THE STUDY ANALYZE THE MUSICAL CEREMONY SHANKAR (KHMER WEDDING CEREMONY) AS A SHARED HERITAGE BETWEEN THAILAND AND CAMBODIA

Abstract

The purposes of the current study were 1) to study components of music in Shankar ceremony in Thailand, 2) to study components of music in Shankar ceremony, and 3) investigate relationships between components of music in the Shankar ceremony in both countries. The study was designed in qualitative approach. Ethnomusicology was employed as the method of the study. The data were gained by field study using observation, interview, and analysis of data in the processes of data collection. The areas of study were in Surin province, Thailand and Siem Reab province, Cambodia. Scope of content was the investigation of music in traditional ceremonies. 

The results of the study were as follows. In the first phase 1 of the study, the analysis of music components in Shankar ceremony in Thailand showed that Kantrum – the traditional bands playing Khmer-Isan music, were the main group hired to play the music. The music instruments were a “Pi Or” (a traditional flute), a “Trua Klang” (a traditional fiddle of Khmer culture), 2 “Tones” (traditional percussions), “Ching” a pair of small cup-shaped cymbals, a pair of cymbal, and vocalists. There was no standardized sound scale found, but “Pi Or” used in scaling 8 songs were found in Shankar ceremony, and only one melody was found using the pentatonic scale that was similar to D Major scale with D revealing the lowest pitch and D in 2 octaves in the same scale for the highest pitch. The rhythm of songs was played along with musica ficta with playing and singing techniques showing drawing out of the notes. The repetition of melody was found. The rhythm was controlled by the small cup-shaped cymbals played in single and double time signature. Time signature was found at 2/4. Tempo was at 40-80 BPM. 2 of the songs were found to use nun tempo technique. The lyrics were being sung in Khmer. In Phase 2, the study aimed to investigate the music components in Shankar ceremony in Cambodia. The result of the study showed that Kar bands- traditional bands in Khmer culture, were the main group in the ceremony. The instruments used in the performances were a “Pi Or”, a “Trua Khmer” (traditional Khmer fiddle with three strings), “Krajab Pi” (traditional Khmer lute with two strings), “Pin Namtoa” (Traditional string instrument having the Monila -like body), a “Trua Au” (A traditional fiddle), 2 “Tones”, a pair of “Ching” (small cup-shaped cymbals), and vocalists. Pi Or was used as the scale standard as there was no standardized scaling found. 12 songs mainly used in the performances. One main melody was found in pentatonic scale which was similar to F minor scale with F revealing the lowest pitch and F in 2 octaves in the same scale for the highest pitch. The rhythm of songs was played along with musica ficta with playing and singing techniques showing drawing out of the notes Repetition of melodic plays and signings were found. The rhythm was controlled by the small cup-shaped cymbals played in single and triple time signature. Time signature was found at 2/4. Tempo was at 60-100 BPM. The lyrics were being sung in Khmer. In phase 3, relationships between music components in Shankar ceremony in Thailand and Cambodia were studied. The result showed that 3 components including 1) the uses of instruments such as Pi Or, Truas, and Tones, Notes drawing techniques in both melodic plays and singing within pentatonic scale were, and 3) melodic plays and singing in terms of non-standardized tuning system, and used Khmer language for sing  lyrics.