A performance by elderly musicians offers Bangkok a treat
It was the concert of a lifetime for both the players, all senior-male musicians and music instructors, and the audience alike. The concert was none other than Wisit Silapin Pinsiam _ a musical event that featured performances by 20 senior male-only musicians. Held by the Office of National Culture Commission (ONCC) in the jam-packed auditorium of the Thailand Cultural Centre to honour Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on the occasion of her 53rd birthday, the event was the sequel of a concert, held in 2006, which featured an all-women musical ensemble. Both were presided over by the princess, herself a Thai classical musician.
The event was remarkable in the fact that it gathered its talented musicians _ most of whom are national artists _ from various elite musical conservatories.
Apart from their musical abilities, the musicians were required to be at least 60 years of age in order to perform. All passed the criteria, except for Pakorn Rodchangpuen, one of the country's top zither players, who was only 58. Asst Prof Yada Arunvej-arampi, the programme's emcee, said Mr Pakorn was picked because the organiser found it impossible to find an older zither player that matched his musical ability. The most senior on the stage was oboist teacher Suvit Kaewkramon, who is 78 years old.
The emcee, who also did the job for the 2006 programme, revealed the male musicians' secret _ yaa nat (snuff nasal tobacco made of several herbs) _ to the audience. She said yaa nat helped them maintain freshness and strength during the rehearsals and the concert.
Asst Prof Yada recalled the fond memories of the previous concert in which Kru Thurian Thiraphan had to chew betel nut during her ranad ek (xylophone) solo. The nut was said to keep her calm _ the same way the yaa nat worked effectively for the male musicians.
The programme kicked off with a sepha (a style of chanting) in memory of HRH the late Princess Galyani Vadhana by National Artist Kru Chaeng Klaiseethong, who never disappoints his fans.
Playing the ranad ek for the mahori (a performance of string and percussion instruments) was MR Chakrarot Chitrabongs, former permanent secretary for culture and percussion musician of the Plai Noen Villa troupe in which Princess Sirindhorn regularly plays.
Apart from the mahori, there were three solo performances, by a saw duang (a high pitched fiddle), a saw samsai (a three-string fiddle) as well as a gong (a Thai-style gong). Noted violin instructor Kowit Khantasiri, normally known for his ability to play Western musical instruments, wowed the audience with a performance of Grao Nai (a piece of music used traditionally in khon mask dance for a scene when the leader of an army makes a troop inspection before entering a battlefield), playing solo with a saw duang.
Kru Chalerm Muangpraesri, who appeared a little weak due to his old age and health problems, captivated the audience's hearts with his saw samsai fiddle solo, dexterously playing Surintharahu (the immortal Mon-accented piece from the Khunchang-Khunpaen triangle love story). Kru Chalerm's music accompanied the vocals of Kru Narong Kaew-on, who did his extraordinary part in making the concert the memorable event that it was.
Unlike other conventional classical Thai music concerts, there was no farewell song for the event due to time restraints. Instead it was wrapped up with Lao Paen (the Lao-accented song that expresses the suffering of Laotians who were forced to leave their home land), played solo on the xylophone by Kru Wichian Kerdphol of Phattayarat fame in Ayutthaya.
At the end of the programme, many could not help feeling the urge to give all the performers a standing ovation for their superb performances. Yet, they could not do so as such a practice is alien in Thai music tradition.
Next year, Asst Prof Yada said, the ONCC will hold a ruamdao (all-star) concert, featuring both male and female musicians, for the very same cause _ a musical tribute to the beloved princess.
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