Site 3: Classical Piphat Site 4: Lam Klawn Site 5: Phleng Luk Thung Thailand Site 3: Classical Piphat Site 4: Lam Klawn Site 5: Phleng Luk Thung
Arrival: Thailand Formerly Siam Cultural regions Central (Bangkok) North (Lanna) Northeast (Isan) South Predominantly Buddhist Thai is a tonal language
Site 3: Classical Piphat First Impressions Organized chaos “Duck call” and “ching” Aural Analysis Melodic & rhythmic percussion Pi (quadruple reed aerophone) Seven equidistant tones per octave
Thai Classical Instruments Khong wong yai (gong circle) Ranat ek (leading xylophone) Thon ramana (goblet & frame drums) Chap lek (large cymbals) Krap sepha (wood clappers) Ching (small cymbals) Left 2: Pi (reed aerophones) Right 3: Khlui (flutes)
Temple Analogy Layered Roof Pillars Foundation Melodic percussion & pi Ching - aural conductor Foundation Drums, small percussion
Cultural Considerations Wai Khru - Teacher Honoring Ceremony Above: A wai khru altar with students initiated by an elder teacher Right: A wai khru ceremony in Bangkok
Arrival: Laos and Northeast Thailand Culturally Lao Rice economy Isan influence
Site 4: Northeast Thai Lam Klawn First Impressions Peppy poets Happy “harmonica” Aural Analysis Khaen - mouth organ Lam - poetic song Repartee
Cultural Considerations Maw lam Professional poets Festival and ritual entertainment Left: Maw lam perform onstage to khaen accompaniment. Right: Khaen (free-reed mouth organ)
Site 5: Phleng Luk Thung First Impressions Aural Analysis Old-fashioned “country” pop Aural Analysis Mix of modern and traditional instruments Derived from lam saw bip (fiddle) phin (lute) khaen (mouth organ)
Cultural Considerations Traditional “crossover” music Bangkok boom Stage shows WMGJ: pp.142-143 Luk Thung began in response to Luk Krung popular music (“child of the city”), first popular in the 1960s in Bangkok. This modernized form of lam singing became the rage by the 1980s as Thailand’s economy prospered and many Isan peoples migrated to Bangkok in search of better jobs. The luk thung sound combined a “modern” urban sound with a nostalgic connection to the rural roots of this new workforce. Today luk thung “shows” involve not only musicians, but several onstage dancers in colorful costumes and huge amplification systems that draw large crowds. The DVD cover pictured reads “Luk Thung.” A “pop” concert of luk thung Luk Thung pop stars