The Changes of Musical Accompaniment for the Nora

Abstract

          The Nora (a local ancient dance) is one of the well-known local performing arts of Southern Thailand, which manifests the local custom through its unique musical elements: the pi tai (local Southern oboe), the thap (the Southern drum), the klong tuk (the double-headed Southern drums), the khong khu (pair of gongs), the ching (pair of small-cup cymbals), the trae (upright wood clapper) adapted due to cultural and social changes. 

          This article explains the changes in the traditional musical accompaniment of the Nora, which is known as “khruang ha” (five-pieced musical instruments), to reflect the differences caused by cultural and social changes. 

          The “khruang-ha” has been changed as follows: 1) the adaptation of the key to suit the western music, the use of new materials replaced within the musical instruments, and the reduction of playing the trae by hitting the edge of the klong tuk instead, 2) the integration of new musical instruments such as the so duang (treble fiddle), the so u (alto fiddle), the khlui (flute), and the chap (pair of cymbals), and 3) a mix of western musical instruments into the ensemble such as electric keyboard used as the main instrument played with the pi tai; for the big Nora troupe, a number of other musical instruments are mixed into the ensemble such as electric guitar, electric bass, drum kit, saxophone, trumpet, and trombone. The transformation of musical features in music used with the Nora varies due to the culture, and there is a tendency to adapt the musical repertoires for the Nora.