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The traditional music of Thailand
An overview
written by INGO STOEVESANDT
It is already obvious that the Piphat ensemble somehow stands in the center of musical traditions in Thailand. The instruments used in these and the other ensembles show a deep impact on the theoretical aspects of musical traditions in Thailand, of which the origin still is part of the discussion about ensembles and their origin.
Not only the occasion like a khon or li-ke show, also the aerophones used within an ensemble determine the pitch of these ensembles.
For example, a pi nai demands a basic tone of the fourth tone of the khong wong yai gong cirlce, while a khlui flute requires the sixth gong. The khlui flute is also basic for the discussion of the appearance of equidistant scales, as the holes of this flute seemed to be equidistant. The result was never perfect and maybe never represented more than an ideal to follow. Even more, if we compare 5 old xylophones today we might find five different tunings. This makes it not easy to notate the music in a Western notation, which is common in Thailand since 1930 but in no way able to represent the true meaning of a note.
The only thing for sure is that the Mahori music always sounds one tone higher than the Piphat music.
Resulting scales today represent an adaption to the Western diatonic scale, basing on the pentatonic scale 1-2-3-5-6, which also uses the tones 4 and 7 as ornamented side tones on weak beats (or for modulating purposes, thus creating metaboles). These scales or modes (thang) combined with typical rhythmical patterns (nathap) form the different regional and instrumental styles which get represented in the pitches:
G (gong 4) - thang nai - for the pi nai, used in all hard mallet ensembles
A (gong 5) - thang klang - for the pi klang (out of use today)
B (gong 6) - thang phiang - actually notated in C, used for a soft mallet ensembles and in the Mahori ensemble
C (gong 7) - thang kruat - for the pi nawk (out of use today)
D (gong 1) - thang haep - for the khlui lip (rare)
E (gong 2) - thang chawa - for the pi chawa (rare)
F (gong 3) - thang phiang - for the khlui u (a rare flute, but common tuning for many ensembles)
The instrumental focus for the creation of the different scales and the clear determination of pitches and scales for instruments and their use in festive occasions already point out to a clear seperation and categorization in traditional Thai music, which actually is understood and lived in Thailand with less restrictions today and sometimes mixed freely.
Page 3 of 9 -> Got to Page 4
An overview
written by INGO STOEVESANDT
It is already obvious that the Piphat ensemble somehow stands in the center of musical traditions in Thailand. The instruments used in these and the other ensembles show a deep impact on the theoretical aspects of musical traditions in Thailand, of which the origin still is part of the discussion about ensembles and their origin.
Not only the occasion like a khon or li-ke show, also the aerophones used within an ensemble determine the pitch of these ensembles.
For example, a pi nai demands a basic tone of the fourth tone of the khong wong yai gong cirlce, while a khlui flute requires the sixth gong. The khlui flute is also basic for the discussion of the appearance of equidistant scales, as the holes of this flute seemed to be equidistant. The result was never perfect and maybe never represented more than an ideal to follow. Even more, if we compare 5 old xylophones today we might find five different tunings. This makes it not easy to notate the music in a Western notation, which is common in Thailand since 1930 but in no way able to represent the true meaning of a note.
The only thing for sure is that the Mahori music always sounds one tone higher than the Piphat music.
Resulting scales today represent an adaption to the Western diatonic scale, basing on the pentatonic scale 1-2-3-5-6, which also uses the tones 4 and 7 as ornamented side tones on weak beats (or for modulating purposes, thus creating metaboles). These scales or modes (thang) combined with typical rhythmical patterns (nathap) form the different regional and instrumental styles which get represented in the pitches:
G (gong 4) - thang nai - for the pi nai, used in all hard mallet ensembles
A (gong 5) - thang klang - for the pi klang (out of use today)
B (gong 6) - thang phiang - actually notated in C, used for a soft mallet ensembles and in the Mahori ensemble
C (gong 7) - thang kruat - for the pi nawk (out of use today)
D (gong 1) - thang haep - for the khlui lip (rare)
E (gong 2) - thang chawa - for the pi chawa (rare)
F (gong 3) - thang phiang - for the khlui u (a rare flute, but common tuning for many ensembles)
The instrumental focus for the creation of the different scales and the clear determination of pitches and scales for instruments and their use in festive occasions already point out to a clear seperation and categorization in traditional Thai music, which actually is understood and lived in Thailand with less restrictions today and sometimes mixed freely.
Page 3 of 9 -> Got to Page 4