Traditional music
As is the case throughout the Southeast Asian basin, Thailand's musical tradition is embodied by ensembles with their own specific functions: theatrical accompaniment, accompaniment of worship services or official events. The most classical ensemble is the piphat, a court orchestra that is also often found in theater and dance performances. It always includes wind instruments, such as the pi or khlui, rhythmic and melodic percussion - xylophones, gongs, ching cymbals and a large taphon drum. The khrueang sai is a more popular ensemble made up mainly of string instruments (fiddles, zithers). Its serene, languorous music is carried by solemn chanting, and is regularly heard at weddings and engagements. The mahori is a female orchestra traditionally composed of Thai courtesans. It features the instruments of the piphat and khrueang sai ensembles, with a softer style of playing to accompany dance and drama. Two names to listen out for: Montri Tramote and Luang Pradit Pairoh, essential for getting an idea of traditional Thai music. A stage: Bangkok's NationalTheatre has a good program of Thai folklore.
Mor lam and luk thung: popular music
Although popular Western music has been infusing local culture since the 1950s, the country has preserved a few particularly Thai genres. Two of these have been fundamental: luk thung and mor lam. The former is a kind of Thai country music. Originally (in the 1920s), its first stars were called Ponsri Woranut or Suraphon Sombatjalern, and they recounted rural life to tunes influenced by Latin America or American film music. More recently, in the 1980s, the genre became "electronized" under the impetus of the last giant of the genre: Pumpuang Duangjan. Carried off by a young illness in the 1990s, her success was such that her funeral brought together hundreds of thousands of fans, including several members of the royal family. Mor lam is a kind of evolution of luk thung. This genre, which originated in Isan (North-East), also deals with rural life or social themes, but is characterized by a lively rhythm and the vocal prowess (shouts or onomatopoeia) of its performers. Transforming itself over time, the genre today resembles fabulous psychedelic rock, often with epic tunes. On the orchestral side, mor lam almost always features a khên player (a mouth organ made up of around fourteen bamboo tubes) and a nimp, the three-stringed lute. Angkanang Kunchai was a priestess of the genre, and can be found on excellent mor lam compilations such as Sound of Siam on Soundway Records.
Funnily enough, mor lam is currently enjoying a second lease of life. It's even enjoying international success. Having fallen into disuse, once despised, considered kitsch and too "popu", mor lam is, ironically, increasingly popular with Bangkok's trendy youth. Better still, its mesmerizing, hypnotic rhythms are seducing audiences the world over, and groups such as the Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band are stirring up clubs in France, Belgium, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.
Ramwong, literally meaning "circle dance", is also frequently seen in Thailand, and in the 1940s was intended to counter Western influence among the elite (who were very fond of ballroom dances such as the foxtrot). There's also kantrum, the boisterous folk music of Thailand's Khmers, and saw, the ritualistic and often improvised music of the North. Karaoke may not be a genre of music, but it's one of the most popular ways of experiencing it.
Classical music
Classical music has been the preserve of Thailand's wealthier classes ever since it first entered the country. Western classical music was introduced to the country in the 19th century, at the instigation of the royal family, who greatly appreciated it. Princess Maha Chakri Siridorn herself plays several instruments and presides over numerous events. Pianist Phra Chen Duriyang, author of the national anthem, was instrumental in introducing the great European composers (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven) to his country. He also created the first Thai symphony orchestra in the early 20th century. He trained many musicians, including Bhumibol Adulyadej, the former king. However, it wasn't until the 1980s that the first major orchestra was created, the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. A state ensemble under the patronage of the royal family, its repertoire used to be conservative, but is increasingly opening up with the ambition of becoming the most important in Southeast Asia. Yet the most prestigious and internationally revered remains the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra. Led by Icelandic conductor Gudni Emilsson, who is more adventurous in his repertoire - the modernity of Mahler suits him well - the TPO regularly performs for national events or for the government. It can be heard at the impressive Prince Mahidol Hall, Thailand's largest concert hall, located at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. The latest major ensemble is the Siam Philharmonic Orchestra. Founded in 2002 as a small chamber ensemble devoted to Thai classical music and works by Mozart and Haydn, it has since established itself as the Bangkok Opera's resident orchestra. It is directed by Trisdee na Patalung, arguably Thailand's finest conductor today. It can be seen at the Thailand Cultural Center. The Bangkok Opera is also an interesting experience. Founded and directed by playwright S. P. Somtow, it has chosen to stage Thai texts in a Western style, or to present Thai variations on European classics.
It would be wrong to talk about classical music in Thailand without mentioning its star: Narong Prangcharoen. An acclaimed, multi-award-winning composer, he is played all over the world (particularly in the USA) and is regularly praised for his captivating melodies and ingenious orchestrations.
Jazz
Let's face it: while there's a real jazz scene in Thailand, local artists are struggling to gain recognition beyond their own borders. In fact, if we had to name the country's most famous jazz artist, it would probably be... the late King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej! Yes, an accomplished jazz musician and composer, he composed some fifty pieces during his lifetime, and his style was even labelled "Phleng Phra Ratcha Nipon" ("royal composition"). Another great local figure, Eua Suntornsanan, was the first to mix Western and Thai music, and founded the first local jazz group: Suntaraporn. Thailand is a country that loves jazz, and the sheer number of jazz venues in the country is the best proof of this. Starting with Bangkok. And here, the institution by far is the Saxophone Pub Jazz & Blues. A must in the capital for jazz and blues, with an international program and a slightly trendy, but very warm atmosphere. Another local favorite is Brown Sugar. A pocket-sized venue, it quickly becomes overcrowded, but the quality of the concerts and the cheerful atmosphere soon make you forget the asphyxiated space. The Living Room is an excellent jazz venue, but its location on the second floor of a luxury hotel makes it a tad colder than its predecessors. That said, the quality is there, and it's often here that international headliners perform. Also stilted, the Bamboo Bar is no less legendary. Also located in a prestigious Bangkok hotel, the place is particularly stylish, the atmosphere sophisticated and the stage often well-stocked.
Thai rock and phleng phuea chiwit
Rock music blossomed in Thailand in the 1970s, linked of course to the American presence at war in neighboring Vietnam. Artists such as Jimi Hendrix and The Doors had a huge influence on Bangkok's rock scene, and led to the emergence of musicians such as Chuckie Thanyarat and Lam Morrison, the country's "guitar hero". In the 1970s and 1980s, the country quickly developed a particularly active heavy metal and hard rock scene, with icons such as Meat and Leather and The Olan Project. But nothing represents Thai rock better than phleng phuea chiwit. Meaning "songs for life", the country's committed rock is steeped in Marxist theories and really took off with the 1973 revolts (against the ruling dictatorship). Caravan may have been the godfather of the genre, but it was Carabao who became its legend, selling four million copies of their fifth album Made in Thailand in 1984. Since then, they've been dubbed and regarded as the "Rolling Stones of Asia". Sometimes more folk-oriented, phleng phuea chiwit is also played with Thai instruments such as the phin, wut, khluay and saw.
String music
String music is less a style than a calibration of Thai pop to fit the vast majority of the country's radio and TV airwaves. In very shorthand, it's a synonym for "mainstream". The term encompasses all genres (rock, dance, hip-hop, pop) and refers only to highly marketed artists. String music first appeared in the 1970s, but really took off two decades later with the worldwide success of boy bands. Today, it retains the same "bubblegum pop" spirit (music designed and marketed for teenagers), with often recycled sounds and rhythms, mushy lyrics and romanticized music videos. One of the most popular figures in Thai string music is Tata Young, a young Thai-American now famous throughout Southeast Asia, often compared to Madonna for her sultriness. Another emblematic name in the genre is Thongchai McIntyre. Thai of Scottish origin, he is the idol of the young (and not so young), a bit like our national Johnny... They have paved the way for a new generation of starlets such as Bodyslam (and its revered leader: Toon) in rock, a big national success, or Palmy, a Belgian-Thai dpop singer. While polished, standardized and formatted for sales, these string bands nevertheless incorporate many specifically Thai elements to appeal to the market.
Theater and dance
Theater and dance are two particularly popular and traditional forms of expression in Thailand. Strongly influenced by Môn and Khmer theatre, as well as by Indian theatre, Thailand's theater is divided into four main families. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, khone is a dramatic form of mask-dance theater. This classical form, derived from ancient temple rituals, is performed by mute dancers, while the story is sung by a choir on the side of the stage. It's the rich details of the masks and costumes that distinguish the roles on stage. Derived from the khone, the lakhone resembles the former in its costumes, but offers more expressive performances in which the body is in constant action within graceful choreographies. Likay, on the other hand, is a very light and popular form of dance theater, interspersed with comic interludes, risqué jokes and songs. Performances on makeshift open-air stages are still not uncommon. Nang is a shadow theater of Chinese origin, dating back five centuries. It features anthropomorphic puppets presented in profile against the light, between a screen and lighting. One of the best places to see traditional theater in Bangkok is the Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre. The place is beautiful, the shows are surtitled in English (it's one of the city's most popular tourist spots) and tickets are included in the price of those for the Grand Palais (a shuttle bus takes you there from the latter). Bangkok's National Theatre also offers outstanding theater and dance performances. Adjacent to the National Museum, it offers traditional Thai dance and music, a journey within a journey.
In Thailand, dance performances and theater are often confused, since dance is a recurrent instrument of theatrical drama. That said, dances can exist independently in ritual or folk performances. While they are all very different, what they have in common is that they are treasures of suppleness and grace, with each gesture holding a precise meaning. The most emblematic folk dances are the fone thai, which includes the fone tian (candle dance), fone ngiou (scarf dance), fone leb (fan nail dance), fonemahn goum ber (butterfly dance) and fonemahn mong kol (dance of joy). Another famous dance, ram muay, is a ritual performed before each boxing match, as in the case of muay thai. Fighters can also perform the wai khrou, a dance designed to honor their master. The wai is an annual ceremony performed by classical dance groups to honor their ancestors and artistic precursors.
If you're looking for Western ballet, foreign companies will be offering it at events such as the Bangkok International Dance and Music Festival. Foreign cultural institutes such as the Goehte Institut and the Alliance Française also offer it throughout the year. For contemporary art, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is the perfect address. This immaculate whité ultra-modern building, sandwiched between the MBK and the Siam Center, is a gateway to contemporary art as well as music, theater and dance. It's the place to be in Bangkok when it comes to contemporary art!
