Narong Prangcharoen and Thai Cross-Cultural Fusion in Contemporary Composition
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NARONG PRANGCHAROEN AND THAI CROSS-CULTURAL FUSION IN CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITION A THESIS IN Musicology Presented to the Faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF MUSIC by NATHINEE CHUCHERDWATANASAK B.A.(Music), Mahidol University, 2007 M.M., Eastern Michigan University, 2009 Kansas City, Missouri 2014 NARONG PRANGCHAROEN AND THAI CROSS-CULTURAL FUSION IN CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITION Nathinee Chucherdwatanasak, Candidate for Master of Music Degree University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2014 ABSTRACT Narong Prangcharoen (b.1973) has become one of the leading Asian classical composers since he won a number of international awards and received numerous commissions from major orchestras and individual distinguished musicians. His compositions, most of which include distinct Thai musical elements and Thai cultural influences within the guise of Western art music, are emblematic of a trend in contemporary composition that embraces worldwide influences. This thesis is a first step toward the literature of this compositional trend of Thai/Western musical fusion. It begins with a survey to different approaches of applying exotic elements into Western compositions, focusing on the fusion of Western and Far Eastern musical/non-musical elements of China and Indonesia. The focus then shifts to the cross-cultural interplay between Thai and Western elements that has appeared throughout Thai music history. The main topic of thesis ensues, with the presentation of Prangcharoen’s musical background, his creative process, and his synthesis of Thai influences and Western compositional techniques in his orchestral music. The purpose of this thesis is to be not only a principal source in iii apprehending Prangcharoen’s life and works, but also a foundation for any future study relating to Prangcharoen or other Thai composers and their compositions. iv APPROVAL PAGE The faculty listed below, appointed by the Dean of the Conservatory of Music and Dance, have examined a thesis titled “Narong Prangcharoen and Thai Cross-cultural Fusion in Contemporary Composition,” presented by Nathinee Chucherdwatanasak, candidate for the Master of Music degree, and certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance. Supervisory Committee S. Andrew Granade, Ph.D., Committee Chair Conservatory of Music and Dance William A. Everett, Ph.D. Conservatory of Music and Dance Chen Yi, D.M.A. Conservatory of Music and Dance v CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. iii APPROVAL PAGE ...................................................................................................................... v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ..................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1. CROSS-CULTURAL PROCESSES IN WESTERN MUSIC HISTORY ....................... 1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 Cross-cultural Processes in Western Music History ................................. 8 The First Existence of Chinese Music in the West ................................... 9 Pentatonicism as Chinese Representation ............................................... 14 The “Original” Synthesis ........................................................................ 16 Through the Insider’s Eyes ..................................................................... 18 The Mid-twentieth-century Aesthetical and Philosophical Synthesis .................................................................... 28 The Fusion of Asian-American Composers ............................................ 35 The “Newer Waves” ............................................................................... 51 2. CROSS-CULTURAL PROCESSES IN THAI MUSIC HISTORY .............................. 53 The First Appearances of the West in Thailand ...................................... 55 The Revival with the West ...................................................................... 59 The Nineteenth-century Westernization ................................................. 62 Thailand’s First Composers .................................................................... 65 vi Twentieth-century Globalization ............................................................ 80 Thai Contemporary Composers .............................................................. 96 Cross-cultural Compositions in the Twenty-first Century .................... 103 3. NARONG PRANGCHAROEN AND CROSS-CULTURAL PROCESSES IN HIS ORCHESTRAL COMPOSITIONS .......................................... 105 Biography .............................................................................................. 106 Creative Process .................................................................................... 113 Orchestral Works .................................................................................. 119 Synthesis of Cross-cultural Elements ................................................... 125 4. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 162 Appendix A. PENTATONIC THEME IN PUBBANIMITTA, MM. 1-59 .......................................... 168 B. SELECTED WORKS BY NARONG PRANGCHAROEN ........................................ 174 C. NARONG PRANGCHAROEN’S DISCOGRAPHY .................................................. 181 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 183 VITA ......................................................................................................................................... 207 vii ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. A pentatonic melody with conventional Western harmonic progression in Weber’s Overture to Turandot, mm.18-26. ......................................................... 15 2. Lou Harrison’s Wesak Sonata manuscript score, page 3 ........................................ 27 3. Relationship of cymbal strokes, gong strokes, and drum patterns in Thai three metrical levels .................................................................................... 77 4. Foreground with ostinato background in Phenomenon, mm. 188-192 ................. 130 5. Foreground with sustained background in The Migration of Lost Souls, mm. 20-26 .............................................................................................................. 131 6. Foreground alone with polyphonic texture in Namaskar, mm. 69-74 .................. 132 7. Three layers in the coda of The Dawn of Darkness, mm. 235-239 ....................... 133 8. Pentatonicism in Phenomenon, mm. 106-121 ....................................................... 135 9. Quotation of Mon-Rong-Hai in Sattha, mm. 29-46 .............................................. 139 10. Kap He Ruea tune in Sattha, mm. 58-65 ............................................................... 140 11. Variation of Kap He Ruea Tune in Sattha, mm. 109-117 ..................................... 142 12. Development of the rhythmic material in Sattha .................................................. 143 13. Beginning of Sa-Du-Di Maharajah ....................................................................... 145 14. Quotation of Sa du-di Maharajah’s introduction in Respiration of the Sun, mm. 14-19 .............................................................................................................. 146 15. Variation of the main motive in Respiration of the Sun, mm. 100-107 ................ 146 16. Main motive in aleatoric process in Respiration of the Sun, mm. 176-180 .......... 147 17. Quotation of Sa du-di Maharajah in Respiration of the Sun, mm. 43-59 ............. 147 18. Quotation of Pong-Lang music in The Migration of Lost Souls, mm. 131-136 .......................................................................................................... 149 viii 19. Thai musical performance practices ...................................................................... 150 20. Main theme with Uean and Sa-bat decoration in Tri-Sattawat, mm. 1-11 ........... 152 21. Variation of main theme in Tri-Sattawat, mm. 70-77 ........................................... 152 22. Sa-bat in a twelve-tone passage in The Dawn of Darkness, mm. 81-94 ............... 153 23. Khmer and Balinese pentatonic scales and Balinese gamelan’s interlocking rhythmic pattern in Illuminations, mm. 172-177 .................................................................. 156 ix TABLES Table Page 1. Timeline of the World history and Thai history ........................................................ 54 x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis would not have been possible without tremendous support from numerous people. First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to my advisor and Chair of the thesis committee, Dr. Andrew Granade, for his support and advice from the formation of this thesis until its completion. I also would like to thank the thesis committee, Dr. William A. Everett and Dr. Chen Yi, as well as Dr. Erika Honisch for their critical insights to the thesis’ topics. I