Distinct and UniqueDistinct and Unique

INFLUENCESCLASSIFICATIONCHARACTERISTICS

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“Knowledge” according to Buddhism, is a “frozen Dharmasastra…” or a fully developed yet static system of the right formulas and appropriate rules.

Music and religion are interlinked.It was based on the same

fundamental tenets.

Extensively used by people in the villages.

Evolved in many royal households and was used both for ceremonies and the entertainment of the ruling class.

Classical Music

Folk Music

• It is as diverse as the number of distinct regional traditions in the country.• Most of these performances include dances and festivities related to Buddhism.

It is dominant in Thailand’s Northeastern region, mainly inhabited by the Lao population.

It focuses on the dully life of the rural poor.

It is characterized by rapid rhythmic vocals and a funk style of percussion.

There are about 15 regional variations of Mor Lam. These are however lately influenced by modern Western music, and were later known as “Mor Lam Sing.”

•MORLA

M

•KANTRUM

•LUK THUNG

Style of Folk Music

It is played by Cambodian population in Thailand.

It is a swift and traditional dance music.

It is characterized by the dominant sound of the Cho-kantrum, vocal singers, percussion and fiddles.

•MORLAM

•KANTRU

M

•LUK THUNG

Style of Folk Music

Literally when combined as Phleng Luk Thung as “children of the fields.”

It became the more popular style of Thai country music which even now pervades some 90% of radio air waves.

It reflects the daily trials and difficulties of rural folks.

It has been developed only in the mid 20th century, and is still now being further enriched by influences coming from western music.

•MORLAM

•KANTRUM

•LUK

THUNG

Style of Folk Music

• It is held only at tourist attractions and during formal ceremonies.• During the Bangkok Period (1768-1932 A.D.), music and arts were revived. Thai classical music has been then classified by level or “chan”, based on the speed of the tempo. The level and scale combine to create specific feelings or emotions.

The beauty of the intricately woven layers of rhythm and pitch.The beauty of the intricately woven layers of rhythm and pitch.

The performance of several variations of a piece of music played by different instruments or sung simultaneously. Instrumentalists improvise idiomatically around the central melody. This is known as Heterophony.

A melody is consisting of two or four measures that may joined by four other phrase units to make a phrase block.

The tuning system is made up of seven tempered tones to an octave. However, melodies are composed using only five out of seven tones, very similar to the Chinese pentatonic scale.

Rhythmically, their music is steady in tempo, regular in pulses, done in simple duple meter, without swing, and with the emphasis placed on the final beat of a measure or group of phases, as opposed to European music.

Thai music is characterized by the layering of the rhythms and pitches rather than by the usual harmony, chord progressions, and melodies which are so important to Western music.