Phra Malai’s Melody : A Funeral Musical Chant at Bangsakao Village Amphoe Laem Sing Chanthaburi

Abstract

Phra Malai chanting of Bangsakao village, Amphoe Laem Sing, Chanthaburi province, the researcher used the principle of ethnomusicology research to set 3 objectives as follows:

Research found that

            1.The history of chanting troupe and tradition of Bangsakao village established in 1977. There were only 10 initial members and donated merit to the person who passed away without expenditure. At present, they request Bht.3,500 or more for the expenditure. The members can get chanting by their own.  The steps of chanting tradition begin from teacher salutation by chanting Phra Malai then, Phra Malai chapter, and Pret Sang chapter. The belief of dancing and chanting is prohibition of dancing and chanting practice and bringing Phra Malai in the house except for funeral.

            2.The knowledge that reports in Thai and western note, Phra Malai chanting melody of Bangsakao village divided into 3 categories as Phra malai chapter for the beginning chant having 2 music . There are 27 music for Phra Malai’s melody and 3 music for Pret Sang.

            3.The format of Phra Malai chanting:  structure of chanting melody divided into 3 categories as Pali and translation chapter for the beginning chapter, the precentor chants in Pali chanting melody and the refrain responses chanting melody alternated with Pali and the transition chapter and chant continually till each psalm end.   The character structure of Phra Malai chanting chapter has 1 piece of music, precentor will lead 4 - 8 measures and the refrain responses the chanting melody and Phra Malai psalm alternately by using the old melody defined in each psalm.  There is the compensation in changing chanting psalm for 1 Bath or 1 chapter according to the length of  psalm and chant for 4 – 12 times. The Pret Sang chapter uses melody which having 1 and 2 pieces, chant along the psalm and having responsive melody after psalm end according to the piece of song.

            The music scale that used in Phra Malai psalm and song of Bangsakao village, Amphoe Laem Sing, Chanthaburi province composes of Do, Me, Fa, Sol, La and Ti.

            The meaning and cultural value of Phra Malai psalm ;  In the Phra Malai psalm at Bangsakao chanting troupe mentions that Phra Malai (Saint) went to the hell to help hungry ghosts. Hungry ghosts asked Phra Malai telling their suffering to their families who living in human world.  Their relatives would make good and make of merits for the hungry ghosts in order to be free from suffering.  This value of Phra malai effects the culture of Thai people to make good, ignore the evil.  When the relatives die, the merit tradition will be made to donate merit for the deceased. This tradition has made up to now.