Thailand Part 1
Bellwork
Ranet ek
21 keyed wooded xylophone
Ranet thum
17 keyed wooden xylophone
Ranet ek lek
21 keyed metal xylophone
Ranet thum lek
17 keyed metal xylophone
Khong wong yai
lower pitch 16-gong instrument
Outcomes
Grammar: Learn basic facts about music from
Thailand.
Rhetoric: Write a script for a shadow puppet play
Announcements
Test on Thailand Tuesday Nov 26th
Reading #14 due Tuesday Nov 19th
Final project interviews and musical samples due
Tuesday Nov 19th
Pre-Knowledge
What is the climate like in Thailand?
What is the major religion?
There are many statues of what deity?
What is the capital of Thailand?
What did Thailand used to be called?
What American musical takes place in Thailand?
Wat Arun
Wat Arun
Wat Tasung
White Temple
White Temple
Ranet ek
Ranet ek lek
Khong wong yai
Guided Nophes
Pi Phat band: A percussion based music ensemble
made up of paired idiophones, gongs and oboes
Many Southeast Asian instruments have nonfunctional pieces added for visual beauty.
Colotomy: It refers to the use of specific instruments to
mark off nested time intervals, or the process of
dividing rhythmic time into such nested cycles.
Mallet hardness: hard mallets create a bright, loud
sound. Soft mallets create a quiet, mellow sound.
Active Listening #1
Thai Piphat Orchestra-Siam
Society
What instruments in this ensemble have a role similar
to the chac-chac?
What technique is used on the ranet instrument where
one tone is struck in rapid succession with different
mallets?
Listening Example #1
Just the Phacts
The ranet ek has the melody.
Thai music consists of three elements:
1. the use of quarter tones
2. a pentatonic scale and
3. a seven note whole tone scale
Thai music is primarily monophonic.
Shadow Puppet Nophes
Precursor for movies—plays with objects projected on a screen.
Nai nung: puppeteer literally means Mr Leather
Puppets must be placed directly against the screen or there is no
shadow
Puppets are colored differently. Most are made from calf skin
because it is very thin.
150-200 puppets per troupe, 40-50 puppets are used per play
Instruments used: pi nai, saw oo, “glong that”, two metal gongs
and a ching
Characters must visually portray their identities
Puppets include human characters, demons and gods and objects
like buildings trees and arrows.
Shadow Puppet Video #1
While we watch this video, make up a story line with
each scene.
Ascertain the identities of each character by their dress
and actions.
Shadow Puppet Video #2
CFU: Shadow Puppet Theater
Worth 25 Mastery Points
Work in groups if you wish.
Using stories from the Ramayana, create a script acting your
story.
You may modernize the story if you want, or make up your
own story, be creative!
Script must be at least two pages
Create puppets—remember you must visually represent all
characteristics.
Puppets can move jaws or just arms when speaking
Practice
Perform!
Active Listening #2
Cherd Chin เชิดจีน
What new instrument has been added to this pi phat
ensemble?
What instrument dominates in volume?
Which instrument dominates in timbre?
Listening Example #2
Just the Phacts
There are three types of rhythm: slow, medium and fast
Most of Thai music is in duple meter.
When a percussion instrument trills one tone is struck
in rapid succession with different mallets
Map Quest: ID Thailand, Laos
and Cambodia
Guided Nophes
The pi phat are heard in the royal palaces where they
accompany the official ceremonies and classical
dramatic presentations.
The Ranet ek carries the melody in the pi phat
ensemble
A wat is a buddist church festival
Ranets (xylephones) and khongs (gongs) tune by adding
or removing a mixture of beexwax or lead to their gong
or bar.
CFU: Gallery Walk
On a small post-it write down one fact from the listening
examples of today.
When you have completed this, place it in a larger category on the
board:
Musical Ensembles
Music Theory
Instrument Facts
Do a gallery walk by row and write down two additional facts
from the category you chose.
Exit Ticket
What is a ranet thum?
Why must puppets be placed directly against the
screen?
What three elements does Thai music consist of?
Why do some Southeast Asian instruments have nonfunctioning parts?
What is colotomy?