Doctoral Music Composition “From Coals to Golds” Dramatic Myth of Lanna for Piano Quintet

Abstract

Doctoral Music Composition From Coals to Golds was created with the objective of composing a program music inspired by the Lanna folktale Maeng Si Hu Ha Ta (The Four-Eared, Five-Eyed Monster) and performing to the public. Despite the diverse beliefs recorded in different versions of this folktale across various regions, the core narrative remains consistent. Therefore, the composer conducted an in-depth study to identify common elements suitable for incorporation into the composition.

The composer selected the version of Maeng Si Hu Ha Ta from Wat Phra That Doi Khao Khwai Kaew in Chiang Rai as the primary narrative framework due to its engaging storyline and presence of multiple events that could be effectively linked to compositional concepts and techniques. The story follows an impoverished orphan who drags his father’s head up a mountain, where it becomes stuck at the entrance of a cave—an event that leads him to discover a large bear-like creature with four ears and five eyes. This mystical being consumes burning coals and excretes gold. The orphan buries the gold daily until King Bandumati declares that any man who can construct a golden waterway from his home to the palace of the king’s daughter will be granted her hand in marriage. The orphan successfully completes the golden waterway. Later, upon learning about the Four-Eared, Five-Eyed Creature, King Bandumati orders it to be brought to the palace. However, as it is led through the city, a crowd gathers, startling the creature and causing it to flee into the mountains. The king chases it into a cave, where a sudden rockslide traps him inside. Although he is eventually rescued, the creature is never seen again.

In addition, the composer explored various compositional approaches, concepts, and techniques, including contemporary musical styles, to develop the composition. These include modal and scale-based concepts, melodic extraction techniques, tritone and clustered harmonies, principal melody transformations, polyphonic writing, sonata-rondo form structures, the use of pedal tones and gradual dynamic markings, as well as extended string techniques. These elements were integrated into the composition to align with the narrative structure and the established scope of the work. The composition From Coals to Golds consists of Five Movements:

The Father’s Final Words: Depicts the orphan fulfilling his dying father’s wish by dragging his father’s head up a mountain, where it becomes lodged at the entrance of a cave, leading to the discovery of the Four-Eared, Five-Eyed Monster. The composition employs whole-tone scales, transposition, and polyphonic texture writing to evoke sorrow and loss. The use of pedal tones and crescendo symbolizes the dragging of the father’s head up the mountain.

The Four-Eared, Five-Eyed Monster: Inspired by the monster’s description as a large bear-like beast with four ears and five eyes, this movement also reflects its paradoxical nature—though fearsome in appearance, it is gentle and harmless. The composition incorporates the numbers four and five through tritone intervals and the Lydian mode. Clusters represent the monster’s defining characteristic of consuming burning coals, while pizzicato string techniques capture its unique personality.

The Burned Charcoals and Golden Poops: Depicts the monster consuming burning coals and excreting gold. The composition uses clusters from the previous movement to construct melodies through motif development techniques. The sound of flying embers is represented by handclaps and syncopated rhythms, while the Phrygian dominant mode is used to depict the shimmering quality of the golden poops.

The Golden Gutter: Illustrates the construction of a golden canal connecting the orphan’s home to the palace of King Bandumati’s daughter. The Phrygian dominant mode from the previous movement is reintroduced and adapted, while the primary melody transformation technique serves as the main compositional approach.

The Lord Bandumati: Portrays the grandeur of Bandumati’s kingdom, imagined as a land of peace and simplicity, ruled by a dignified and authoritative king. It also includes the dramatic chase scene in which the king pursues the Four-Eared, Five-Eyed Monster. The sonata-rondo form is used, a structure commonly found in the final movement of Western classical compositions.

Each of the five movements lasts approximately 5–6 minutes, with a total performance duration of around 30 minutes. The composition features diverse structural approaches, integrating contemporary compositional techniques to evoke emotions, atmosphere, character personalities, and key events from the Maeng Si Hu Ha Ta folktale. Some sections contain complex rhythmic patterns, particularly in the second movement’s The Burned Charcoals and Golden Poops sections, requiring musicians with advanced technical proficiency for precise ensemble performance. The composition From Coals to Golds was publicly performed on March 18, 2025, at the Performing Arts Building, Chiang Rai Rajabhat University.