世界の打楽器部屋から Vol.7｜タイ王国・バンコク 岩渕大輔

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How are the tones that exist in each region created? Let's consider the climate, history, and musical instruments of the Kingdom of Thailand, which is unfamiliar with winter.
Under the tropical rainforest climate, multi-crop rice cultivation is practiced in the fertile delta region of the Chao Phraya River. In an environment where people don't have to worry about food, are far from natural disasters, and can wear short sleeves all year round, time is more generous.

so to speak

and

There is no big difference.

The official language is Thai (ภาษาไทย). Writing was introduced to the west from India along with Buddhist scriptures. The spoken language has five tones, and its intonation is crisp.
As in Southeast Asia, gamelan music is all around us. Close to a Japanese department store in the city center, the Hindu shrine ``Erawan Shrine'' is where music and dance are performed daily.
In August 2015, this area, bustling with pilgrims and tourists day and night, was suddenly engulfed by a roaring sound. It was hit by an indiscriminate bombing incident.

The perpetrators were soon arrested in neighboring Cambodia, amid speculation that they were rebels against the military government that seized power in a coup the previous year, or dissatisfied Muslims from southern Malaysia, but three years later, the full story is still unknown. The complex political dynamics unique to continental nations sometimes stop the sound of music.
The problems faced by Myanmar, which borders Myanmar to the north and west, are also indicative of the actual situation in the surrounding region, and the border area is famous for its production of gongs (ฆ้อง). Although it feels a little weird that a gong with a pitched pitch and a protruding navel is generally recognized by the name of the country of Thailand, the name ``Thai gong'' is just as accurate as its sound. I dare to be tinged with tolerance here.
Turning to the northeast, there are mountain tribes who share a language with Laos, the country across the street. When the chin (ฉิ่ง), a type of finger cymbal, is played here, the people all jump up and recite. The many melodies that express the joys and sorrows of life in a slow and slow manner have been passed down to popular songs and still echo in the mountains.
These somatic instruments also appear in religious ceremonies. It seems to be a universal human feeling that a transparent tone is associated with faith.
The percussion string instrument kim (ขิม) has an unusual and relatively complicated mechanism. It is a small harp with the legs removed, and the playing method is the same. It can be inferred that the etymology is exactly ``koto'' itself. Expressing the tone of voice,

Ascend toward the end of the word.
According to the ancient Japanese language ``Ginseongsangwasu,'' the koto was played by men, but the koto belonged to women for a long time. A novel set in Bangkok during World War II『Afterglow of Maenam』Now, please forgive the girl Ansmarin who plays this instrument.JapanKobori, a naval captain, visits. Kim's depictions include music and the Thai art world, which has long enjoyed the patronage of the royal family. This can be seen from the fact that the main building of the National University of Arts is located near the Royal Palace.

Even in modern times, when the footsteps of military boots echoed through the neighboring countries of the great powers, there is still great respect for the royal family, which maintained its independence even today, but the ancestors of the current Chakri dynasty actually came from China. Not only the royal family but also the political and business circles are dominated by overseas Chinese, and they have close ties to the great powers of the north.

In terms of music, Western instruments used to be mainly supplied by European and American sources, but with technological innovations in China, the market is gradually shifting into full swing. Indeed, it is only possible to produce stringed instruments that can withstand the monsoon climate by knowing the local characteristics, and there are sales channels nearby.
Manufacturers also perform repairs. Recently, an increasing number of players are repairing musical instruments in mainland China. His behavior is different from before, when he was careless about musical instruments due to his open-mindedness. Another appeal is the ability to keep costs down in terms of logistics, and this shows that the geographical factor is a major factor. Perhaps an analogy of ``near relatives rather than distant authority,'' an even broader ``local tone'' is being born here.
The kingdom entered the dry season at the end of October. In a normal year, there would be no clouds blocking the sun for the next six months. However, it has been raining frequently for a while now. Changes in climate are also affecting emerging countries.
Around this time,JapanI feel that the sound of rain is starting to resemble that of the tropics. If the tone of the land is due to the environment,JapanI wonder if it will become a tropical sound.

Completed

Daisuke Iwabuchi Profile

Born in Tokyo in 1981. Graduated from Tokyo Metropolitan Nishi High School and Toho Gakuen University. Studied percussion instruments with Michi Sato, Kyoichi Sano, and Toshiyuki Matsukura. In 2007, he joined the Asian Youth Orchestra. He has served as principal timpani player with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Garayani Conservatory Orchestra, and Bangkok Opera. He also served as a lecturer at the Faculty of Music at Silpakorn (National Arts) University of Thailand for six years.
LocalJapanHe is a member of the Jinkai and serves as the general director of concerts sponsored by the association. Instructs amateur bands such as the Bangkok Mixed Choir and Bangkok Brass Band made up of Japanese residents. In addition to his own compositions, he arranges and provides songs such as royal hymns.