Abstract:
The purpose of this analytical research was to investigate both contexts and
musical characteristics of the Thai Buddhist chanting melody which is performed in
funeral ceremony under royal patronage.
The methodologies of this thesis are derived from musicological and
ethnomusicological perspectives, whose contexts are concerned with the historical
aspects and ritual procedures of the chanting. The selected musical samples were
transcribed and analyzed to determine Musicological characteristics which make the
chanting distinguished from any other Thai Buddhist chants.
This Buddhist funeral chant is a dignity for crediting a person who has
tremendously benefited the nation or the king. The chanting in the rite is traditionally
performed by Phra Phitheetham(a royally ritual monk), previously such monks were
called Phra Khusuad, only these monks may use the special melody called Ka.
A Ka consists of 1)a tritonic scale in perfect 4th; 2)a three-part formal structure that
consists of an introduction, main section, and conclusion; 3) both metric and non-metric
rhythm; 4) syllabic, neumatic, and melismatic text settings; 5) a strophic phrasal form; 6)
a central tone used as a gravity tone and an ending note of melody as well; 7) melody
and textual articulation accorded by syllabification, expansion, extension, decoration, and
prolongation by embellishments. Articulation found in the Ka was sound change,
interpolation of auxiliary texts, and assimilation between words. The monotonic nature of
the Pali language causes a melodic style as illustrated by the gravity tonic style. Art of
articulation of texts influences a unique sound and embellished production. Certain parts
of the chanting melody share a musical similarity to Thai classical singing and Indian
Vedic chants.
This Buddhist funeral chant as a vocal ritual music of the Thai society indicates
interesting musical components and relations between words and melodies. In further
study, music construction aspects of art created language and music-culture relationships
in terms of Buddhist chanting between Thai and other neighboring countries could be
investigated.