example 2.2 — Long Mae Ping Fantasia mm. 87–90 ..................................................... 44
Example 3 — Krao Talung Dance beginning .................................................................. 52
Example 4 — Krao Talung Dance mm. 1–4 .................................................................... 52
vii
ORTHOGRAPHY*
The Thai language generally cannot be romanized gracefully. The system used in
this manuscript is the one suggested by the Royal Thai Institute, but with certain
modifications made by the author. Neither tone nor vowel length are indicated. Proper
names sometimes fall outside this system, i.e., if a person has/had a preferred romanized
version of their name, or if their name is/was already spelled a certain way in published
English-language sources. The modified version of the Royal Institute system used by the
author appears below.
Consonants
Initial
Examples
Thai letters
Romanized
Thai words
Romanized
ก
k (actual sound: g)
กลอง
klawng
ขคฆ
kh (actual sound: k)
ฆ้อง
khawng
ง
ng
งอน
ngawn
จ
j
(กระ) จับปี่
(kha) jabpi
ฉชฌ
ch
ฉิ่ง
ching
ด, and ฑ for exceptional
d
ดีด
did
ตฎฏ
t (actual sound: explosive d) ตลุง
talung
ถ ฐ ท ธ ฒ and ฑ for normal
th (actual sound: t)
ถอน
thawn
นณ
n
นั่งกิน
nang-kin
บ
b
บาท
baht
ป
p (actual sound: explosive b) ปรบไก่
ผพภ
ph (actual sound: p)
พาทย์
phat
ฝฟ
f
ฝั่ง
fang
ม
m
มอญ
mon
ยญ
y
ญี่ปุ่น
yipun
viii
probkai
ร
r
ร้อง
rawng
ลฬ
l
ลาว
lao
ว
w
วง
wong
ส ษ ศ ซ (ทร)
s
สําเนียง
samniang
หฮ
h
หางเครื่อง
hang-khruang
อ
o
องค์พระ
ong-phra
There are six groups of final consonants.
Final
Examples
(i) k
กคฆ
k
นอก
nok
ดสศ
d
ดีด
did
ตฎฏทฒ
t
พาทย์
phat
ธ
th
อยุธยา
Ayuthaya
บ
b
ดาบ
dab
พภป
p
พิราป
phirap
ng
ฆ้อง
khawng
(ii) d, t, and th
(iii) b and p
(iv) ng
ง
(v) n and l (both sound n)
นณร
n
สอน
sawn
ล
l
โกศล
kosol
m
สาม
sam
(vi) m
ม
ix
Vowels
Although the Thai language has both short and long forms of each vowel sound,
these distinctions are not made in this dissertation. A single romanized vowel is used to
represent both the short and long forms of each vowel; for example, the roman letter a
represents both the Thai vowels อะ (ah, short) and อา (aa, long). Words containing vowels
that must be pronounced short, as in bandawh (บัณเฑาะว์) and phairawh (ไพเราะ), may include
the letter h after the vowel in order to imply a shortened sound.
Some Thai vowels, such as อึ, อือ, เอือ, อัว, etc., have no exact English equivalents. Ue
represents both the Thai vowels อึ (short) and อือ (long), and is similar to the German ue
(ü). U represents the English u sound in put or the oo sound as in foot.
Thai
Romanized
Examples
อะ อา
a
จังหวะ หน้าพาทย์
jangwa, naphat
อิ
อี
i
พิราพ ปี่
phirap, pi
อึ
อื
ue
ดึก คลื่น
duek, khluen
อุ
อู
u
มุล่ง ครู
mulong, khru
เอะ เอ
e
เย็น เจน
yen, jen
แอะ แอ
ae
แผละ แสน
phlaeh, saen
โอะ โอ
o
โต๊ะ โกศล
to, kosol
เอาะ ออ
aw
เหาะ ซอ
hawh, saw
เออะ เออ
oe
ดําเนิน
damnoen
เอียะ เอีย
ia
เสียง
siang
เอือะ เอือ
uea
เดือน
duean
อัวะ อัว
ua
ตัว
tua
ไอ ใอ อัย
ai
ปี่ใน อัยเรศ
pinai, aiyaret
เอา อาว
ao
ลูกเท่า ลาว
lukthao, lao
x
อุย อูย
ui
ขลุ่ย
khlui
โอย
oi
โรย
roi
ออย
awi
ต่อยหม้อ
toimaw
เอย
oei
เลย
loei
เอือย
ueai
เรื่อย
rueai
อวย
uai
สวย
suai
อิว
iu
งิ้ว
ngiu
เอิว เอว
eo
เร็ว
reo
แอว
aeo
แอ่ว
aeo
เอียว
ieo
เดี่ยว
dieo
ru
ฤาษี
rusi
ฤ
ฤา
* The above orthography is taken from Panya Roongruang, “Thai Classical Music and Its
Movement from Oral to Written Transmission, 1930–1942: Historical Context, Method, and
Legacy of the Thai Music Manuscript Project” (PhD dissertation, Kent State University, 1999),
with some modification by the author of this project.
** Several words used throughout this dissertation are spelled differently than in the above
orthography, according to other references such as Andrew Christopher Shahriari, “Lanna Music
and Dance: Image and Identity in Northern Thailand” (PhD dissertation, Kent State University,
2001).
xi
Chapter 1: Introduction
A Note about the History of Western Music in Thailand
Western music was first introduced to Thailand in the sixteenth century by French
missionaries through the use of trumpet in the royal court and Thai Catholic Church.
Later, during the nineteenth century, many Westerners, including Portugese, Spanish,
Dutch, French, and English, came to Thailand for trading purposes so that American
Civil War songs and marches were brought to Thailand. However, the development of
Western music in Thailand began in the middle of the nineteenth century, when King
Rama IV hired two English military men, Captain Impey and Captain Thomas G. Knox,
to train soldiers in European musical style. King Rama V, too, had an ambition to create a
civilization equal to the West, and during his reign many Western arts were brought into
the country, including music, theatre and drama, tableau vivant, and film. During the
reign of King Rama VI, Western culture continued to influence many Thai arts, including
painting, sculpture, architecture, handicrafts, and performance of music and dance. Small
ensembles and brass bands were enlarged to small orchestras, then developed into
standard-size orchestras in the early twentieth century. King Rama VI continued
developing Western music by hiring Western musicians and educators to teach in
Thailand.1
Purpose and Justification
As Western music has become more popular in Thailand, the influence of Thai
traditional music has faded. This study introduces Thai music into Western consciousness
1
Jittapim Yamprai, “The Establishment of Western Music in Thailand” (DA diss., University of
Northern Colorado, 2011).
1
through the medium of Western percussion. It focuses on Thai
compositions/arrangements for Western percussion instruments in solo and ensemble
settings. I selected representative Thai folk songs from the four regions of Thailand
(central, northern, northeastern, and southern) in order to present each region’s culture
and characteristics. This study also provides a history of the selected folk songs and the
instruments used to perform them. The project includes a brief introduction to traditional
Thai percussion instruments and techniques, and how these techniques can be adapted to
Western instruments. One example is the principal Thai percussion instrument, the ranad
ek—a small xylophone made of wood.2 The ranad ek technique requires the performer to
play sequential double stops in octaves, fifths, and other intervals that are often
performed at incredibly fast tempos. It is well known as the leader of Thai music
ensembles, because the ranad ek is used to play the main melody and variations of the
main melody. The Western percussion instrument most closely resembling the ranad ek
is the xylophone, which is therefore used to introduce Western performers to the
techniques and sounds of the instrument.
Much non-Western music has been introduced into the Western tradition through
the medium of percussion, which is similar to this project. These influences inspired me
to bring Thai influence to the Western audience. For example, Amadeo Roldan’s Ritmica
No. 5 and No. 6 (1930) are the first percussion ensemble pieces influenced by Cuban
music. Roldan was a well-known Cuban musician, composer, conductor, and educator.
He scored Ritmica No. 5 and No. 6 for nine players, and orchestrated them for Cuban
2
Most ranad ek have a two-and-one-half-octave range with a low note of G (close to G3 in the
Western tuning system), and some instruments have one additional higher note in order to complete the
highest octave for virtuoso works.
2
instruments except for three timpani, which are standard orchestral instruments. Ritmica
No. 5 is based on son rhythm and Ritmica No. 6 is based on rumba rhythm associated
with son clave. Jose Ardevol, another Cuban composer likewise composed three wellknown works for percussion ensemble that feature Cuban elements: Estudio en forma de
preludio y fuga (1933), Suite para 30 instrumentos de percussion, friction y sibido
(1934), and Preludio a 11 (1942).3
African influence also has permeated percussion literature from the second half of
the twentieth century. Michael Udow’s African Welcome Piece (1973) is an African
musical work set for Western percussion instruments. Udow called for a large ensemble
of twelve percussionists and optional chorus. He also wrote for traditional African
instruments such as the spagane, which are clappers (slats of wood with a leather band
attached to the narrow end) of the Honga people of South Africa, played by striking them
against the floor.4 A reasonable substitute instrument is blocks of wood striking a wood
floor or wood table. Phil Faini’s Afro-Amero (1984) is another percussion ensemble piece
influenced by African music. Faini scored it for eight players on traditional orchestral
instruments. The piece is based on African musical elements, especially African rhythmic
figuration.5
A Brazilian percussionist and composer, Ney Rosauro, similarly introduced
Brazilian music with pieces such as Mitos Brasileiros (Brazilian Myths) for percussion
3
John Richard Hall, “Development of the Percussion Ensemble through the Contributions of the
Latin American Composers Amadeo Roldan, Jose Ardevol, Carloz Chavez, and Alberto Ginastera” (DMA
diss., The Ohio State University, 2008).
4
Fred A. Wickstrom, ed., African Welcome Piece for Percussion Ensemble and Optional Chorus
by Michael Udow (Florida: University of Miami Music Publications, 1973).
5
Richard Kent LeVan, “African Musical Influence in Selected Art Music Works for Percussion
Ensemble: 1930–1984” (PhD diss., University of Pittsburgh, 1991).
3
quartet (1988). Mitos Brasileiros is based on Brazilian folklore. In it, Rosauro combines
standard orchestral percussion instruments and unusual instruments to create color and to
evoke Brazilian culture. Rosauro’s Suite Popular Brasileira (Brazilian Popular Suite) for
solo marimba (1980–82) is a collection of Brazilian dances, and Bem-vindo (1988) is a
solo vibraphone piece that Rosauro wrote for the birth of his son in Santa Maria. In the
latter piece, he uses the style of Bachianas Brasileiras from Brazilian composer Heitor
Villa Lobos and quotes a melody from the gauchos of Southern Brazil, which is the
birthplace of his son.6
Mexico is one of the locations historically noted for the development of the
Western marimba. There are several studies focused on the origin and history of the
Mexican marimba tradicional. Laurence Kaptain focused on the marimba in Chiapas,
Mexico, and published a book, The Wood That Sings: The Marimba in Chiapas, Mexico
(1992). He also arranged several Mexican marimba works including Nandiume (1993), El
Alcaraban (1993), and Gaviota (1994).7
Like Kaptain’s study, this project is focused on Thai music in
compositions/arrangements for Western percussion solo and ensembles in order to
introduce Thai music to a broader audience. It also discusses the historical background of
each piece, compares the music of the four regions of Thailand, and includes
comparisons of both instruments and techniques of Thai percussion to Western
percussion.
6
Ney Rosauro, “Compositions by Title,” http://www.neyrosauro.com/compositions_by_title.asp.
7
Laurence Kaptain, “Curriculum Vitae,” http://www.laurencekaptain.com.
4
Limitations
I initially began this project at the beginning of my study at the University of
Iowa, advised and supported by my major advisor, Dr. Daniel Moore. Later, it was
developed for further study, and ultimately became the final project for the DMA degree.
The starting point of the project is to introduce Thai music, melody, and instruments to
Western percussion musicians, focusing on the level of high school percussionists.
Therefore, all arrangements are at the level of beginning to intermediate—easy to play
and understand. The instrumentation and compositional structures combine Thai and
Western principles, according to the main purpose of the project, to present both styles of
music to players and audiences.
As mentioned above, the instrumentation of each arrangement mainly requires
Western percussion instruments, plus some Thai rhythmic percussion instruments that are
easy to find, such as the Thai gong and ching (Thai finger cymbals)—to allow performers
to approach the arrangements effortlessly. However, if no such Thai instruments are
available, recommendations for substitute or optional instruments are included in the
score, as well as the adaptation to be made by the performer. I have also limited the size
of the arrangements so that it will not be a challenge to find players at this level. Most
pieces require a medium-sized ensemble of six or seven players. There is also one solo
marimba composition.
Thai folk music is related to local culture, lifestyle, plays, dances, and
ceremonies, as well as appreciation of nature; thus, an effort has been made to consider
and select pieces to represent all four regions of Thailand and their cultures, lifestyles,
and beliefs. These pieces are also chosen from the standard folk repertoire that is
5
commonly performed today. Further, each piece represents the distinct character of its
region.
Methodology
I selected four Thai folk songs from the four regions of Thailand—central,
northern, northeastern, southern—and composed/arranged five
compositions/arrangements, plus one excerpt of a composition, for Western percussion
instruments. Each piece represents unique characteristics of its region in terms of
cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles. I investigated and studied the history of each region,
including a survey of local instruments and techniques from both Thai and English
reference materials. I combined Thai musical elements with Western musical styles. Each
arrangement is given a formal analysis to integrate Thai melody and form in a Western
music setting. Also provided is a discussion of Thai instrument techniques and musical
characteristics employed in each composition/arrangement, and how it was adapted to
Western percussion instruments. The culture and characteristics of the four regions of
Thailand are introduced, in order to provide a more complete discussion of each region’s
instruments and musical styles.
The historical background of Thai music and instruments is not well documented
in existing scholarship, so I undertook research in Thailand to learn more about the
musical instruments and styles discussed in this document. For example, I took lessons
with Thai music instructors Mr. Suchao Harimpanich and Mr. Paron Yuenyong at
Mahidol University College of Music, Thailand, to study the basic ideas of Thai
percussion fundamentals and to be able to use them in the arrangements. This helped me
compare and adapt Thai styles to Western percussion instruments. I also spoke with Thai
6
music scholars, including Dr. Narongchai Pidokrajt and Dr. Sanong Klangprasri at
Mahidol University College of Music, Thailand, regarding the process of selecting Thai
folk songs. Several books related to this project have been published in Thailand (all
written in Thai) and these have been used as references throughout the paper.
Review Literature
A number of interesting studies have influenced this project from both historical
and analytical perspectives. David Morton’s The Traditional Music of Thailand presents
a brief history of Thai music and describes the general characteristics of instruments,
notation, ensembles, forms and compositional techniques, measurements of tuning, etc.
Morton went to Thailand to study with Thai musicians in order to gather information and
write his dissertation. His paper was published in 1976 and is the first English book on
the traditional music of Thailand.8 Panya Roongruang’s Thai Classical Music and Its
Movement from Oral to Written Transmission, 1930–1942: Historical Context, Method,
and Legacy of the Thai Music Manuscript Project examines Thai music manuscripts
containing pieces that were transcribed from the oral traditions into Western notation.
This collection is crucial to my research because it represents current Thai classical
music. Also, Roongruang studies the methodology of transcription.9 Jittapim Yamprai’s
The Establishment of Western Music in Thailand chronicles the history of Western music
8
David Morton, The Traditional Music of Thailand (Berkeley: University of California Press,
1976).
9
Panya Roongruang, “Thai Classical Music and Its Movement from Oral to Written Transmission,
1930–1942: Historical Context, Method, and Legacy of the Thai Music Manuscript Project” (PhD diss.,
Kent State University, 1999).
7
in Thailand, including the development of Western styles of music in Thailand.10 Pamela
Ann Myers-Moro’s Thai Music and Musicians in Contemporary Bangkok: An
Ethnography focuses on the role of music and society in Bangkok, and discusses Thai
conceptions of music such as its form, structure, and elements; the musicians themselves;
and attitudes and ideas about music within Thai culture.11
There are three related analytical studies of Thai music. Nathinee
Chucherdwatanasak’s Narong Prangcharoen and Thai Cross-Cultural Fusion in
Contemporary Composition presents and analyzes Prangcharoen’s orchestra music,
including Thai musical elements and Thai cultural influences within the guise of Western
art music. Moreover, Chucherdwatanasak covers Prancharoen’s historical background
and life because he is one of the leading Asian classical composers.12 Jiradej
Setabundhu’s Aspects of Thai Music and Compositional Techniques in Selected Works of
Jiradej Setabundhu identifies the basic concepts of Thai music in the author’s
compositions largely through analysis of the author’s four selected works.13 Narong
Prangcharoen’s Sattha for Strings, Piano, and Percussion conveys the atmosphere of the
tragic South Asian Tsunami of December 2004. This piece was commissioned by the
Pacific Symphony Orchestra in 2005. Sattha takes its main melody from a traditional
10
Jittapim Yamprai, “The Establishment of Western Music in Thailand” (DA diss., University of
Northern Colorado, 2011).
11
Pamela Ann Myers-Moro, “Thai Music and Musicians in Contemporary Bangkok: An
Ethnography” (PhD diss., University of California, Berkeley, 1988).
12
Nathinee Chucherdwatanasak, “Narong Prangcharoen and Thai Cross-Cultural Fusion in
Contemporary Composition” (MM diss., University of Missouri–Kansas City, 2014).
13
Jiradej Setabundhu, “Aspects of Thai Music and Compositional Techniques in Selected Works
of Jiradej Setabundhu” (DM diss., Northwestern University, 2001).
8
song used in the Thai Royal Barge Procession, a ceremony of both religious and royal
significance that has been taking place in Thailand for nearly 700 years.14
Conclusion
Through this project, I aspire to bring Thai traditional music to a wider audience
through the medium of Western percussion. The five Thai compositions/arrangements
from four regions of Thailand show the similarities and differences between Thai and
Western percussion instruments in terms of techniques and instrumentation. The
document also presents Thai musical styles through Western musical settings to present
the compositional style and overall structure of Thai music. It presents historical
background from different areas of Thailand, including the history of each tribe that
influenced Thai music and culture.
14
Narong Prangcharoen, “Sattha for Strings, Piano, and Percussion” (DMA diss., University of
Missouri–Kansas City, 2010).
9
Chapter 2: Introduction to Thai Percussion Instruments and Techniques
Thai musical instruments in general are divided into three main categories:
percussion, woodwinds, and stringed instruments. This chapter is focused on the
particular instruments used in the five arrangements/compositions and one excerpt of a
composition from Thailand’s four regions: Bats Eat Bananas for percussion ensemble
and excerpt for mallet percussion from the central region, Long Mae Ping Fantasia for
marimba solo and percussion ensemble from the northern region, Mang Poo Tom Dok for
percussion ensemble from the northeastern region, and Krao Talung Dance for
percussion ensemble from the southern region. Additionally, the history of each region is
also provided.
This chapter not only discusses the Thai instruments and techniques of each piece;
it also provides Western percussion adaptations or substitutes for Thai instruments.
I. Central Region
Music first appeared in Thailand during the Sukhothai period (the first of the four
capitals of Thailand from 1235 to 1438) along with other arts, which had reached a high
level of development, including the Tri Phum Phra Ruang (Buddhist cosmology), dance
and music, and the Thai alphabet, invented in 1238 by the second king of the Sukhothai
(King Ram Khamhaeng). Earlier people who lived in the central Thailand were mainly
from Mon (ancient Burmese) and Khom (ancient Khmer), which also bordered many
countries such as Myanmar (Burma) and Laos to the North, Laos and Cambodia to the
East, the Andaman Sea and southern Myanmar to the West, Malaysia to the South,
Vietnam to the Southeast, and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the Southwest,
10
so the arts and musical instruments—used mainly at court—were influenced by Mon,
Khmer, Chinese, and Indian cultures.15
Later, many genres of arts, including literature, dance, music, and drama, were
carried over from the Sukhothai period to the Ayutthaya period (the second capital city of
Thailand from 1350 to 1767). The music became highly popular not only at court but
with the public (common people). New types of compositions and instruments were also
invented in this era. For instance, compositions in the Ayutthaya period were for
ceremonial events; one example was “a ceremonial suite, phleng-ruang, consisting of
many pieces organized in three sections marked by different tempos; slow tempo
(phleng-cha), medium tempo (phleng-sawng-mai), and fast tempo (phleng-reo), normally
ending with a closing melody (phleng-la), which was usually performed by the piphat16
ensemble.”17 New melodic percussion styles of musical instruments appeared during the
Ayutthaya period—the ranad and the khawng.18 Unfortunately, neither the Sukhothai nor
the Ayutthaya period left behind notation of compositions because learning traditional
music during those eras was by rote.19 However, some music titles from the Ayutthaya
period were found in the mahori (a type of Thai musical ensemble) songbook, Tamra
15
Roongruang, “Thai Classical Music,” 35–38.
16
A type of Thai musical ensemble, consisting of melodic percussion and Thai oboe, pi nai.
17
Roongruang, “Thai Classical Music,” 40.
18
Morton, The Traditional Music of Thailand, 13.
19
Roongruang, “Thai Classical Music,” 39–40.
11
Phleng Mahori20—a manuscript written in the traditional Thai book from the first reign
of the Bangkok period.21
After the fall of the Ayutthaya, no musical changes took place—music and arts
continued the traditions of the Ayutthaya period. Unfortunately, many of these
compositions were lost because the musicians who performed them disappeared after the
Siamese-Burmese war of 1765–67. The third capital was Thonburi, which lasted for only
fifteen years after the fall of the Ayutthaya. During this period, Thai music was
unchanged. Soon after, in 1782, the Bangkok period began (the fourth and present capital
city of Thailand). Many new things happened in Thailand during this period—new
instruments were invented, new ensembles were created, and new styles of composition
and performances practices were used, many of which are still in practice today.22
Because the central region is home to the capital, it is the central region’s music that is
currently considered to be the music of the Thai nation.
Bats Eat Bananas
Bats Eat Bananas is one of the most recognized folk tunes of central Thailand—
and has been the most frequently performed of all time. This song can be heard
ubiquitously, on all melodic instruments, yet the best-known and well-liked version is
played by the piphat ensemble. It is believed that the original Bats Eat Bananas was
composed during the Ayutthaya period to evoke a scene in nature, or the image of a
20
The book describes the court music performed by the mahori ensemble and the compositions to
be performed.
21
Roongruang, “Thai Classical Music,” 40.
22
Ibid., 52.
12
clown imitating an animal’s walk or movement—most likely in a Thai stage dance/drama
(lakhawn). It reflects the sense of humor of Thai people.
The arrangements of Bats Eat Bananas for percussion ensemble (see scores in
Appendix, page 67) and the Bats Eat Bananas excerpt (see scores in Appendix, page 78)
are based on the Thai instruments in the piphat ensemble, which includes melodic and
rhythmic percussion and woodwind instruments, including the khawng wong yai (big
gong circle), khawng wong lek (small gong circle), ranad ek (small Thai xylophone),
ranad thum (another Thai xylophone, a bit bigger and lower than the ranad ek), pi nai
(Thai oboe), klawng thad (a double-headed large barrel drum), taphon (a double-headed
small barrel drum), and ching (Thai finger cymbals).
The main melodic percussion instruments in the piphat ensemble are the khawng
wong yai, ranad ek, khawng wong lek, and ranad thum. These four instruments have
similar fundamental techniques but each instrument has its own unique character and
performance techniques. The primary melody is presented by the khawng wong yai,
which plays the simplest version of the main melody. The khawng wong yai is mostly
played in single lines and/or octaves alternately, according to Panya Roongruang:
The khawng-wong-yai typically plays the simplest version of the melody, playing
monophonically or using two-note dyads (the main intervals used are thirds,
fourths, fifths, sixths, octaves, and occasionally seconds). The intervals used are
restricted depending on the composition being performed, because the khawngwong-yai part must show a specific thang23 and keep to the basic melody, not
overly elaborated. The fundamental style of the khawng-wong-yai to play the
principal melody in octaves; rather than playing the two tones of the octave
simultaneously, the player alternates between the left and right hands: the left
hand plays the lower tone on a strong beat, and the right hand repeats the tone
twice, one octave higher.24
23
Thang refers to idiomatic instrumental styles.
24
Roongruang, “Thai Classical Music,” 259.
13
Another important fundamental technique for the khawng wong yai is sticking.
The player has to learn how to use sticking in order to keep the melody smooth and to
shape the musical phrases expressively. There are four methods for sticking: alternating
single strokes between hands (L R L R…for ascending notes, R L R L…for descending
notes); double strokes, starting with the left hand for ascending notes and with the right
hand for descending notes (LL RR…, RR LL…); and triple strokes, which include two
different combinations—single stroke and double strokes, and double strokes and single
stroke—again starting with the left hand for ascending notes and with the right hand for
descending notes (L R R… R L L and L L R… R R L).
Another essential fundamental technique for the khawng wong yai is damping.
Because the khawng wong yai is a metal instrument that always rings while playing,
damping is needed to clean up the melody and to avoid undesired sound, especially when
two consecutive notes in octaves are presented (A3 then A4): the first note will be
damped at the same time as the next note is played, similar to Western vibraphone
technique.
The ranad ek presents a variation of the melody as well as the primary melody in
octaves. The ranad ek part is crucial because the ranad ek is an instrument for leading the
ensemble. No Western-type conductor leads the players. Important fundamental
techniques for the ranad ek include: octaves, fifths, and fourths (both single strokes and
double stops), as well as the kraw (roll), kwad (sweep, glissando), keb (playing sixteenth
notes evenly and continuously), and sabad (interpolating notes on unaccented beats into
the downbeat of a melodic pattern).
14
The kraw technique refers to the single-stroke roll. The player commonly starts
the kraw with the left hand (low note first) in order to create a warm and beautifully
balanced sound. It is a general ideal of Thai melodic percussion techniques to
consistently start playing in the left hand, according to the instrument’s pitch order, with
the lowest note on the left. The kwad (or sweep) refers to the glissando technique.
Normally, the player will start hitting a note with one hand and glissando with the other
hand to the same note but one octave apart (below or above). The kwad can start on either
an accented or unaccented beat. The keb, a standard technique for the ranad and other
melodic percussion instruments, requires one to play sixteenth notes evenly and
continuously: “in Western notation, each 2/4 measure contains eight notes but in Thai
notation, each measure contains four notes.”25 Another technique of melodic percussion
instruments for making the music more exciting is the sabad, in which a melody is
ornamented with interpolated short notes—usually by adding two to three thirty-second
notes (on an unaccented beat) into a sixteenth note of the melody. The sabad can be
found both in ascending or descending lines, and the pitches can appear in, or out, of
order (see example 1).
Example 1: A typical sabad technique26
The khawng wong lek is generally played as an accompaniment to the ranad ek,
though the khawng wong lek is a small version of the khawng wong yai. The role of the
25
Ibid., 361.
26
Roongruang, glossary to “Thai Classical Music,” 388.
15
khawng wong lek is similar to that the ranad ek, but with even more color and decorated
notes, while the ranad ek plays a stylistic version of the main melody to keep the
ensemble together. So, the main technique for the khwng wong lek is the sabad. The
motions and gestures for the khawng wong lek are usually stepwise and sequential
patterns, played by alternating two hands. Less common are octaves and repeated
stickings such as the double or triple strokes of the ranad ek and the khawng wong yai
parts.27
The ranad thum is a low-toned and deep-sounding melodic percussion instrument
in the piphat ensemble. Because of its unique tone color and sound, according to Panya
Roongruang, “the ranad thum imparts a special quality to the Thai ensemble.”28 It most
commonly elaborates the main melody of the khawng wong yai by using wide melodic
leaps and improvising sophisticated syncopation, as well as breaking the melody apart—
leaving the listener to anticipate the expected note on the strong beat. The ranad thum can
be compared to the saxophonist in a jazz ensemble, improvising around a melody.29
The pi nai is the only woodwind instrument in the piphat ensemble that can be
used as a solo instrument as well. The pi nai presents the primary melody with sometimes
long sustained notes. The crucial technique is to bend from one note to the next in a
continuous approach. The thang of the pi nai is unique and flexible, sometimes playing in
unison with the ranad ek and sometimes using wide intervallic leaps. Normally, when the
melody occurs twice in a composition, the pi nai uses more variations similar to the
27
Roongruang, “Thai Classical Music,” 269.
28
Ibid., 272.
29
Ibid., 272–73.
16
ranad style, called keb, for the second occurrence.30 Panya Roongruang notes: “The
duration of notes played on the pi-nai also depends on the character of the particular
pieces; sometimes it plays in staccato fashion, and very often in syncopation.”31
The rhythmic percussion instruments in the piphat ensemble are the taphon,
klawng thad, and ching. The taphon is the main drum in the piphat ensemble. It provides
the rhythmic pattern by using different patterns (called nathab) depending upon the style
and tempo of the composition. There are combinations of several fundamental strokes of
the taphon, creating each pattern or nathab. For example, nathab probkai is made of
several drum strokes such as pa (short sound played with the right hand), and phring
(long sound played with both hands) used in a slow tempo. The taphon player plays each
pattern in a composition many times, over and over, with some improvisation. The
klawng thad is used as a pair, and is struck with a pair of bamboo sticks. Normally, a
single stroke that occurs in a short and highly repeated syncopated pattern throughout the
piece is played on the klawng thad. In addition, it sometimes is assigned a long pattern of
gradually increasing faster rhythmic values, especially in rubato sections. Lastly, the
ching appears in every measure throughout a composition, to maintain the tempo for the
ensemble. There are two common strokes on the ching: ching, a ringing sound; and chab,
a damped sound.
Bats Eat Bananas for percussion ensemble calls for xylophone, marimba,
vibraphone, glockenspiel, timpani, bongos, four toms, suspended cymbal, ching, and
mong (small Thai gong). As seen earlier, the instrumentation of the piece is a
30
Ibid., 262–63.
31
Ibid., 263.
17
combination of Western percussion instruments and Thai rhythmic percussion
instruments to present a collaboration between both musical styles. The role of each
instrument in the arrangement is not directly and technically transcribed from the Thai
instruments in the piphat ensemble; rather, I explore compositional technique in the
Western manner but keep the main melody and the essence of the Thai style, such as the
ching and mong. So, the chords, harmony, structure, and rhythmic patterns are based on
Western music that has a Thai influence.
The xylophone part carries the main melody from the khawng wong yai, ranad ek
and pi nai, mainly using single strokes and octaves. The bass line from the part of the
ranad thum—octaves, fourths, and fifths, rather than the syncopations of the ranad
thum—is played on the marimba. The vibraphone plays harmony and rhythms in octaves,
fourths, and fifths, without the melodic pattern of the khawng wong yai, while the
glockenspiel presents some colors and decorations similar to the khawng wong lek part.
The timpani part is similar to the klawng thad, mainly emphasizing downbeats except the
solo section at letter B. The bongos and tom-toms play the taphon part, making various
sounds and maintaining rhythmic patterns with some improvisation (as variations and all
written for the arrangement). The main rhythmic pattern on the drums is not precisely
transferred from the Thai nathab; rather it is similar in feel and suitable to represent the
piece’s exciting and joyful character. The suspended cymbal is added in the arrangement
to color the piece, similar to Western music. In the last section of the arrangement,
especially the last four measures, all melodic percussion instruments as well as rhythmic
percussion instruments play tutti, presenting a thrilling and stimulating ending, similar to
the piphat musical style.
18
The Bats Eat Bananas excerpt transfers four main melodic percussion instruments
from the piphat ensemble into Western keyboard percussion instruments. The excerpt
contains the vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, and marimba—transferred from the
khawng wong yai, ranad ek, khawng wong lek, and ranad thum, respectively. This
excerpt represents standard repertoire for young Thai musicians to learn the idiomatic
style, or thang, of each instrument.
The vibraphone presents the khawng wong yai part, giving the simplest version of
the main melody. The xylophone presents the ranad ek part, presenting the main melody
and variations, mostly using octaves. The glockenspiel presents the khawng wong lek
part, decorating and coloring notes from the main melody, sometimes harmonizing the
xylophone (ranad ek) part, appearing most often in stepwise and sequential patterns.
Lastly, the marimba presents the ranad thum, offering the bass sound and syncopations
through octaves and fourths, sometimes harmonizing the vibraphone (khawng wong yai)
part. In this excerpt, the vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, and marimba are played by
two mallets to mimic the four Thai melodic percussion instruments (the khawng wong
yai, ranad ek, khawng wong lek, and ranad thum) from the piphat ensemble.
II. Northern Region (Lanna)
The Lan Na or Lanna Kingdom means “Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields” (lan
means “a million,” na means “rice field”). The Lanna Kingdom was established around
the thirteenth century; however, the cultural history of the area originated with forefathers
such as the Mon, the Lawa, and the Tai of Yonok (non-Thai people who existed in the
region long before the Lanna era, particularly groups of Burmese and southern Chinese).
19
These people created civilizations with a significant impact on early Lanna cultures and
regional identity, an impact that has continued to the present.32
The Lanna Kingdom was founded by King Mangrai, the 25th king of Ngoen Yang
(modern Chiang Saen) of the Lawachakkaraj dynasty, whose mother was a daughter of a
Tai Lue leader from Sipsong Panna in Yunnan province (far southwest of China).33 King
Mangrai established a new city, Chiang Rai—named after the king—that became the
center of his kingdom in 1262. In 1281, he expanded the kingdom to the south and moved
the capital to Lamphun (the Mon Kingdom of Hariphunchai), one of the northern regions
today. King Mangrai moved the capital several times (as a result of natural disasters)
until he founded Chiang Mai as the capital in 1296; Chiang Mai has remained the capital
of the Lanna Kingdom since then. The Lanna Kingdom merged with the Ayutthaya
Kingdom during the fifteenth century to become the northern region of Thailand. In
1558, Lanna was weak and became a tributary state of Myanmar (Taungoo dynasty), but
in 1775, King Taksin of the Thonburi Kingdom conquered it back.
There are several factors that affect the Lanna region’s contemporary cultures and
lifestyle, including dance, arts, and music, as well as musical instruments. For instance,
Mon (Burmese), Chinese, and Indian civilizations influenced Lanna instruments,
ensembles, and music. Another factor is the geography; an abundance of mountains and
forests make the weather cool so that Lanna people have a relaxed life—their unhurried,
graceful lifestyle is manifest in slow movements in dance as well as the soft volume of
32
Andrew Christopher Shahriari, “Lanna Music and Dance: Image and Identity in Northern
Thailand” (PhD diss., Kent State University, 2001), 29.
33
Ibid., 36.
20
the instruments themselves (the northern Thai musical instruments are the quietest of all
the regions of Thailand). Lastly, there were changes in the region after Lanna was
annexed by the Kingdom of Siam34 impacting politics, education, activities, and music.
Similar to the music of the central region, the system for learning Lanna music
was originally an oral tradition with no written music. However, the development of
Western music in Thailand, especially since the late twentieth century, has changed the
learning process for Lanna music; “most musicians under fifty years of age are able to
read and write music using the solfege system.”35
Long Mae Ping Fantasia
Phleng saw is a type of northern Thai folk music (phleng means “song”; saw
means “sing”). There are several types of phleng saw, for example, describing and
celebrating nature, or telling a story; it can be sung as a solo or duo. The duo version
features interactive singing: the main singer is called chang saw and a second singer is
called khu thong. The khu thong needs to have a great aptitude for improvising and
interacting with the chang saw. Phleng saw is usually accompanied by northern Thai
melodic instruments such as the salaw (two-stringed fiddle), seung (fretted-plucked lute),
and khlui (vertical bamboo flute). Traditionally the phleng saw was extremely popular—
and one of the oldest musical types of northern Thailand—but today it is performed less
often.36
34
Siam was the former name of Thailand.
35
Shahriari, “Lanna Music and Dance,” 121.
36
“Saw Lanna,” Intangible Cultural Heritage, accessed March 4, 2016,
http://ich.culture.go.th/index.php/th/ich/performing-arts/236-performance/161-----m-s.
21
One of the most popular phleng saw of northern Thailand is Long Mae Ping. It
has a beautiful melody and meaningful lyrics. After it was revised and recorded in a
contemporary style by Mr. Jaran Manopetch (one of the most famous northern Thailand
musicians and composers of the twentieth century), Long Mae Ping is even more wellknown and admired by audiences throughout Thailand.
Today, Long Mae Ping is mostly performed by the salaw-saw-sueng (a northern
Thai musical ensemble). The salaw-saw-sueng mainly consists of a salaw and three
seung—although there is no saw (vocals) in the ensemble, it is a part of the ensemble
name, referring to the khlui (playing a melody in a vocal style).37 Its unfixed
instrumentation allows other instruments to be added to the salaw-saw-sueng ensemble,
for example the khlui, klawng teng-thing (Lanna two-headed hand drum, similar to the
central Thai taphon mon38), ching, and chab (Lanna or small Thai cymbals).39
The leader of the salaw-saw-sueng ensemble is the salaw. It presents the main
melody in a heterophonic texture. Usually, the salaw begins with an introductory phrase,
followed by the rest of the ensemble tutti, including the drum. At the end, the salaw (or
sometimes the khlui) leads the ensemble to end a piece by slowing down the tempo in the
last phrase, as a signal. The seung is another melodic instrument of the salaw-saw-sueng
ensemble. The seung player plays the main melody with some sustained notes, using the
tremolo, which is the fundamental technique for the instrument besides single and double
37
Shahriari, “Lanna Music and Dance,” 181–82.
38
A central Thai double-headed barrel drum on a stand, similar to the taphon but larger.
39
“Northern Thailand Musical Ensembles,” Staffzone, accessed March 3, 2016,
http://staffzone.amnuaysilpa.ac.th/2.2.htm.
22
strokes. The khlui is the other melodic instrument in the ensemble—emphasizing the
main melody with elaboration and variation. Sometimes, the khlui player uses techniques
such as the sliding tone and vibrato as well as jumping pitches to make the song more
colorful. In the rhythm section, the klawng teng-thing or klawng pong-pong (similar to
the central Thai taphon) is used to provide a rhythmic pattern with a variety of sounds on
the drum. Normally, the pattern is begun on the klawng teng-thing or klawng pong-pong
after the salaw plays the introduction; the rest of the ensemble enters tutti before the
drum pattern ends. The ching is used in the same manner as in the music of central
Thailand: to maintain the tempo for the ensemble. The chab provides the repeated
rhythmic pattern and also maintains the tempo for the ensemble.
Long Mae Ping Fantasia for marimba solo (found in the Appendix on page 82)
presents the primary melody on the salaw, and combines the tremolo technique of the
seung, as well as the variations and elaborations of the khlui. So the simplest melody of
Long Mae Ping Fantasia appears only in the first section of the arrangement, followed by
variations of the melody as in the khlui style. Each section presents an individual style in
terms of technique, melody, and harmonic patterns. Each section has more color and
becomes faster, until the arrangement ends with calmness in the choral section. The
overall structure of the marimba version is based on the free form Western musical style
of a fantasia (as suggested by the title) rather than in the heterophonic texture of northern
Thai folk music.
Long Mae Ping Fantasia for percussion ensemble (see Appendix, page 85)
features the marimba solo, as well as other Western melodic and rhythmic percussion
instruments, including marimba II, vibraphone, glockenspiel, timpani, snare drum, bass
23
drum, bongos, rain stick, wind chimes, suspended cymbal, triangle, wood blocks, and
tambourine. In addition, the arrangement includes an appearance by the northern Thai
mong to evoke a Thai atmosphere. The overall structure and form of the ensemble
version are based on the marimba solo version, and the harmony and compositional
techniques are mainly in the Western style.
The marimba solo part is substituted for several melodic instruments from the
northern Thai ensemble such as the salaw, seung, and khlui, primarily presenting the
main melody, with occasional variations. Another marimba part mainly presents the bass
line in octaves, fifths, and fourths. The glockenspiel plays the variation and decorative
notes from the main melody; however, sometimes it presents the theme, for example, the
first appearance of the melody at letter A. The vibraphone presents the chords, arpeggios,
and sometimes the countermelody. Rhythmic patterns are executed by drums and
percussion such as timpani, bongos, wood blocks, snare drum, and bass drum. The
triangle mimics the ching sound; the Thai gong evokes the Thai flavor. Other percussion
instruments such as suspended cymbal, rain stick, and wind chimes are incorporated for
color. The ensemble version does not directly translate instrumentation and technique
from the salaw-saw-seung ensemble; instead it transforms the character of the Thai
ensemble with a focus on Western style, creating an interesting and exciting arrangement.
III. Northeastern Region (Isan)
The northeast Thai region is also known as Isan, derived from the Pali-Sanskrit
name of Shiva, an Indian angel. Isan was also used to identify a region of Thailand
(meaning northeast region in the Thai language), rather than as a part of the Lao
Kingdom. Isan is Thailand’s biggest region and is one-third of the country. It is located
24
on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Maekhong River (along the border with Laos) to
the north and east; by Cambodia to the southeast; and by the Sankamphaeng Range to the
southwest.
Based on topography, Isan can be divided into two main areas—northern and
southern. Northern Isan is bordered by Laos and the people are known as Thai Lao or
Lao Isan. Southern Isan is bordered by Cambodia (earlier known as Khom or Khmer);
they are known as the Kuy people (Soui). Today, people from both areas are known as
khon Isan (khon means “people”).
Since the thirteenth century, the earlier civilizations of Laos and Khmer were
influential on Isan and have continued to develop to the present day in culture, religion,
language, beliefs, music, and instruments. Though both northern and southtern Isan folk
music have different origins, they are generally similar in terms of construction, purpose,
and musical style.
Isan was the poorest region of Thailand as a result of the dry landscape and lack
of agriculture—which also affected musical style, activities, and instrument construction.
For example, the main purpose of music and dance was originally to entertain and to
distract local people from anxiousness when there was no rain. The lack of rain made it
harder to plant and live because Thailand is considered an agricultural country. Melodies
and rhythms are mostly joyful and exciting in a medium to fast tempo. Also, the
instruments are easily made with local natural materials, and have less decoration than
those of the central region.
25
Isan folk music is different from other regions of Thailand. There are two factors
that make it unique: rhythm and melody. Rhythm is the most important characteristic of
Isan music. Melody, or thamnong, which is called Lai in Isan, contains three types:
thamnong kroen (beginning melody as introduction or prologue), thamnong lak (main
melody, main theme), and thamnong yoi (second theme or countermelody that interacts
or trades off with the main melody).
Northern Isan
The music of northern Isan is used to accompany vocals (known as Maw Lam,
maw means “skilled person,” lam means “sing”). So, mawlam is a style of traditional folk
music from Laos and northern Isan; a singer is accompanied by the khaen (a bamboo
Isan mouth organ). Northern Isan music also typically accompanies local dances,
focusing on the movements of the body and foot patterns.
Southern Isan
Southern Isan borders Cambodia, so much of southern Isan culture derives from
Cambodia, including language, music, plays, and dances. There are two main styles of
southern Isan music. First, southern Isan folk music and plays came from Khmer,
especially in the days when merchandise was transferred between Thailand and
Cambodia through the border provinces of Surin, Buri Ram, and Sisaket. Examples
include the southern Isan musical folk drama (li-ke Khmer), and the kantrum (a type of
folk music of southern Isan). Second, the musical arts and plays that originated there
occurred in local areas, which focus on plays and dances. The music is important only as
26
accompaniment to several types of rueam (or ram, meaning “dance”) such as rueam
kranoab-ting-tong (grasshopper dance), and rueam aunre (pestle dance).40
While mawlum, the music of northern Isan, is the symbol of Thai Lao or Lao Isan
music, the kantrum is the music of the Thai Khmer who live near the Cambodian
border—and is the symbol and main style of folk music in southern Isan. The kantrum is
fast, traditional dance music. In its most traditional form, known as cho-kantrum, vocals,
percussion, and the tro (southern Isan saw) are prominent. In the mid-1980s, the kantrum
was developed to a more modern form, using electric instruments.
Mang Poo Tom Dok
Mang Poo Tom Dok is one of the standard folk songs of northeast Thailand
(Isan)—mostly used to accompany dances and various local parades and festivities.
Originally, the melody was written for the khaen, one of the most important instruments
of northeast Thailand. The khaen is mainly used as a solo instrument and to accompany a
vocalist (called mawlum), as well as in ensembles, such as the khaen or pong lang
(vertically suspended log xylophone) ensemble, where it is joined by the wot (circular
panpipe), pong lang, phin (fretted plucked lute), hai song (a set of earthenware jars with
rubber bands stretched over their mouths) or electric bass, klawng yao (a single-headed
long drum), small chab, and large chab.
Like northern Thai pieces, the texture of Mang Poo Tom Dok is heterophonic, in
which several melodic instruments present the melody several times, over and over, until
the leader slows down the tempo to end the song. Some Isan folk melodic instruments
40
Sujintra Yooyen, “Isan Musical Instruments,” accessed March 3, 2016,
https://sites.google.com/site/phunmeuxngxisan/kheruxng-dntri-xisan.
27
carry both the melody and variations; the bass line and the rhythmic pattern are presented
as well. The khaen, a free reed instrument that produces sounds similar to the Western
violin and harmonica, is the leader of the ensemble. It is given the primary melody,
sometimes with a sustained chord. The wot, another woodwind instrument of northeast
Thailand, is smaller than the khaen but also plays the main melody. The phin is similar to
the Western mandolin. It uses single strokes alternating between soft and loud to present
the main melody, rather than utilizing the tremolo of standard mandolin technique. The
pong lang presents the melody with variations, mostly with continuous sixteenth notes.
Its common techniques are mostly single strokes with homophonic melodic lines and
single stroke rolls. The hai song can be replaced by an electric (phin) bass to provide the
bass part.
The main rhythmic percussion instruments in the khaen ensemble are the klawng
yao, chab lek (small), and chab yai (big). The klawng yao is a single-headed drum,
usually used as a set (four drums) and tuned in graduated pitches (low to high). The set of
klawng yao is used to provide a rhythmic pattern for the ensemble, frequently beginning
with an introductory phrase before the ensemble enters with the main theme. The klawng
yao part generally fills in between sections and phrases. The chab lek and chab yai
provide the rhythms and keep the tempo for the ensemble, similar to the central Thai
ching role. There are two sounds produced, open and closed, similar to the Western hihat.
Mang Poo Tom Dok for percussion ensemble (found in the Appendix on page 99)
calls for the vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, marimba, four tom-toms, congas, bass
drum, suspended cymbals, small Thai chab or hi-hat, triangle, and wood blocks. It
28
presents the Isan style in a Western setting. The main melody from the khaen is
transferred to the vibraphone. The wot part is transferred to the glockenspiel, but does not
always present the main melody as in Isan music; instead, it mostly provides variations of
the melody, harmonizing the melody and chords, in order to add color to the
arrangement. The pong lang part is transferred to the xylophone, presenting the melody
and variations through typical pong lang techniques such as single strokes and singlestroke rolls. The marimba presents the bass part—repeated patterns with varying
syncopations—transferred from the hai song or electric (phin) bass. The four tom-toms
present the klawng yao part, with similar patterns from the folk version. The Isan chab
lek is required in the arrangement as a small Thai chab or hi-hat, while the Isan chab yai
part is presented as suspended cymbals for a wider and bigger sound. Other rhythmic
percussion instruments, such as congas and woodblocks, appear in the arrangement to
shift the tone color and make the music more engaging to the audience and easier to
appreciate.
IV. Southern Region
The southern region of Thailand borders the central region to the north and
Malaysia to the south. Southern Thailand is on the Malay Peninsula, bordering the gulf of
Thailand to the east and the Andaman Sea to the west. All of southern Thailand borders
the sea except the provinces of Yala and Phattalung. Due to its geography and climate,
the southern region is quite different from the rest of Thailand. There are only two
seasons in southern Thailand—summer and rainy—while the central, northern, and
northeast regions have three seasons: summer, rainy, and winter. Southern Thailand is
also distinguished by its mix of nationalities and religions; it is also one of the oldest
29
historical territories, with many influences on its culture, beliefs, lifestyle, language, and
music. The main religions of southern Thailand are Buddhism, mostly in the upper part of
southern Thailand, and Muslim, mostly in the lower part of southern Thailand.
Southern Thailand’s folk music—and culture in general—is different from the
rest of Thailand because the southern region was influenced by trading goods with a
multitude of countries, such as India, China, Java, Malaysia, Portugal, and Spain. The
southern region’s folk music was also influenced by local tribes who previously inhabited
the area, such as the Sakai tribe (an indigenous people of the northern Malay Peninsula),
and by the people of Thailand’s central region since the time of the Thonburi Kingdom.
As a result, southern folk music is derived from various nationalities and religions, in a
unique and distinguished style that is especially vigorous, forceful, and energetic. The
importance of southern folk music can be seen in four areas: entertainment, religious
ceremonies (most related to supernatural power), signals and communication, and
harmoniousness.41
Originally, the music of southern Thailand came from the Sakai tribe, who made
simple percussive instruments of bamboo. Later, woodwind and stringed instruments
were added. Although the style of southern folk music is different from other regions of
Thailand, the categories of the instruments are similar—strings, woodwinds, percussion,
and keyboard instruments.
41
“Southern Thailand Folk Music,” Office of the National Culture Commission, accessed March 4,
2016, http://kanchanapisek.or.th/kp8/thai/link2_2south.htm.
30
Krao Talung Dance
Krao Talung is based on a southern Thai melody that accompanies a shadow
puppet play (called Talung) with a clamorous drum pattern (called Krao); however, the
original version was written for the central Thai piphat ensemble around the time of King
Rama V and VI to use in the Thai folk dance/drama (called Lakhon Chatri) and in
Buddhist ritual ceremonies such as the “Wai Khru”42 ceremony.43 When the piece is
performed with a play (Thai drama), a vocal part is usually added to the piphat ensemble.
But when only the piphat ensemble performs (without the vocalist) in the ceremony and
performances, the pi nai plays the vocal part.
The instruments in the piphat ensemble are the khawng wong yai, khawng wong
lek, ranad ek, ranad thum, pi nai, klawng thad, taphon, and ching. (As the techniques in
the piphat ensemble were mentioned earlier this chapter in the arrangement of Bats Eat
Bananas, they will not be discussed again here.) However, the drums used for Krao
Talung are not the klawng thad and taphon; instead, to evoke southern Thai folk style, the
southern Thai klawng thab and klawng tuk are used. The klawng thab is similar to the
central Thai thon (a single-headed goblet drum) but much smaller. The player plays with
the hands, creating various sounds and maintaining the rhythm for the ensemble. The
klawng tuk is a small double-headed drum, similar to the central Thai klawng thad but,
again, much smaller. The player plays by striking with a pair of wooden sticks,
42
Literally means “greeting to the teacher.” This is the most crucial ceremony for all Thai
musicians to worship their teacher’s lineage once a year.
43
Narongchai Pidokrajt, Saranukrom Phleng Thai [Thai Music Encyclopedia] (Nakornpathom:
Mahidol University, 2014), 16–17.
31
presenting repeated clamorous and martial rhythmic patterns to suit the style of the
music.
Krao Talung Dance for percussion ensemble (found in the Appendix on page
111) consists of the vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel, marimba, congas, bongos, and
suspended cymbal. Just as the Thai influence was heard on Western percussion ensemble
in the arrangements above, this arrangement uses compositional style, performance
techniques, and formal structure based on a Western setting. The main melody and
harmonic lines, however, are transferred directly from the piphat ensemble. The
vibraphone takes the khawng wong yai and the pi nai parts, and presents the main melody
in a simple way. The melodic pattern consists of a primarily monophonic single line of
sixteenth notes; the player has to consider sticking and damping techniques to evoke the
character of the khawng wong yai. Other techniques of the khawng wong yai, such as
octaves and fourths, can also be found in the vibraphone part. The xylophone presents the
ranad ek part, suggesting the melody and variations in octaves, and also using the kraw
(roll) technique. The glockenspiel is assigned the khawng wong lek part, providing
variation, color, harmonization, and elaboration of the melody. The marimba represents
the ranad thum part—the bass line, with a lot of syncopations, octaves, and fourths.
In terms of rhythmic percussion, the congas present the klawng tuk character and
pattern since the beginning. Later, the bongos appear, representing the khlawng thab,
using the same motif of the congas with fragmentations and variations, to add color and a
wider range of pitches. There is no appearance of the ching in this arrangement, but the
suspended cymbal offers more volume and reinforces the rhythm instead of providing the
tempo for the ensemble.
32
All of these arrangements representing the four regions of Thailand offer a
blending of Thai and Western styles of music. The transformation and mixed
instrumentation between Thai and Western instruments are a collaboration of Western
and Thai compositional techniques. It is my wish to create a new, evocative style of
music that not only introduces Thai music into the Western consciousness but brings
Western music to Thai audiences as well.
33
Chapter 3: The Compositions
Bats Eat Bananas
Background
Bats Eat Bananas is a well-known Thai traditional piece. It is the English
translation from the Thai name, which is Khangkhaw Kin Kluay. The date and composer
are unknown. The original tempo is fast and lively, and the song is written in six sections.
Khangkhaw Kin Kluay is a part of “Phleng Ruang Khamen Yai” (The Great Khamen
Suite) including Phleng Khamen Yai, Phleng Khamen Noi, Phleng Khamen Klang,
Phleng Khruan Hah, and Phleng Khangkhaw Kin Kluay. Phleng in Thai means “song,”
Khamen or Khamer refers to Cambodia, yai means “big,” noi means “small,” klang
means “middle,” and khruan hah means “thinking of.”44
Another song that has a melody similar to Khangkhaw Kin Kluay is “Ling Thok
Krador Suer.”45 Ling Thok Krador Suer has an off-color connotation (referring to a
monkey playing with the sexual organ of a tiger) that is not appropriate to pronounce in
public. People instead refer to the song as “Ling Kub Suer” (meaning “monkey and
tiger”).46 This song contains three sections and is in a fast tempo. The upbeat melodies of
these two songs are extremely similar, which led to misunderstandings—so the name
Ling Thok Krador Suer was ultimately changed to Khangkhaw Kin Kluay. Thus, the
melody that people know as Khangkhaw Kin Kluay is actually Ling Kub Suer or Ling
44
Pidokrajt, Saranukrom Phleng Thai, 120–21.
45
Ibid., 121.
46
“Kangkaw Kin Kluay,” Turn Music Box, last modified March 6, 2013,
https://turnmusicbox.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/kangkaw-kin-kluay-music-box/.
34
Thok Krador Suer—and the original melody of Khangkhaw Kin Kluay is different from
the one that people now know.47
Formal Analysis
Bats Eat Bananas for percussion ensemble (see Appendix, page 67) is written for
six players, including timpani, four toms, bongos, suspended cymbal, glockenspiel,
xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, ching, and Thai gong (mong). Its instrumentation
combines Western percussion instruments and Thai small percussion instruments. This
arrangement features the xylophone as the main player because the melody appears only
on the xylophone—except at the end, where the ensemble plays tutti and unison.
The melody is based on the C pentatonic scale and is presented by the xylophone.
The technique for the xylophone consists primarily of single strokes with some
occasional octaves. The marimba provides the bass part while the vibraphone delivers
chords and rhythms. The glockenspiel mostly accompanies with arpeggios and broken
chords.
The overall form is AABA’ with an introduction and coda. The B section ends
with a fermata in order to effect a smooth transition to the A’ section in the faster tempo
(quarter note = 120). The coda has the fastest tempo of the piece (quarter note = 138),
with two measures of accelerando to transition from the A’ section into the coda. The
arrangement can be divided into three major sections with three different, accelerating
tempos. In Thai music, the thao is a form that contains three sections with three different
47
Pidokrajt, Saranukrom Phleng Thai, 121.
35
tempos (slow-medium-fast or sam chan-song chan-chan dio), so in that respect this
arrangement is similar to the thao form.
The piece begins with a short introduction, followed by the first theme at A. The
first occurrence of A presents three main themes, with each theme played twice as in the
Thai folk style. The second occurrence of A is simply a repeat with different dynamics, to
give the piece more volume. The B section features a timpani solo with driving sixteenthnote rhythms on the marimba. There are smooth transitions in and out of section B. The
A’ section, or C, restates the A section with a faster tempo and an accelerando by the end
of this section—leading into the coda, or D section, with a very fast tempo to end the
piece with energy and excitement.
The Bats Eat Bananas excerpt (see Appendix, page 78) is written for four mallet
instruments: vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, and glockenspiel. This excerpt presents
the techniques of composition and performing skills from Thai mallet percussion
instruments, including the khawng wong yai, khawng wong lek, ranad ek, and ranad
thum. There are three sections that present three different themes. The theme is repeated
twice in each section. Each theme is short; it is typical in Thai folk music to present the
theme two times. The G pentatonic scale is used in this excerpt, which is close to the
original scale. The tempo is moderato, or song-chan in Thai.
Adapted Techniques and the Use of Thai Instruments in a Western Setting
Because of the popularity of the melody, it is common for this song to be
performed by any Thai instruments, including woodwinds, strings, and percussion. One
of the most famous versions is performed by the piphat ensemble (Thai percussion
36
ensemble and Thai oboe, called pi nai). The pi nai and the khawng wong yai usually play
the primary melody, and sometimes the pi nai presents the vocal part. Therefore, in the
Western percussion ensemble, the pi nai and the khawng wong yai are replaced by the
vibraphone, which presents the primary melody, while the ranad ek mostly sounds the
melody and variations in octaves. The ranad thum plays along with the khawng wong yai
and because of its unique low sound can be used to play the bass line. It also can be used
for color because the ranad thum generally provides complicated syncopation while
elaborating the principle melody of the khawng wong yai.48 The khawng wong lek assists
the ranad ek with more decoration of the main melody by utilizing the sabad technique,49
which is described by Panya Roongruang as:
A technique used mainly by melodic percussion, hammered percussion, and
plucked string instruments, in which a melody is ornamented with interpolated
short notes, making the music more exciting to listen to. Generally, a sabad is
notated as two thirty-second notes (on an unaccented beat) and one sixteenth note
(on an accented beat), moving either up or down.50
Bats Eat Bananas for percussion ensemble is not technically adapted directly
from Thai percussion instruments to Western percussion instruments, except for the
ranad ek to the xylophone. It mostly utilizes Western styles and techniques but combines
some Thai instruments such as the ching and mong that appear in the piphat ensemble.
48
Roongruang, “Thai Classical Music,” 272.
49
Ibid., 269.
50
Ibid., 388.
37
The main drum that is usually used in the piphat ensemble is the taphon—which plays a
general pattern for any kind of secular music, or nathab probkai.51
However, techniques generally used in Thai percussion instruments—such as
octaves, fifths, and fourths—appear in the Western percussion instruments in this
arrangement, especially in the xylophone part. Also, the ensemble plays tutti at the end of
the arrangement, which is similar to the piphat ensemble style, when piphat musicians
end the music together in the very fast tempo, forcefully and with excitement.
Bats Eat Bananas excerpt is part of the standard repertoire for young Thai
musicians to learn idiomatic instrumental styles, or thang. According to Panya
Roongruang, “Each instrument has its own idiom, which differs, to a greater or lesser
degree, from those of other instruments because of timbre, the nature of each instrument,
and its limitations.”52 For example, the ranad ek contains three octaves and has a high
pitch and bright sound so it is capable of playing more active ornamentation, mostly in
octaves on the sixteenth notes, while the khawng wong yai plays the principal—and less
dense—melodic line, called luk khawng, which serves as the structure of the piece.53
The excerpt is transcribed from the four main Thai percussion instruments to the
four Western mallet instruments because of their similarity of melodic material and sound
registers. For example, both the Thai ranad ek and the Western xylophone are made of
hardwood and are pitched in the high register.
51
Ibid., 67.
52
Ibid., 70.
53
Ibid., 70–71.
38
The vibraphone presents the principal melody from the khawng wong yai. It
typically is played in octaves and fourths, often using single strokes and double strokes as
well as double stops. Because of the metal materials of the khawng, sometimes the player
must dampen after hitting a khawng, so the damping technique is also found in the
vibraphone part.
The xylophone is substituted for the ranad ek and is used to play continuous
sixteenth notes in octaves. Many ranad ek stylistic techniques appear in the xylophone
part, such as kraw (roll) and kwad (glissando).
The marimba presents the bass line, mainly in fourths and octaves, from the ranad
thum, which provides the low sound and color with complicated syncopation, commonly
through wide melodic leaps or breaking the phrases separated by space. Normally the
ranad thum is used to improvise along with the principal melody of the khawng wong
yai,54 but in this arrangement, the marimba part is written out.
The glockenspiel takes the part of the khawng wong lek, which assists the ranad
ek. These two instruments—the khawng wong lek and the ranad ek—play similar parts,
but the khawng wong lek provides more decoration of the melody. The khawng wong lek
generally is used to play single strokes and fewer octaves than the ranad ek. Therefore,
the glockenspiel part in this arrangement features a decorated version of the main melody
by utilizing single strokes and harmonizing the principal melodic line.
54
Ibid., 272–73.
39
Long Mae Ping Fantasia
Background
Long Mae Ping is one of the most performed northern Thai folk songs of all time
because of its beautiful melody. It is generally the first song that a beginning Lanna
(northern Thailand) musician learns and practices. The composer is unknown. Mr. Jaran
Manopetch, one of the most famous northern Thailand musicians and composers of the
twentieth century, arranged it in a contemporary style. This made the song even more
popular; musicians love to perform the piece and audiences love to hear it.55
The lyric elaborates on the natural beauty of northern Thailand, comparing it to
the beauty of northern Thai women and inspiring them to be well-behaved, especially in
love. It is related to northern Thai love stories such as Sao Krue Fah (Thai version of
Madame Butterfly) and Sao Bua Barn (another tragic love story), both of which portray
women who are betrayed and decide to commit suicide.56
Long Mae Ping is categorized as phleng saw or thamnong saw, which is a type
of Lanna music that contains lyrics. There are three main types of Lanna music:
instrumental, vocal, and music for a combination of instruments and voice. Each type is
further divided into several categories based on how the music is used, for example, for
events such as ceremonies and plays, or as a lullaby. Long Mae Ping is presumed to be
55
Makhur, “Lanna-Songs: Long Mae Ping,” Lanna-songs (blog), September 14, 2011 (10:20
a.m.), http://lanna-songs.blogspot.com/2011/09/blog-post_4319.html.
56
Ibid.
40
from the Long Nan category, which depicts the beauty of nature, especially when
someone describes nature on a journey.57
Formal Analysis
Long Mae Ping Fantasia for marimba solo (see Appendix, page 82) is in a free
form. It contains six sections. The first section begins with the lyrical main melody of
Long Mae Ping in a simple rhythmic pattern in meno mosso. The melody is then
repeated, but explores more complex rhythms such as triplets, syncopations, and hockets.
The tempo changes suddenly to allegretto in the third section, which features a more
active bass line in the left hand, and a new melody in the right hand. The latter effects a
transition to the driven mood and faster allegro tempo of the fourth section. This fourth
section is the most exciting, with sixteenth-note arpeggios in the left hand alternating
with the melody in the right hand at the end of each measure. It challenges the player to
be aware of the sticking in order to keep the moving bass line smooth and the melody
continuous. At the end of the fourth section is a poco ritenuto that leads to an expressive
section. The fifth section, rubato espressivo, is suggestive of a cadenza for the player
who shows individual technique and expression. It is particularly influenced by the
character and style of the ranad ek. The piece ends with a maestoso choral section
presenting the beautiful melody and harmony. The piece is in the C pentatonic scale, but
contains some irregular chords, such as the C6 that is the first chord of the last section,
that make the piece more interesting and colorful.
Long Mae Ping Fantasia for percussion ensemble (see Appendix, page 85) was
composed one year after the marimba solo version. The percussion ensemble version is
57
Sanan Thammathi, Nattaduriyakan Lanna [Lanna Music and Dance] (Bangkok: Suthep
Kanphim, 2007), 131–34.
41
based on the overall melody and structure of the marimba solo; however, the percussion
ensemble version has more sections and expansion phrases that include new materials.
The ensemble version features the marimba solo with six more players, including
glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba II, timpani, and two percussion.
The piece begins with a slow introduction that leads to the melody played on the
glockenspiel part at A, which freely recreates the wind and water sounds via the wind
chimes and rain stick. The A’ section (mm. 23–34) repeats the melody with more
variations on the marimba solo while the vibraphone provides a countermelody.
As mentioned earlier, the overall form of the ensemble version is based on the
marimba solo version, in which the rhythmic patterns of each section become
increasingly more active. However, the end of the ensemble version has more energy and
complexity in terms of rhythm and harmony, while the marimba solo ends with the choral
section.
Before the melody of the allegretto B’ section appears, there is an eight-bar
phrase expansion of arpeggiated sixteenth notes leading to the second theme that appears
on the glockenspiel part. This is followed by a cadenza section featuring the marimba
solo accompanied by the vibraphone, which provides chords, and coloring by cymbals
and triangle.
The most exciting part of the ensemble version is the last section because of the
appearance of the snare drum and bass drum, which make the section more energetic and
powerful. The melody is introduced at m. 5 of letter D in the glockenspiel and vibraphone
parts, while the marimba solo features a virtuosic style until the end. The texture of this
42
section is a combination of polyphony and homophony. Also, layers of polyphonic
rhythms appear, such as in m. 83 (see example 2.1) and mm. 87–90 (see example 2.2).
The piece ends with suspended cymbal, rain stick, and wind chimes—representing the
wind and water sound from the beginning—that gradually fade out.
Throughout this work, the timpani, percussion I, and percussion II players keep
the tempo and play rhythmic patterns especially when each section presents different
active rhythms throughout the piece. Ching and mong make an appearance in the piece to
represent the piece’s Thai origins.
Example 2.1: Long Mae Ping Fantasia, m. 83, layers of polyphonic rhythms.
43
Example 2.2: Long Mae Ping Fantasia, mm. 87–90, layers of polyphonic rhythms.
44
Adapted Techniques and the Use of Thai Instruments in a Western Setting
The Lanna music ensemble that performs phleng saw (instrumental pieces or with
vocals) is called salaw-saw-sueng. This ensemble can use many different instruments but
mainly contains the salaw and sueng. Additional instruments are the pi or khlui, klawng
teng-thing, ching, and chab.58
Normally the melody of Long Mae Ping is played by the salaw and seung;
sometimes the pi or khlui will be used to play the melody as well if it is included in the
ensemble. There is no drum in the original version. Many contemporary solo northern
Thai instruments and ensembles have performed this song.
Long Mae Ping Fantasia for percussion ensemble features the marimba playing
the melody. Sometimes the melody appears on other mallet percussion instruments such
as the vibraphone and/or glockenspiel. Even when the original folk version is performed
by northern Thai stringed instruments, the arrangement is similar to the piphat ensemble
instead of the salaw-saw-seung ensemble, which is close to the Western percussion
ensemble setting. The overall structure and harmony of the arrangement is primarily a
Western setting.
Mang Poo Tom Dok
Background
Thailand’s northeastern region is known as Isan or Lao, and Isan music is further
divided into two main types according to landscape: northern Isan and southern Isan
58
“Northern Thailand Musical Ensembles,” Staffzone, accessed March 3, 2016,
http://staffzone.amnuaysilpa.ac.th/2.2.htm.
45
(more details about each Isan landscape are provided in chapter 2). Mang Poo Tom Dok
is one of the most recognized Isan folk songs, particularly in northern Isan. The main
melody in Isan is called Lai. There are four different origins of Isan Lai, which are
nature, emotions, customs, and lifestyles.59
Lai Poo Tom Dok, for example, conveys the beauty of nature through the image
of Thai bumblebees as they swarm from one flower to another in order to drink from the
flower’s core. Additionally, it evokes the movement of flowers swaying windward.
The Lai was composed originally for the khaen in a major key called thang san
(meaning a joyful, mostly fast tempo, used to accompany a dance). Later, the Lai was
arranged in a minor key called thang yao,60 an A mode with six notes, including A, B, C,
D, E, and G, which is similar to A minor and is called Lai yai. Lai yai in Thai Isan means
that the main melody appears in the low register. Because the lowest note of the khaen is
close to A3 in the Western tuning system, the Lai of Mang Poo Tom Dok can be counted
as Lai yai, whose main melody appears in the low register notes and whose tempo
progresses from slow to fast.61
Formal Analysis
Mang Poo Tom Dok for percussion ensemble (see Appendix, page 99) is arranged
for seven players, including vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, glockenspiel, bass drum,
suspended cymbals, small Thai cymbals or hi-hat, triangle, wood blocks, tom-toms, and
59
“Isan Folk Music: Isan Lai,” Isanclubs, accessed March 3, 2016,
http://www.isan.clubs.chula.ac.th/dontri/transaction=lai02.php.
60
“Lai Khaen,” Isangate.com, last modified June 17, 2015,
http://www.isangate.com/entertain/kan_05.html.
61
Witawate Trisoongnern, “Isan Folk Music,” Nerman (blog), http://nermam.blogspot.com.
46
congas. It consists of five sections. The main key of the arrangement is based on the A
minor mode. In general, Thai folk music uses octaves and fourths; however, fifths can
sometimes be found in this arrangement as well.
The introduction section of Mang Poo Tom Dok for percussion ensemble is
divided into two parts; it begins with a small cadenza on the vibraphone, which is
followed by the xylophone and glockenspiel soli in compound time (6/8). The main
theme (second section) appears in the full ensemble after the Isan klawng yao (presented
by four tom-toms) opens with a two-measure introduction at letter B. Both vibraphone
and xylophone perform the melody line while the marimba provides the bass line.
The third section of Mang Poo Tom Dok is a percussion solo section. The tempo
suddenly changes to quarter note = 95, which is faster. The new tempo is set by the bass
drum part and provides exciting sounds, alternating on the drum head and rim. The
triangle follows, then the wood blocks. Four- and two-measure phrases are traded on the
tom-toms and bass drum respectively, then they join for four measures before the main
melody reoccurs at D.
At letter D, the main melody reappears with a thinner texture and more
contrapuntal parts—a combination of homophonic and polyphonic styles. The drum
pattern is a diminution of the first appearance of the main theme, which appears in the
congas part. The full ensemble restates the theme again at E, which is the last section of
the arrangement. The melody is presented by the xylophone and vibraphone, harmonized
by the glockenspiel toward the end. The triangle part mimics the appearance of the ching
near the end. The piece ends with a ritardando by the full ensemble.
47
Adapted Techniques and the Use of Thai Instruments in a Western Setting
Mang Poo Tom Dok is written for the khaen with a sophisticated melody as well
as slow and fast tempos that represent movement in nature. However, not only the khaen
performs the song; it is generally performed by the Isan ensemble, which can be called
the pong lang ensemble or khaen ensemble. There are many instruments in the pong lang
ensemble or khaen ensemble, including the pong lang, khaen, wot, phin, electric phin
bass or electric bass, klawng yao, small chab, and large chab.62
The melody usually is presented in unison by the khaen, wot, phin, and pong lang.
The repeated bass line with a mainly syncopated pattern is played on the phin bass, while
the klawng yao and chab parts provide steady rhythm and keep the tempo for the
ensemble.
In Mang Poo Tom Dok for percussion ensemble, the Isan xylophone (pong lang)
part is transcribed for the xylophone and the Isan string and wind instrument parts are
transcribed for the Western percussion setting. The klawng yao is presented as tom-toms
and the phin bass part is transcribed for the marimba. There are not many instrumental
techniques directly adapted from Isan instruments to Western percussion instruments
because the only pitched percussion instrument in the pong lang ensemble is the pong
lang. The general technique on the pong lang is similar to that of the xylophone,
including such techniques as single strokes, drags, rolls, fourths, and octaves, using two
mallets.
62
“Isan Folk Music: Pong Lang Ensemble,” Isanclubs, accessed March 3, 2016,
http://www.isan.clubs.chula.ac.th/dontri/transaction=vongponglang.php.
48
The klawng yao is presented by the tom-toms. Generally, the Isan klawng yao
contains four long drums arranged in graduated pitches. Another instrument that
replicates the character of the Isan folk song is the small chab, whose sound is similar to
the hi-hat. The hi-hat is an option if the player cannot find a small Thai chab. Finally,
though Isan folk songs rarely use the ching, a triangle part is added that mimics the ching
style to evoke the Thai atmosphere.
Krao Talung Dance
Background
Krao Talung is a song from the phleng naphat category. Phleng naphat are pieces
played by the piphat mai khaeng (hard-mallet piphat) ensemble only. Phleng naphat is
divided into two types: normal and high levels. Krao in Thai refers to a clamorous song
that includes joyful or martial drum patterns. Talung is a shadow puppet play, which is an
old culture show from southern Thailand. It is believed that Talung puppet culture came
from Java (later Indonesia) and India.
Originally, the talung band that accompanies Talung includes southern Thai
musical instruments such as pi (Thai oboe), thab (a pair of goblet drums, hit with the
hands), klawng (a two-headed drum, whose full name is klawng tuk, hit with sticks),
mong, ching, and krae or trae (wood clapper). Some bands add Thai classical instruments
such as the saw duang (stringed instrument), saw u (another stringed instrument), thon (a
pair of long two-headed drums), and khlui (Thai vertical bamboo flute). The song was
49
developed further by adding Western musical instruments such as the guitar, bass, violin,
drum set, electronic keyboard, etc.63
It is possible that Thai musicians from the eras of King Rama V and VI composed
the Krao Talung by adapting the pattern and melody of the phleng Talung of southern
Thailand and arranging it to the Krao style. King Rama VI (Phramongkutklao) combined
phleng Krao Talung in one of his Lakhon Chatri collections (Thai folk dance/drama),
Khom Damdin. Moreover, the Krao Talung is performed in Buddhist ritual ceremonies
such as the homage to the teacher ceremony in order to invite khru dontri, the spirit of
southern Thai music teachers, into the ceremony (khru in Thai means “teacher,” dontri
means “music”).64
As mentioned above, Krao Talung was originally composed for the piphat
ensemble and mainly used to accompany plays and ceremonies. It contains four sections
in medium tempo. Sometimes when the piphat plays this song to accompany a Thai
drama/play, it includes vocals; otherwise, without a play, the pi nai plays the vocal part.
Formal Analysis
Krao Talung Dance for percussion ensemble (see Appendix, page 111) is
arranged for six players, including vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel,
congas, bongos, and suspended cymbal. It consists of three sections, which is similar to
that of the phleng thao, a type of Thai song that has three sections of the principal
63
Narongchai Pidokrajt, Ethnomusicology: Southern Thailand Folk Music (Nakornpathom:
Mahidol University, 1995), 138.
64
Pidokrajt, Saranukrom Phleng Thai, 16–17.
50
melody, each in a different tempo: slow (sam chan), medium (song chan), and fast (chan
dio). The melody can be the same or slightly different.
The first section of Krao Talung Dance for percussion ensemble contains four
main themes, with each theme repeated twice, as in the typical Thai folk style. After the
first appearance of the four themes, the tempo suddenly quickens, and themes one, two,
and three reappear within a short period of time (second section). The last section
presents the fourth theme in the fastest tempo, extending the material from the second
theme for three measures, at mm. 83–85. This is followed by a transition to the quiet
ending with a calm diminuendo featuring congas and cymbal.
The general compositional technique is based on octaves and fourths to replicate
Thai harmony. The texture is mostly homophonic, with some monophonic passages
occurring at the beginning (see example 3). The main melody appears in the vibraphone
part that is mostly doubled by the xylophone part in octaves (see example 4). The
marimba part provides the bass line with octaves and fourths, including syncopated
rhythmic patterns. The glockenspiel part adds color and decoration to the principal
melody. The percussion section, including congas, bongos, and cymbal, is assigned the
patterns of the southern Thailand style with more melodic elaboration and ornamented
notes.
51
Example 3: Krao Talung Dance, beginning, monophonic texture.
Example 4: Krao Talung Dance, mm. 1–4, with the main melody on the vibraphone, which
doubles most of the time with the xylophone playing octaves.
Adapted Techniques and the Use of Thai Instruments in a Western Setting
As with the piphat music, the principal melody is played on the khawng wong yai
while the melody with variations is played on the ranad ek. The ranad thum part provides
52
bass tones, including interesting syncopations, and the khawng wong lek part decorates
the principal melody in similar way to the ranad ek part. In this arrangement, the pi nai
and vocal parts are already combined in these instruments.
Krao Talung Dance for percussion ensemble is transcribed from the four main
Thai melodic percussion instruments to the Western percussion instruments. The
principal melody in the vibraphone part substitutes for the khawng wong yai. The ranad
ek part is played by the xylophone. The ranad thum part is played by the marimba. The
khawng wong lek is presented by the glockenspiel. For the percussion part, I utilize
congas and bongos to evoke southern Thai drums, which are the klawng thab and klawng
tuk. Although there is no ching appearance in this arrangement, the cymbal appears in
some places to add a variety of color and sounds.
The arrangement also includes some techniques adapted from Thai percussion
instruments to Western percussion instruments, such as octaves, fourths, double strokes,
rolls, and damping, all of which already exist in Western percussion playing. Hence, both
Thai and Western percussion instruments utilize similar fundamental techniques.
Through this project, I have demonstrated the similarities between the two musical
cultures to a broader audience, especially to Western musicians.
53
Chapter 4: Conclusion and Further Research
The main purpose of this project is to introduce Thai music to Western
audiences/players through the medium of Western percussion instruments. Western
musicians, especially percussionists, have become aware of and learned indigenous music
through their own musical education, through the influence of previously mentioned
composers such as Amadeo Roldan and Michael Udow. In the same manner, this project
presents five compositions/arrangements and one excerpt of a composition from the folk
music of the four regions of Thailand in a Western percussion setting in order to bring
Thai influence to Western players and audiences. In addition to arranging them, I have
also explored the history and background of each region and each piece, including formal
analysis, the specific Thai instruments used and their techniques, a comparison of Thai
and Western musical styles, and adaptations from Thai instruments and techniques to the
most appropriate Western percussion instruments.
Although this project is the first to document Thai compositions/arrangements for
Western percussion instruments including history and techiques, there exist other Thai
compositions/arrangements also written (around the same time) for Western percussion
ensembles—demonstrating the evocative Thai character that has influenced Thai
musicians, especially percussionists, who learn and play Western percussion instruments.
One of them, Tanasit Siripanichwattana, a Thai percussionist, composer, and educator,
composed Lao Duang Duean Fantasia for percussion duo in 2015. Lao Duang Duean is
a Thai traditional song with vocals. It is a song chan tempo (medium tempo) and contains
three sections. Lao Duang Duean Fantasia for percussion duo utilizes Western
compositional musical styles, such as ternary form and theme and variations. Although
54
the composition is scored for Western percussion instruments, the unique Thai ching also
makes an appearance. The instruments include vibraphone, marimba, tom-toms, kick bass
drum (optional), bongos, cymbals, tambourine, triangle (or ching), and tam-tam. It is my
hope that this project too will encourage more Thai musicians, especially percussionists
and composers, to appreciate and present Thai music to a broader Western audience
through Western percussion instruments.
The five compositions/arrangements and one excerpt of a composition in this
project are selected from among the prominent pieces of each region of Thailand. Each
piece represents the style and character of its own culture—and has been performed
frequently and recently. Each piece has been chosen for its joyful and stimulating melody
and rhythms in order to attract the attention of both young musicians and the audience.
However, further study can focus on specific points and intentions of selected pieces:
referring to titles of pieces, such as elaborating on nature or presenting drum patterns that
are used in performances, and so forth. According to Dr. Sanong Klangprasri (Thai music
faculty, and specialist in Isan music, at the Mahidol University, College of Music,
Thailand), the scope of selected pieces should present a specific purpose; for example, all
folk music from four regions should present titles with a similar focus, such as nature or
the movement of an animal, or the name of drum patterns used to accompany dances and
plays in each region. In addition, further study might also focus on
compositions/arrangements from a single region by presenting all types of music from the
selected region, familiarizing the audience with all musical styles, instruments,
ensembles, and performances of that particular region.
55
Hence, Thai folk music—from all four regions—will potentially have a profound
influence on Western musicians and audiences, and thus on Western awareness. At the
same time, as indigenous Thai music may be in danger of fading out, Thai musicians,
especially percussionists, can serve an important role: not only in bringing Western
percussion to Thailand but also in generating renewed interest among Thai audiences for
their own folk music.
56
GLOSSARY
Ayutthaya (อยุธยา): 1. A province located in the central region of Thailand, about
seventy kilometers north of Bangkok. 2. The second capital city of Siam, which lasted
for 417 years, from 1350 to 1767. 3. The period during which Siam was ruled from
Ayutthaya.
Bangkok (กรุงเทพฯ): 1. The fourth and current capital city of Thailand, from 1782 to the
present. 2. The period during which Thailand was/is ruled from Bangkok.
Chab (ฉาบ): A pair of brass cymbals.
Chab lek (ฉาบเล็ก): A small pair of brass cymbals.
Chab yai (ฉาบใหญ่): A large pair of brass cymbals.
Chan dio (ชั้นเดียว): The fastest and shortest of the three proportional tempos of Thai
music.
Chang saw (ช่างซอ): A northern Thai folk singer, specifically the main singer in a vocal
duo.
Ching (ฉิ่ง): A pair of small thick bronze cymbals, similar to Western finger cymbals, in
the shape of teacups or small, hollow cones.
Ching-chab (ฉิ่ง-ฉับ): The pair of strokes used on the ching: ching is the open sound,
generally played on unaccented beats, and chab is the closed or damped sound,
generally played on accented beats.
Cho-kantrum (โชว์ กันตรึม): A traditional form of the kantrum ensemble, mainly consisting
of vocals, percussion, and the southern Isan saw. See also Kantrum.
Dontri (ดนตรี): A standard Thai term for music, applied to both instrumental and vocal
music.
Hai song (ไหซอง): A northern Isan plucked-stringed instrument, used as a set of three to
seven different sizes of earthenware jars, with rubber bands stretched over their open
mouths. Its sound is a low tone, played as a bass line.
Hariphunchai (หริภุญชัย): An ancient Mon Kingdom in the north of present-day Thailand,
before the Lanna Kingdom (northern Thailand) was established around the thirteenth
57
century. Its capital was at Lamphun, which at the time was also called Hariphunchai.
Isan (อีสาน): Another name of the northeast region of Thailand.
Kantrum (กันตรึม): 1. A style of southern Isan folk music, fast and dancelike, with vocals.
2. A southern Isan ensemble, consisting of vocals, percussion, and southern Isan saw.
Keb (เก็บ): A general playing technique of traditional Thai instruments, especially melodic
percussion such as the ranad and khawng. The technique is to play sixteenth notes
evenly and continuosly.
Khaen (แคน): A bamboo mouth organ, which is the most important instrument of Isan
Thailand and also a symbol of northeastern Thai music, which was derived from Laos.
Khawng (ฆ้อง): A bossed gong or gong-kettle. Many kinds of khawng are used in
ensembles.
Khawng wong lek (ฆ้องวงเล็ก): A small circle of gongs, consisting of a set of eighteen
gong-kettles placed horizontally, graduated in size and pitch from left to right, which
rests on the floor. It plays a rapid variation of the principal melody for the piphat
ensemble.
Khawng wong yai (ฆ้องวงใหญ่): A large circle of gongs, consisting of a set of sixteen
gong-kettles placed horizontally, graduated in size and pitch from left to right, which
rests on the floor. It plays the principal melody for the piphat ensemble.
Khlui (ขลุ่ย): A vertical flute, generally made of bamboo. There are seven finger holes on
the upper side and a thumbhole on the underside. It is found in the central and northern
regions of Thailand; however, the northern Thai khlui has one less finger hole than the
central Thai model.
Khmen (เขมร) or Khmer (ขแมร์): The Thai term for Cambodian.
Khom (ขอม): An ancient Khmer or Cambodian, applied to people, kingdom, and culture.
Khon (คน): A person, Khon Isan (คนอีสาน): an Isan person (northeast Thai) person.
Khru (ครู): The Thai term for teacher.
Khru dontri (ครูดนตรี): A music teacher.
Khu thong (คู่ถ้อง): The northern Thai dialect term for a secondary singer, who sings in a
duo with a main professional singer (chang saw).
58
Klawng (กลอง): The Thai term for drum. There are many kinds of drums, with different
names and uses depending on the ensemble and the region.
Klawng pong pong (กลองโป่งโป้ง): A northern Thai small two-faced barrel drum
with two different sizes of heads, similar to the central Thai taphon. Klawng pong pong is
generally used to accompany the northern Thai salaw-saw-sueng ensemble and in
conjunction with the klawng teng thing.
Klawng teng thing (กลองเต่งถิ้ง): A large, northern Thai two-faced barrel drum with
two different sizes of heads, similar to the central Thai taphon mon. Klawng teng thing is
generally used to accompany the northern Thai piphat ensemble.
Klawng thad (กลองทัด): A large barrel drum with a thick head made of cowhide or
water buffalo hide, used as a pair. Klawng thad is struck with a pair of bamboo or
hardwood sticks as the drum leans against posts. Usually found in the piphat mai khaeng
(hard-mallet piphat) ensemble.
Klawng tuk (กลองตุ๊ก): A southern Thai double-headed drum, similar to the central
Thai klawng thad but much smaller. Generally, local people refer to it as the klawng.
Klawng yao (กลองยาว): A single-headed long drum, slung over the shoulder and
played with the hands. It is mostly found in central Thailand and northern Isan;
however, the Isan klawng yao has a longer body and a shorter tail, and is used as a set,
with graduated pitches, on stands.
Krae (แกระ): A southern Thai rhythmic idiophone, which is a wood or bamboo bar, used
as a single bar or as a pair. There are two sizes, small and large, which accompany the
talung ensemble. Krae is also called trae.
Krao (กราว): A style of song or rhythm referring to a clamorous song that includes joyful
or martial drum patterns.
Kraw (กรอ): A general playing technique of Thai traditional instruments, including
melodic percussion, hammered string, and plucked string instruments. The technique is to
sustain notes and tones, similar to the Western roll or tremolo technique.
Kui (กุย): An indigenous group of people who formerly inhabited the southern Isan area,
referred to as Thai-Khmer people, and sometimes called soui.
59
Kwad (กวาด): A general playing technique of Thai traditional instruments, especially
melodic percussion instruments. It literally means to sweep up and down or can refer to
the Western glissando technique.
Lai (ลาย): A melody type or mode of northeast Thai music, which implements
improvisation or characteristic motives, rhythms, and harmonic combinations from a
given scale.
Lai yai (ลายใหญ่): A melody type or mode of northeast Thai music generally used with
the khaen. Usually, the main melody appears in the low-register notes.
Lakhawn (ละคร): A form of stage dance-drama, generally accompanied by the piphat
ensemble, although it can be accompanied by other types of ensembles depending on
performances and areas.
Lakhawn chatri (ละครชาตรี): A type of central Thai stage dance-drama, similar to and
based on the southern Thai stage dance-drama, called Nora.
Lanna (ล้านนา): The Thai term referring to the people and cultural heritage of northern
Thailand.
Lao (ลาว): The Thai term for Laos.
Lao Isan (ลาว-อีสาน) or Thai Lao (ไทย-ลาว): A label applied to northern Isan people.
Li-ke Khmer (ลิเกขแมร์): A type of musical folk drama of southern Isan.
Long nan (ล่องน่าน): A type of melody of northern Thai music that originated in Nan
province. Usually used in vocal songs that elaborate on nature.
Luk khawng (ลูกฆ้อง): The principal melody of a given composition, played by khawng
wong yai; other melodic percussion instruments elaborate on the part of the luk khawng.
Mahori (มโหรี): A Thai ensemble that consists of all kinds of instruments: winds (khlui),
strings (saw u, saw duang, saw sam sai), melodic percussion (ranad and khawng), and
rhythmic percussion. It originated in the Ayutthaya period.
Mawlam (หมอลำ): 1. A traditional singer in northern Isan. 2. A style of traditional folk
music from Laos and northern Isan.
Mon (มอญ): An ethnic group of people, the ancient Burmese, whose roots date back to the
sixth to eleventh century.
60
Mong (โหม่ง): The Thai term for gong.
Nathab (หน้าทับ): A drum pattern used to provide rhythm in compositions. It is usually
played in cycles and can be improvised based on a given pattern.
Nathab Prob kai (หน้าทับ ปรบไก่): A basic drum pattern (called nathab) for slow
tempos, mostly used with the taphon (central Thai drum).
Pali-sanskrit (บาลี-สันสกฤต): Classical language used in Thailand as the sacred language
for Thai Buddhism; Pali was an ancient Indian language and Sanskrit was used in
sacred Hinduism.
Phin (พิณ): 1. The formal term for plucked lute; it does not appear in Thai traditional
ensembles today. 2. Refers to the northeastern Thai phin.
Phin bass (พิณเบส): Similar to the northern Isan phin, with lower sound and tone,
used as a bass line.
Phleng (เพลง): Thai term meaning song, piece, or composition.
Phleng cha (เพลงช้า): A slow tempo section in the ceremonial phleng ruang suite.
Phleng la (เพลงลา): 1. A closing piece in a performance. 2. A short composition played to
indicate the end of a phleng ruang suite.
Phleng naphat (เพลงหน้าพาทย์): A type of instrumental composition performed only by the
piphat mai khaeng (hard-mallet piphat) ensemble. There are two types: high level,
associated with ritual ceremonies, and normal level, which accompanies central Thai
plays and dramas.
Phleng reo (เพลงเร็ว): A fast tempo section of a phleng ruang suite.
Phleng ruang (เพลงเรื่อง): A suite consisting of many pieces organized in three main
sections—slow tempo (phleng cha), medium tempo (sawng mai), and fast tempo
(phleng reo)—and generally ending with a coda (phleng la).
Phleng saw (เพลงซอ): A type of northern Thai (Lanna) music that contains lyrics,
accompanied by northern Thai melodic instrument(s). Also called thamnong saw.
Phleng sawngmai (เพลงสองไม้): A medium-tempo section of a phleng ruang suite.
Pi (ปี่): A quadruple-reed oboe, generally made of hardwood with reeds made from palm
leaf.
61
Pi nai (ปี่ใน): A large and low-pitched central Thai pi, used in the piphat ensemble
for indoor performances.
Piphat (ปี่พาทย์): A standard type of a central Thai ensemble, consisting of melodic
percussion and pi nai.
Piphat mai khaeng (ปี่พาทย์ไม้แข็ง): A piphat ensemble in which all melodic
percussion instruments are played with hard mallets.
Pong lang (โปงลาง): 1. An Isan vertical suspended log xylophone, used in the pong lang
and khaen ensembles. 2. A northern Isan ensemble, consisting of pong lang, khaen, wot,
phin, hai song or electric phin bass or electric bass, klawng yao, small chab, and large
chab.
Ranad (ระนาด): The Thai term for xylophone. The keys are made of bamboo or hardwood.
There are two standard sizes: ranad ek and ranad thum; later, metallophones or ranad
hlek were added during the reign of King Rama IV (1851–68).
Ranad ek (ระนาดเอก): A high-pitched xylophone consisting of twenty-one bars;
later some ranad ek were made with twenty-two bars for virtuoso works. Mainly used in
the piphat ensemble.
Ranad thum (ระนาดทุ้ม): A low-pitched xylophone consisting of seventeen keys,
normally playing a variation of the ranad ek melody with complex syncopations. Mainly
used in the piphat ensemble.
Rueam (เรือม): The southern Isan dialect term for local dance.
Rueam aunre (เรือมอันเร): The name of the pestle dance—a type of southern Isan dance
and play.
Rueam kranoab-ting-tong (เรือมกระโน้บติงต็อง): The name of the grasshopper dance—a type
of southern Isan dance and play.
Sabad (สะบัด): A technique mostly used by melodic percussion instruments, in which a
melody is ornamented with interpolated short notes—usually by adding two to three
thirty-second notes into a sixteenth note of a melody on an unaccented beat. Can be found
both in ascending and descending lines, and either in order or in disordered pitches.
Sam chan (สามชั้น): The slowest and longest of the three proportional tempos of Thai
62
music.
Salaw (สะล้อ): A northern Thai two-stringed fiddle. Mainly used in the salaw-saw-sueng
ensemble.
Salaw-saw-sueng (สะล้อซอซึง): A standard northern Thai (Lanna) musical ensemble,
consisting of a khlui, salaw, three sueng, and a klawng pong pong; the ching and chab are
sometimes found but not required.
Saw (ซอ): 1. The generic term for a fiddle (bowed stringed instrument). 2. The northern
Thai dialect term for singing or vocals.
Saw duang (ซอด้วง): A high-pitched two-stringed fiddle with a sound box in a
conical shape made of wood and covered with snakeskin on one end. Used in the central
Thai string and mahori ensembles; also used to accompany the southern Thai string and
mahori ensembles as well as the Talung performances, in which case its sound box is
bigger than the central region model and sometimes the pole is curled into the shape of
the Naga’s head.
Saw u (ซออู้): A low-pitched two-stringed fiddle with a sound box made of half of
a coconut shell with calfskin or goatskin stretched across its face. It is used 1) in central
Thai string ensembles, and 2) to accompany the southern Thai Talung performances.
Sawng chan (สองชั้น): The medium tempo of the three proportional tempos of Thai music.
Siam (สยาม): The former name of Thailand until 1939; however, it was renamed Siam
again from 1945 to 1949, after which the name again reverted to Thailand. Siam had four
different capitals, each during a different time period. The first capital (1235–1438) was
Sukhothai, located in the northern part of the central plain area. In 1378, Sukhothai
merged with Ayutthaya, which became the second capital city from 1350 to 1767. The
third capital was Thonburi, which lasted for only fifteen years after the fall of the
Ayutthaya and before the capital was moved across the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok.
Bangkok has been the capital since 1782.
Soui (สุ่ย): Another name for the kui people, see Kui.
Sueng (ซึง): A northern Thai fretted plucked lute, usually made of a single piece of teak,
mainly used in the salaw-saw-sueng ensemble.
63
Sukhothai (สุโขทัย): 1. A province located in the northern part of the central region of
Thailand. 2. The first capital city of Siam, from 1235 to 1438. 3. The first capital city,
Sukothai, merged with Ayutthaya in 1378.
Tai lue (ไทลื้อ): An ethnic group of people in the northernmost area of Thailand, who
immigrated from the far south of China.
Talung (ตะลุง): 1. A shadow-puppet play, which is an old culture show from southern
Thailand. It is believed that Talung puppet culture came from Java (later Indonesia) and
India. 2. A southern Thai ensemble that accompanies the Talung, consisting of pi, thab,
klawng tuk, mong, ching, and krae. Some ensembles may add the saw duang, saw u, thon,
and khlui.
Tamra phleng mahori (ตําราเพลงมโหรี): The name of the mahori songbook, a manuscript
written in the traditional Thai book from the first Bangkok period and including some
music titles from the Ayutthaya period.
Taphon (ตะโพน): A central Thai double-headed barrel drum made of jackfruit wood,
generally set on a stand horizontally and played with the hands, mainly used in the piphat
ensemble.
Taphon mon (ตะโพนมอญ): A central Thai double-headed barrel drum on a stand, similar
to the taphon but larger, used in the piphat mon ensemble.
Thab (ทับ): A southern Thai single-headed drum, made of jackfruit wood and calfskin,
similar to the central Thai thon.
Thao (เพลงเถา): A form of a Thai composition, consisting of three continuous movements
in three different proportional tempos, from slow to fast in tempo and long to short in
length (sam chan, sawng chan, and chan dio).
Thamnong (ทำนอง): A generic term for melody.
Thamnong kroen (ทํานองเกริ่น): A beginning melody as introduction or prologue in
Isan folk music.
Thamnong lak (ทํานองหลัก): A main melody or main theme in Isan folk music.
Thamnong yoi (ทํานองย่อย): A second theme or countermelody that interacts or
trades off with the main melody in Isan folk music.
64
Thamnong saw (ทำนองซอ): A type of northern Thai (Lanna) music that contains
lyrics, accompanied by northern Thai melodic instrument(s). Also called phleng saw.
Thang (ทาง): 1. The idiomatic style of playing a particular instrument. 2) Refers to two
main Isan musical modes: Thang san (major modes) and Thang yao (minor modes).
Thon (1. โทน, 2. ทน): 1. A small central Thai single-headed goblet drum with an openended side played with the right hand while the left hand is used for supporting or
damping. 2. A southern Thai unequal double-headed drum used as a pair, played on the
larger head with a hook-shaped wooden stick and played on the smaller head with the
hand.
Thonburi (ธนบุรี): The third capital of Siam for a period of only fifteen years (1767–82)
after the fall of the Ayutthaya.
Trae (แตระ): A southern Thai rhythmic idiophone, which is a wood or bamboo bar, used
as a single bar or as a pair. There are two sizes, small and large, which accompany the
talung ensemble. Trae is also called krae.
Trai phum phra ruang (ไตรภูมิพระร่วง): An ancient Thai traditional book, mainly
containing Buddhist cosmology, written by King Limon of the Sukothai period.
Tro (ตรัว): The southern Isan dialect term for a two-stringed fiddle, also called saw.
Wot (โหวด): A small northern Isan circular panpipe, without reed, usually used in the
pong lang and the khaen ensembles.
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Appendix: Scores
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