Southeast Asia

A Land of Bamboo and Bronze

VietnamThailandIndonesia

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Southeast Asia Map

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Background PreparationBackground PreparationBackground PreparationBackground Preparation

Mainland and IslandMainland and IslandBuddhism – IslamBuddhism – IslamTropical climateTropical climateRiceRiceBamboo & bronzeBamboo & bronze

Mainland and IslandMainland and IslandBuddhism – IslamBuddhism – IslamTropical climateTropical climateRiceRiceBamboo & bronzeBamboo & bronze

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VietnamSite 1: Upland Bronze GongsSite 2: Tài Tử Chamber Music

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Arrival: Vietnam Upland–Lowland Culture Chinese influence Vietnam War

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Site 1: Upland Bronze Gongs First Impressions

Repetitive ringing Aural Analysis

Interlocking construction

Strong tonal center Simple duple meter

Members of the Jarai ethnic group in Vietnam’s Central Highlands

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Cultural Considerations Large cooperative ensembles Particular to upland ethnic groups Often accompanies dance Common at festivals and funerals

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Site 2: Tài Tử Chamber Music First Impressions

“Flexible”feeling Aural Analysis

Small string ensemble Frequent tone bending Heterophony

Notice the “scooped” frets on this Vietnamese guitar© Taylor & Francis

Cultural Considerations

“Talented”amateur music Entertainment settings

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ThailandThailandThailandThailandSite 3: Classical Site 3: Classical PiphatPiphat

Site 4: Site 4: Lam KlawnLam Klawn

Site 5: Site 5: Phleng Luk Phleng Luk ThungThung

Site 3: Classical Site 3: Classical PiphatPiphat

Site 4: Site 4: Lam KlawnLam Klawn

Site 5: Site 5: Phleng Luk Phleng Luk ThungThung

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Arrival: ThailandArrival: Thailand

Formerly SiamCultural regions

Central (Bangkok) North (Lanna) Northeast (Isan) South

Predominantly BuddhistThai is a tonal language

Formerly SiamCultural regions

Central (Bangkok) North (Lanna) Northeast (Isan) South

Predominantly BuddhistThai is a tonal language

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Site 3: Classical PiphatSite 3: Classical Piphat

First ImpressionsOrganized chaos“Kazoo” aerophone and “ching”

Aural AnalysisPi nai (quadruple reed aerophone)

Melodic & rhythmic percussionSeven equidistant tones per octave

First ImpressionsOrganized chaos“Kazoo” aerophone and “ching”

Aural AnalysisPi nai (quadruple reed aerophone)

Melodic & rhythmic percussionSeven equidistant tones per octave

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Thai Classical InstrumentsThai Classical InstrumentsKhong wong yai (gong circle)

Ranat ek (leading xylophone)

Left 2: Pi (reed aerophones)

Right 3: Khlui (flutes)

Thon ramana (goblet & frame drums)Chap lek (large cymbals)

Krap sepha (wood clappers)Ching (small cymbals)

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Temple AnalogyTemple Analogy

Polyphonic Stratification

Layered RoofMelodic percussion & pi

PillarsChing – aural conductor

FoundationDrums, small percussion

Polyphonic Stratification

Layered RoofMelodic percussion & pi

PillarsChing – aural conductor

FoundationDrums, small percussion

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Cultural ConsiderationsCultural Considerations

Wai Khru – Teacher Honoring Ceremony Wai Khru – Teacher Honoring Ceremony

Above: A wai khru altar with students

initiated by an elder teacher

Right: A wai khru ceremony in Bangkok

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Arrival: Northeast ThailandArrival: Northeast Thailand

Culturally LaoRice economyIsan influence

Culturally LaoRice economyIsan influence

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Site 4: Northeast Thai Lam Klawn

Site 4: Northeast Thai Lam Klawn

First ImpressionsPeppy poetsHappy “harmonica”

Aural AnalysisKhaen – mouth

organLam - poetic songRepartee

First ImpressionsPeppy poetsHappy “harmonica”

Aural AnalysisKhaen – mouth

organLam - poetic songRepartee

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Cultural ConsiderationsCultural Considerations

Maw lamProfessional poets

Festival and ritual entertainment

Maw lamProfessional poets

Festival and ritual entertainment

Left: Maw lam perform onstage to khaen accompaniment.

Right: Khaen (free-reed mouth organ)

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Site 5: Phleng Luk ThungSite 5: Phleng Luk ThungFirst Impressions

“Country” popAural Analysis

Mix of modern and traditional instrumentsDerived from lam

First Impressions“Country” pop

Aural AnalysisMix of modern and traditional instrumentsDerived from lam

saw bip (fiddle)phin (lute)

khaen (mouth organ)

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Cultural ConsiderationsCultural Considerations Traditional

“crossover” music Bangkok boom Stage shows

Traditional“crossover” music

Bangkok boom Stage shows

A “pop” concert of luk thung

Luk Thung pop stars

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IndonesiaIndonesia

Site 6: Javanese Court GamelanSite 7: Balinese Gamelan Gong

Kebyar

Site 6: Javanese Court GamelanSite 7: Balinese Gamelan Gong

Kebyar© Taylor & Francis

Arrival: Indonesia

More than 13,000 islands

Most populous Islamic nation

More than 300 languages

Focus for manyethnomusicologists & composers

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Site 6: Javanese Court Gamelan

First Impressions Metallic music with “misty”

interlude

Aural Analysis Mostly metallophones “Soft & Strong” styles Colotomic structure

Above: Metallophones of the Javanese gamelan.Right: Gender (metallophone with bamboo resonators)

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Principal MelodyRack gongs and

large metallophones

Periodic PunctuationMarked by Hanging

Gongs

EmbellishmentSmall metallophones“Mist” of the music

Colotomic Structure

Gong ageng© Taylor & Francis

Cultural ConsiderationsCultural Considerations

IslamCourt MusicTranquilityDance

IslamCourt MusicTranquilityDance

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Site 7: Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar

First ImpressionsDynamic shifts of mood

Aural AnalysisStarts and stopsSectional solos“Superhuman speed”“Shimmer effect”

A pair of gender wayang

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Cultural Considerations

Offering to Hindu deities

Dynamic dance

Wayang Kulit Shadow puppets

A Balinese dancer accompanied by gamelan

Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet theatre)

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