Laura Boulton Collection:
The Burmese Orchestra
History of CollectionThe Burmese instruments found in the Laura Boulton Collection were collected by Mr. Cary W. Bok of Camden, Maine, before 1938. In later life, Bok was the Vice President of the Curtis Institute of Music [founded by his mother] of Philadelphia. The collection was sold to Denison University in Granville, Ohio in 1969. In 1976, Denison sold the collection to Laura Boulton. Indiana University obtained the Laura Boulton collection in 1986.
The Burmese Orchestra
There are two main styles of Burmese music, chamber music, and
theatrical music. The Burmese classical/theatrical orchestra is
called the s'ain 'ensemble'. Its instruments can be
divided into two kinds, depending upon whether they have fixed or
moveable
notes.
The fixed note instruments include the ci:wain (gong circle); Maun: s'ain 'gong chime'; andpa?tela xylophone.
The movable note instruments are the hne: oboe, saun:gau? harp, pa?wain drum circle, and the various string instruments.
The hne: carries the main melody and all other instruments are merely accessories embellishing the main melody, making variations on it, doubling, syncopating, etc.
S'ain:wain: is an ensemble consisting of drums, gongs, and wind instruments. The central role of this ensemble is the pa?wain drum circle.
There are [were?] two state schools of music and drama, one on Rangoon, the other in Mandalay. Graduates go to the National Theater.
86-12-0236. Drum ensemble,
s'ain: wain.
The drummer leads the orchestra sitting in the center of the drum circle and tunes each drum by adding to or removing from the paste i0n the center of the drum head.
The pa?wain: consists of 22 drums, tuned with pa?sa paste (literally 'drum food'), a mixture of ash and rice powder. Drums are struck with the fingers.
Description: wood panel enclosure, braced with iron rods, carved,
highly lacquered and gilded, decorated with
colored stones, 8 sections, 'numbered' on upper rail; iron
hinges screwed in place; threaded rods
86-12-0237 thru 256. Drums.
Description: Drums were all lathed except for very largest; drum bodies
are of unidentified wood. All have been reheaded utilizing old lacing but
no heads have evidence of tuning paste. (In India, the tuning paste would
have iron filings, for color, maybe not the same in Burma.) But even
without tuning paste, the tuning of drums is remarkably close to the tuning of the
gongs. Cords are either natural fiber or rawhide depending on the weight
of the drum; except for 3-4 all are playable condition.
86-12-0257. Bass drum ,bon dong.
Description: Heads on both sides; but seems like only one is playing head;
larger head is newer; smaller is abraded; had been
used as 'bottom' and was pushed and scraped; major cracks, holes
drilled at end of cracks, historical ; huge
rawhide handle; several broken laces; dusty and dirty; to be hung
horizontally;
86-12-0258. Standing drum, ozi.
Description: Heavy paint layer resembling glazed pottery. Center
section decorated with gold and
vari-colored mirror pieces. It also stands apart from the saing
waing.
86-12-0259. Drum, ozi.
Description: found in Burma and Thailand. Heavy paint layer
resembling glazed pottery. Head
delicately laced to a ring at the top of the pedestal. The
pedestal is completely covered with a
mosaic of tiny diamond shaped bits of glass of many colors giving
it a beautiful iridescent quality.
86-12-0207-226. Gong ensemble, ci:wain.
Description: The ci:wain, literally 'metal circle'; set of 19 gongs. The gongs were first cast; then forged; then spun to clean surface; each has makers? stamp; countersunk holes for hanging; some hammer marks on surface.
86-12-0178, 179. Large cymbals, yegwin.
The wa: is always played in combinations with a metallic instrument. Its form is similar to a cymbal it is called yegwin. In general, wa: and si (or yegwin) are used together to maintain a metric structure.
Description: hammered brass. A pair of large cymbals is part of
every complete ensemble. A 3" cord knotted
on both ends, has been placed through hole in center for holding.
86-12-0160,161. Small cymbals, lin kwin.
Description: Cast brass, finished on a metal lathe. Shallow
grooves, 3 lines more deeply incised on the flat rim
and two on the boss.
86-12-0157 clappers wa:le?k'ou?Wa:, literally 'bamboo' Sometimes a very large bamboo wa: called a wa:le?k'ou? is added, again particularly in pieces of a rural or gay nature.
Description: Bamboo, one section largely cut away and one end section split on each. Clappers are among the great noisemakers of the ensemble and are said to be handled by the newest and hence most enthusiastic of the group.
86-12-0194. Xylophone pa?tela
[according to Denison U Records, "pre-20th century"]
The pa?tela is one of the main instruments in Burmese chamber music. Literally it means "a musical box instrument." The body is made from seasoned teak. Modern slats are made from bamboo.
A normal pa?tela has
24 slats with a compass of 3 full octaves plus two on the treble
side. The slats are held on strong twine
suspended on notches at the ends or over the resonator on
the decorative figures in the shape of a
chrysanthemum.
Proverb: The flute is for the cow-boy, the harp for the prince,
and the xylophone for the man of culture.
Description: Shaped wood base, lacquered inside, gilded outside.
Ends rise high, and are caved and gilded.
Cords strung with flat pieces of bamboo keys are suspended over
the center of the box. They keys are struck
with padded sticks. Pitch is obtained through variations in
length and thickness.
86-12-0035. flute palewiA vertical flute called palewi is used especially in pieces having a rural character.
Description: Bamboo flute, 28 inches long, with two front finger holes.
86-12-0353. fiddleDescription: Related to the erh hum, a popular spike fiddle of China. The bow rides between the two strings causing them to sound simultaneously. Resonator is covered with snakeskin.
86-12-0076. oboe hne:Turned from heavy thick wood; 7 finger holes (4 on left, 3 on right); bell shadow;
86-12-0084. mouth organ. Description: Gourd resonator, neck of gourd serves as mouthpiece. 5 bamboo pipes of different lengths are fitted on their lower ends with free reeds inserted into the wind chest in a circle. Each pipe is pierced with a hole just above the wind chest.
The gourd is a wind chest [air chamber] not a resonator; it is not playable because resin has hardened and there is no seal;
86-12-0085. mouth organHighland Burma [cedar wood]; wound with woven grass; 6 pipes with free reeds [vibrates like harmonica] 1 pipe is loose, 5 are cracked; one has period/vintage repair;
5 tubes seem to work; the one that does not has extensive cracks;
86-12-0359. Zither mi gya ung; The mi:jaun 'crocodile' is almost obsolete although the Mon people still employ it. As an instruments for chamber music is formerly had an important role, especially in 19th cent. court music.
Description: Hard wood carved to resemble a crocodile, and highly finished. Fitted with 3 strings, 2 cord, and one wire, which should be tuned in fifths.
bridges: the present nut is clearly a replacement; wear marks/red adhesive residue for 9 frets;
86-12-0389 harp saun:gau:
The mainstay of Burmese chamber music is the saun: or saun:gau?. It is made from bedau? wood (Pterocarpus macrocarpus). A strip of deer hide is stretched across the open top, and along the middle of this is a wooden bridge. There are two sound holes, one on each side of the bridge. The arch is of sa: wood (Acacia catechu). The strings are of spun silk.
In the days of the Burmese kings, the saun: was the most
popular instrument in the palace, called the "king of
instruments." Proficiency was highly regarded; a master harpist
is called Deiwa-einda 'celestial musician'.
The last court harpist, U Maung Maung Gyi (1855-1933)
added 14th string; it has since become 16 string.
Description: Body is boat shaped, carved wood, painted and
decorated. 14 string lap harp with a long curved
neck which rests on the left shoulder. Black with gold and thayo
work decoration. Strings are of silk strengthen
with varnish and attached to the neck by red cotton cord with
hanging tassels.
strings clearly distinctive gauges; original strings, silk
86-12-0177. gongDescription: black and gold bronze
design eight pointed flower/star, scratched into the fire blackened surface so that the bronze is evident, similarly three concentric rings are scratched on the face of the gong. Two holes drilled into for hanging, hung with natural fiber. On inside, residues of paste, brown, on inside.
References
Very little research has been done on Burmese music. The following is a brief listing of relevant studies.
Becker, Judith
1967 The migration of the arched harp from India to Burma. The
Galpin Society Journal.
1968 Modes and the Oral Tradition in Burmese Music. Unpublished
M.A. dissertation in Far Eastern Studies, University of
Michigan.
Garfias, Robert
1975a Burmese music and dance. Monographs of Music, Dance, and
Theater in Asia, Vol 2. New York:Asia Society.
1975b A Musical Visit to Burma. The World of Music 18/1,
3-13.
1975c Preliminary Thoughts on Burmese Modes. Asian Music 7/1 39-
49.
Reinhard, Kurt
1939 Die Musik Birmas. Schriftenreihe des Musickwissenschaflichen
Seminars de Universitat Munchen, Band V. Wrzburg, Triltsch.
Sachs, Curt
1917 Die Musikinstrumente Birmas und Assams in K.
Ethnographischen Museum zu Mnchen. In Sitzungsbeirichte der
K Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften...
Williamson, Muriel
1968 The Construction and decoration of one Burmese Harp. In
Selected reports in Ethnomusicology 1/2: 45-75.
1975a A supplement to the construction and decoration of one
Burmese Harp. Selected Reports on Ethnomusicology. 2/2 111-
15.
1975b Aspects of traditional style maintained in Burma's first 13
Kyo songs. Selected reports in Ethnomusicology.