I am not an expert on non-Thai music, say Malaysian, Burmese, Vietnamese, etc. But because Thai music is my passion, I have put together this page. The purpose of this page is to distinguish Thai Classical Music from everything else. There are even genres within Thai music dependent on region, era, etc. I have brief paragraphs here to make it clear how Thai music is different, at least on the surface, from these other genres. Thai classic music is so much different from any other kind of music---even Chinese classical music. There might be similarities, but the differences are vast and important. The differences include language, instruments, melodies, and by far the biggest difference, is the attitude one takes towards listening to Thai classical music. Please look at my 'links' page for other websites about SEAsian classical music.
Click on the images on this website to access their internet sources.
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T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s
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This is basically my frame of reference, because it is what I know best.
The music of Indonesia seems to center a lot around the
gamelan ensemble. Because the islands of Indonesia are numerous and sparsely
located, there exist many distinguishing cultures and thus hundreds of types of
music. Here, I focus only on one type of ensemble, a Sudanese ensemble known as
the Gamelan degung.
I see slight similarities in the forms of the instruments of course. For
example, the gambang is similar to the Thai ranad-ek, which is
similar to the Cambodian roneat (though a note about the gambang: from
personal experience, the gambang is hardly played like the ranad-ek...instead,
it turns the melody of the song into a series of patterns. There are many
different types of ways to pattern the music, and it takes skill and practice,
of course; the gambang adds much texture to the music). The idea of the gamelan itself seems to
have connection between Thai music and Indonesian---for example, the forms of
the khong wong compared to many types of Indonesian instruments seems to
suggest that it had its origins there. Also, while there is a mix of wooden and
metal instruments in systems such as Thai music, Indonesian music is heavily
based on the metallic sounding gamelans.
The style of Indonesian music in general is quiiiiiite
different from that of mainland Southeast Asia. It's another planet altogether.
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I couldn't find much of anything on this topic. However, from
listening to the music clips that are on the listed sources, it seems that Burma
acts as the crossroad between India and Thailand. Listen to some of the clips,
and you'll see what I mean. Some of the relation to India is obvious at first
glance, for the first source lists a music type called "Maha Gita." The vocalist
music in Pyi Pyi Min Paung, for example---from an outsider's viewpoint at
least---sounds like some of its qualities are of Indian influence. However,
listen to the background of the music, and you will hear a shimmering sound,
like a bell, that sounds at periodic intervals with the same precise
pattern---what westerners would call a cymbal. In both Cambodian and Thai music,
though it is called the ching.
As another example, listen to
Sein Chit Tee
(track 3), and you will hear the
eastern version of the oboe---a reed instrument, to put it simply. Reed
instruments with similar sounds are found all over Burmese, Cambodian, and Thai
classical music. For example, if you ever have looked at or heard the music in a
Muay Thai match, you will hear not only the drums but the reed instrument as
well (click
here to listen to a Muay Thai music clip). In Thailand, there are a couple of forms of these reed instruments, such
as the Pi Nai and the Pi Chawa (the part of that name, chawa,
coming from the name Java... interesting, eh?). Reed instruments
characterize northern Thailand much more, in regions such as Chieng Mai (Lanna),
that are more near the Laotian region.
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Look at the musical instruments and there's the total obvious
connection between these instruments and the music of other Southeast Asian
regions. The ching, first of all, exists also in Thai classical music, as
does the roneat (or, in Thai, the ranad-ek). Here we also see one
in the large family of reed instruments, the sralay, which I don't know
enough about to relate it to other Asian instruments of its kind. The gong,
I can safely say, exists all over the Southeast Asian region, as well as China.
The tro, of course is one of many fiddle instruments of its kind---again,
I don't know enough specifics about the instrument to make fine comparisons.
On my "music" page, I suggested a CD called "The
Music of Cambodia." The first few tracks are reminiscent of Thai classical
music. Listen to the first track of this CD,
Sathouka. We hear an ensemble complete with the reed instrument (two of
them in fact; I don't believe I have heard that happening in Thai music), the
wooden xylophone, some sort of metal instrument in the background (barely heard
unless you turn up the sound), the ching, and others...where is the drum?
hmmm.... you can definitely hear one in the second track of the CD).
Anyway, compare the previous track to
Samgok. That file will probably take a
few minutes to download. This music is an audio extract of a Thai puppet show
depicting a story that takes place in dynastic China (Mrs. Kuklis, I can make a
copy of all three VCDs if you want... though the entire thing is about 3-4 hours
long total; this file is just the audio extract from the first of the three
discs; this puppet show was aired on Thai TV, but I don't think it's ever been
released for sale as a video, as these types of performances seem to be only
once or twice in a lifetime events---so it's actually quite lucky for me to be
putting this stuff up on the net). The beginning overture is strictly Thai; it is the wai kru that
is played to respect the instruments and their gods. However, beginning at
15 minutes and 4 seconds, the show starts with the sound of the saw-u.
... Compare Sathouka with Samgok. Listen to each a few times (if
you have the time). Notice that there are subtle differences between the
Cambodian and Thai styles. Differences that are difficult (for me anyway) to put
into words.
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The
instruments are nearly identical to that of Cambodia and Thailand. What's
interesting though, is that the national instrument, the khaen, is also a
major instrument of the eastern part of Thailand, known as Isan. Lao
music itself sounds almost identical to some Thai classical music. For instance,
compare the sound of
Fon Nang Kaew Court Dance Suite with this
Thai
song. Similar, eh? In the Lao song, though, there is more taste of Northern
Thai music--a very subtle difference that I'm not sure how to put into words
(for an example of northern Thai music, listen to
Prasat Wai [source:
Ancient-Contemporary Music From Thailand]).
There's also one big difference between Lao music and Thai
music, which is the style of the singers. Again, this difference is very hard to
put into words. Take
Khab Thum, for example, and compare it with this
other Thai song. The singer's style in Khab Thum to me seems almost
more 'open,' where the Thai singer is more 'tame' about her tone.
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~`*`~
Vietnamese classical music is extremely influenced by Chinese tradition. In fact, it can be said that Vietnamese music most closely resembles the music of Mongolia and Japan (Wikipedia: "Music of Vietnam"). Thus, going into a study of Vietnamese music would require much knowledge of Chinese classical music....which I'm not at a position to give, at the moment (otherwise all my Chinese friends would jump me for inaccurate statements).
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~`*`~
peace everyone =)