Hsaing waing
Encyclopedia
The hsaing waing is a traditional Burmese folk musical ensemble
, consisting of a number of different gong
s and drum
s, as well as other instruments, depending on the nature of the performance. These include the hne
(a double reed pipe), pat waing
(a set of 21 drums in a circle), kyi waing (small bronze gongs in a circular frame), maung hsaing (larger bronze gongs in a rectangular frame), as well as chauk lon pat (a set of 8 tuned drums), and si and wa (bell and clapper). For more formal and classical performances, the ensemble may be accompanied by the saung gauk, the Burmese harp, the pattala, a Burmese xylophone, or the piano
and violin
, both introduced during colonial rule. Hsaing waing musicians use a hemitonic and anhemitonic scale
similar to the one used by Indonesian gamelan
musicians.
Music of the hsaing waing is characterized by its lively and sudden contrasts and shifts in rhythm, melody and tempo. Anyeint
dance performances, as well as nat gadaw
and marionette
puppet performances, are accompanied by the music of the hsaing waing, with the sudden shifts in musical rhythm reflected in the dancer's changing poses. However, classical singing, derived from royal chamber music, is almost exclusively accompanied by either a classical ensemble or a single saung gauk.
Although the origins of the hsaing waing are unclear, the earliest pictoral evidence dates to the 17th century, coinciding with the Burmese invasion of the Ayutthaya Kingdom
, which may have brought back the concept of the gong and drum ensemble, although the hsaing waing differs greatly in its diversity of instruments and musical style from Thai ensembles.
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, consisting of a number of different gong
Gong
A gong is an East and South East Asian musical percussion instrument that takes the form of a flat metal disc which is hit with a mallet....
s and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, as well as other instruments, depending on the nature of the performance. These include the hne
Hne
The hne is a conical shawm used in the music of Myanmar. It has a sextuple reed made of toddy palm leaf. It has a flaring metal bell and has a loud tone, and is used in an ensemble together with xylophone, tuned gongs, and tuned drums.-External links:*...
(a double reed pipe), pat waing
Pat waing
The pat waing or saing waing, is a set of 21 drums in a circle, traditional from Burma. The player sits in the middle of a horseshoe-shaped shell made of elaborately carved wood and decorated with gold leaf. The drums are played with the bare hands....
(a set of 21 drums in a circle), kyi waing (small bronze gongs in a circular frame), maung hsaing (larger bronze gongs in a rectangular frame), as well as chauk lon pat (a set of 8 tuned drums), and si and wa (bell and clapper). For more formal and classical performances, the ensemble may be accompanied by the saung gauk, the Burmese harp, the pattala, a Burmese xylophone, or the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, both introduced during colonial rule. Hsaing waing musicians use a hemitonic and anhemitonic scale
Pentatonic scale
A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave in contrast to a heptatonic scale such as the major scale and minor scale...
similar to the one used by Indonesian gamelan
Gamelan
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
musicians.
Music of the hsaing waing is characterized by its lively and sudden contrasts and shifts in rhythm, melody and tempo. Anyeint
Anyeint
Anyeint is a traditional Burmese entertainment form that combines dance with instrumental music, song, and comedy routines, in theatrical performances. It is a form of pwe, the Burmese word for traditional entertainment...
dance performances, as well as nat gadaw
Nat (spirit)
The nats are spirits worshipped in Burma in conjunction with Buddhism. They are divided between the 37 Great Nats and all the rest . Almost all of the 37 Great Nats were human beings who met violent deaths . They may thus also be called nat sein...
and marionette
Marionette
A marionette is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a manipulator. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms...
puppet performances, are accompanied by the music of the hsaing waing, with the sudden shifts in musical rhythm reflected in the dancer's changing poses. However, classical singing, derived from royal chamber music, is almost exclusively accompanied by either a classical ensemble or a single saung gauk.
Although the origins of the hsaing waing are unclear, the earliest pictoral evidence dates to the 17th century, coinciding with the Burmese invasion of the Ayutthaya Kingdom
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
, which may have brought back the concept of the gong and drum ensemble, although the hsaing waing differs greatly in its diversity of instruments and musical style from Thai ensembles.