Glory to Our Great Kings
(Thai Piano Music)
Nat Yontararak (b.1954)
Glory To Our Great Kings:
Sonata for Piano
Penpiroon: Moderato
Boonpracha: Scherzo (Vivace
-Andante -Vivace)
Pasooksanti: Adagio
Teeka Yooko Hotu Maharaja:
Allegro ma non troppo
In Glory to Our Great Kings,
a sonata for solo piano, the composer uses four melodies composed by past
monarchs of the Chakri Dynasty as musical themes. These melodies are Bulan Loy
Luen ('Floating Moon') by his Majesty King Rama II; Kluen Kratop Fang
('Breaking Waves'), Ratree Pradap Dao ('Starry Night') and Khamen La-or Ong by
His Majesty King Rama VII. In addition, six popular songs by His Majesty the
King are also used to intertwine with the first four melodies, employing
Western harmony with Thai overtones.
The first movement, called
Penpiroon in Thai, is of noble and graceful character. It uses Bulan Loy Luen
and Saifon ('Falling Rain') as its two subjects. The first subject ends in the
Dorian mode, which is unusual to the ear and reappears as the very end of the
movement. The exposition begins with Bulan Loy Luen followed by a bridge
passage imitating the sound of the falling rain, which introduces the Saifon
melody. The development section sees the first subject in various
transformations and, at times, hinting at the tune of Maha Chulalongkorn, an
important theme of the last movement. This section ends with Saifon shrouded in
dissonance. In the recapitulation, both subjects return in G major, a richly
harmonized Saifon is followed by the return of Bulan Loy Luen, leading to a
festive climax of the movement.
The second movement opens
brightly with a brilliant combination of two melodies, Klai Roong ('Near Dawn')
and Kluen Kratop Fang. In the middle section, the complete melody of Kham Laew
('Lullaby') is heard, followed by a da capo to complete the ternary form. The
movement ends with a fast but sweet coda. It has been said that Kham Laew is
one of the most beautiful lullabies ever written and thus it is the only melody
that is heard complete and unaltered in the sonata.
The introduction to the third
movement ushers in the image of the moon and stars reflected in the still
water. The melody of Saengduan ('Magic Beams') enters slowly as the rising
moon, accompanied by the fluid melody of Ratree Pradap Dao shimmering in the
upper register. The mood of stillness and ecstasy of the night is perfectly
evoked, portrayed by the quiet profound beauty of this movement.
The last movement is a rondo
which opens with the melody of Khamen Laor Ong, followed by Maha Chulalongkorn,
and then returns to the first section in a higher key of A major. The next
section introduces the melody Yoong Thong ('Golden Peacock') before the return
of the first section in the original key of F major. The movement is rounded
off with a coda of Yoong Thong and Maha Chulalongkorn playing against one
another, leading to a triumphant and joyful conclusion.
The overall mood of the
movement is lively, using unusual pianistic techniques that sometimes imitate
the sounds of the Thai gamelan. Maha Chulalongkorn is the only composition by
His Majesty the King in the pentatonic scale. It was transcribed for the
pentatonic scale by Khun Kru Devaprasit / Patayakosol, to be played by the Thai
Pipat Orchestra at the request of His Majesty the King in 1954, the year of the
Nat Yontararak's birth.
The sonata was given its
first performance in the Golden Jubilee Concert series of the Bangkok Symphony
Orchestra in October 1994.
The Force Behind 'Glory to
Our Great Kings'
Glory to Our Great Kings was
composed at the suggestion of Khunying Malee Snidvongse na Ayuddhya, who wished
to see a compilation of melodies composed by the monarchs of the Chakri
Dynasty. The idea was then conceived of using all the royal themes as various
elements in a single composition as tribute to the royal musical talents of our
great kings. The composition is appropriate, especially on the occassion of His
Majesty the King's Golden Jubilee Celebration of his Ascension to the Throne.
After some research, the
composer found that besides His Majesty, two other monarchs, His Majesty King
Rama II and His Majesty King Rama VII had been composers. Harnessing these
various themes according to the original concept proved a formidable challenge
but the composer managed to realize the piece in just seven months, from
January to July 1994.
Modern Thai ways of life have
their roots in the ancient culture and values of old Siam. Yet in this age of
booming economy and industrialisation, we Thai still return to our gentle,
compassionate and innate strength. Likewise, the character of the music conveys
both the gentleness and the strength of the Thais. This philosophy reflects
further the fact that finer qualities can still be appreciated in modern living
if one takes time to seek them. The uncomplicated nature of the music and the
Thai quality apparent in it show that in this age of globalisation, one can
still be proud of the great heritage of our culture.
Six Arrangements of H.M. King
Bhumibol's songs
His Majesty King Bhumibol has
composed more than forty songs, all of them are beautiful music. There are six
songs already used as motives for Glory to Our Great Kings. In these six
arrangements are another six songs each gives a different romantic atmosphere,
Somewhere Somehow, Still on My Mind and Love Light in My Heart. Blue Day is the
only song in a minor key, which gives a more dramatic and more melancholy
feelings, while Never Mind the H.M. (Hungry Men's) Blues and Oh I Say have more
rhythmic pulse, conveying a more light hearted feeling.These songs are much loved by
the Thai people as much as we love our King who unites all Thai together as a
whole nation.
English translation by
Kampanat Atichatpong
