THEMATIC ANALYSIS IN “BHATTHARA MAHARAJA” BY NARONGRIT DHAMABUTRA

Abstract

          This research presents the analysis and study of the concepts and methods used in the important themes of “Bhatthara Maharaja”, composed by Thai composer, Narongrit Dhamanutra. The study is conducted within the scope of analyzing the melodic structure and the use of important themes in the development of the composition. The researcher applied the concept of traditional musical analysis including the use of concepts within the branch of contemporary classical music focusing on critical analysis and the description of other components as well.
          The research of “Bhatthara Maharaja” shows the musical structure consisting of the melodies from the orchestra and the choral ensemble. The composer uses the motive as the main material in developing and broadening the melody in order to make it longer which eventually becomes a musical phrase, a sentence, and a period. Internal melodic structure corresponds to the harmony used in the composition. The reappearance of the main melody presents itself with various improvements including rhythmic augmentation, rhythmic transformation, repetition, transposition, intervallic changing, octave displacement, imitation, and variation. This demonstrates the ability to use a single material efficiently and effectively, developing the composition with unity.