The Creative Process in the Ranaad-thum solo for the Thai melody Boraksidam in samchan tempo.

Abstract

This study is an analysis of the creative process in the composition of the ranaad-thum (17-bar wooden xylophone) solo piece, Boraksidam in samchang tempo. The first known piece was composed by Supan Chuenchom and sung in phleng style by Siriporn Ampaipong in C.E. 1991. This phleng style melody was composed in the sang chang tempo mode, and was later adapted for the khongwongyai (gong-circle), expanding it into a long melody in the samchan tempo mode. Finally, this was then adapted into what is known today as Bo-rak-si-dam for the ranaad-thum solo, that is, an improvised solo piece, also in the samchan tempo mode, using solo playing techniques called
deed,dood, and tang, following the advanced solo styles in Thai traditional
music. The idea of solo composition is derived from four principles:
1) combining several old melodies into one new melody, like Patchajamparsri;
2) the composition of new melodies based on old melodies like
Serngyaekhaimotdaeng; 3) the derivation and expansion of melodic motifs like in Boraksidam; and 4) improvisations which incorporate both instrumental and vocal motifs, accompanied by Thai instruments. It is thus noted in this analysis that the creative process in solo composition is mainly based on the use of scales, melodies, and rhythmic modes from the original pieces, following the traditional way of composition and performance in Thai music