Classical instrumental ensemble of Thailand, consisting of both melodic and rhythmic percussion instruments and an aerophone (oboe or flute). Functionally, the pī phāt performs the highest classes of compositions, such as extended suites and virtuoso pieces, for serious occasions such as the ‘teacher-greeting’ ceremony wai khrū, funerals and Buddhist rituals. The pī phāt also accompanies khōn (masked theatre), lakhōn (dance theatre) and nang yai (large shadow theatre).
The essential pī phāt ensemble consists of the higher-pitched xylophone ranāt ēk, the lower-pitched circular gong-chime khong wong yai, pī (the quadruple-reed oboe that gives its name to the ensemble) plus ching (a pair of small cymbals) and one or two drums: taphōn, klong song nā, or klong khaek. This basic group, called khruang hā (‘five instruments’), may be expanded through the addition of the lower-pitched xylophone ranāt thum, circular gong-chime khong wong lek and one or both of the metallophones ranāt ēk lek and ranāt thum lek, as well as various rhythmic percussion. There are principally three kinds of pī phāt in use today: the loud, hard-mallet ensemble pī phāt mai khaeng including the quadruple-reed oboe pī, the soft-mallet ensemble pī phāt mai nuam which includes both the two-string fiddle so ū and khlui (flute) instead of oboe, and the ‘Mon’ ensemble pī phāt mon, which is distinct from the others. Whereas the pī phāt mai khaeng plays the highest class of repertory, the pī phāt mai nuam plays lighter, more tuneful compositions. The pī phāt mon, while allegedly of Mon origin, is actually played by Thai musicians primarily for funerals. Whereas the usual circular gong-chimes are laid out horizontally, those of the Mon ensemble are U-shaped and stand vertically (for illustration see Gong-chime, Table 1). In addition the Mon ensemble has an oboe distinguished by its deep pitch and large, loosely-attached bell (pī mon) similar to the hnè of Myanmar and may add a set of seven tuned drums (poeng māng khok) which has a melodic function and is hung on the inner wall of a circular frame. Other kinds of pī phāt ensembles formerly in use are now either extinct or rarely encountered.
The music of the pī phāt is perhaps the most challenging to listen to in Thailand’s classical repertory owing to its predominantly motivic character. Though the most basic form of the composition is played by the larger circular gong-chime, listeners tend to focus on the more active higher-pitched xylophone and oboe parts; the former plays continuous octaves without evidence of phrasing. Even though general listeners in Thailand may have difficulty relating to the music, the sound of the pī phāt is associated with the country’s most sacred rituals, and most acknowledge that the pī phāt represents Thai classical music in its highest form.
GEWM, [iv] (‘Thailand’; T. Miller)
D. Yupho: Khruang dontri Thai [Thai musical instruments] (Bangkok,1957, 2/1967; Eng. trans., 1960, 3/1987)
D. Morton: The Traditional Music of Thailand (Berkeley, 1976)
TERRY E. MILLER