Bangkok - Familiar bamboo sounds and superb performances made a angklung concert, by Thai and Indonesian musicians, a fun and memorable event. Organised by the Luang Pradit Phairoah (Sorn Silapabanleng) Foundation and Srinakharinwirot University, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Thai and Indonesian tourism agencies, the concert marked the 100th anniversary of angklung in Thailand.
It encompassed a series of angklung performances and a workshop by the Duriyasap Band, led by Pat Buatang, and the Saung Anklung Udjo band of Indonesia, lead by Sam Udjo.
Before the concert, there were some warm-up activities, which included a performance by 100 young angklung players from four Bangkok schools, led by Sawit Tabtimsri; an angklung dance by the Patravadi Theatre troupe and a kaen (Isan`s bamboo mouth organ) performance by the A-ngun Bua-iam conservatory.
The highlight of the event was a ranaad performance by Uthai Kaewla-iad, Sanoh Luangsunthorn and Natapong Sowatra, who played three different bamboo xylophones belonging to Luang Pradit Phairoah.
It was Udjo`s first-ever performance before a Thai audience, and they made the most of it. The internationally-renowned band played at Srinakharinwirot University, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ban Somdej Rajabhat University, the Indonesian embassy and TK Park, while the Thai band joined the stage only at the grand concert.
Sam Udjo was overwhelmed by the Thai hospitality and, on various occasions, expressed his wish to return and perform with fellow Thai musicians.
It was amazing to see how the Thai and Indonesian angklung instruments have developed after a century of being in existence. Even though the original hand-held angklung is available in both countries, what the audience saw were new versions of the bamboo instrument, with different playing techniques.
Duriyasap musicians used a keyboard-like device to manipulate the sound, while Udjo shook the rows of instruments, which hung from wooden frames.
Unlike the Thai musicians who still maintain the original seven-pitch equi-distance scale, their Indonesian counterparts have embraced the chromatic Western scale. That, in effect, has freed the Indonesians from all limitations and, as Sam Udjo put it, they can play ``all songs in the world``.
Obviously, the Western scale enabled Udjo to cater better to the Thai audience. Their music, which ranged from lively folk songs, like Heraran (Children`s Dance) and Calung (Music for Celebratory Events) to Mozart`s Symphony No. 40, was truly entertaining.
Dances by young Udjo bandmembers were a plus.
Udjo wrapped up each performance with a brief workshop, inviting the audience to try their hands at the Indonesian, hand-held angklung. Sam Udjo gave instructions using sign language to help the audience members strike the right notes. The band prepared 200 sheets of angklung music, which were handed out as keepsakes at the end of the programme.
The workshop, said Sam Udjo, aimed to ignite ``our musical feelings``, and the audience learned to play a few classic children`s songs like Do-Re-Mi.
Duriyasap, meanwhile, kicked off with the familiar Bu Sen Sawk, and others in the Javanese-accented series, which were followed by the Lao-accented Lao Kham Hom and a series of pleng pasa, breathless foreign-accented songs including Mon-accented Mon Luilaek, Chinese-accented Jeen Kep Buppha and Burmese-accented Shwedagon.
The band strictly maintained the Thai music concert tradition. The jovial music contrasted the musicians` motionless faces.
Providing the vocals was veteran singer Sombat Sangwianthong who, despite health problems and old age, managed to captivate the audience with his charming voice.
Unlike the concert at Srinakharinwirot, in which both bands played full scale, the performance at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was concise due to time restraints.
Many may have found it dry, as the musicians tried to adjust to the ministry`s formal setting.
Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com (August 27, 2008)