The Source of Sound

A worldwide premiere in this Source of Sound, of the Saw Long Nan music style, as played by the singer Pinanop Thotsapon Burawat and the singer Chomyong Katiya, accompanied by Nattapon Sukya on the fiddle, the saw lo, and Guesakun Ngankayan on the lute, the süng. Saw Long Nan is a form of the North Thai song genre Saw, which is practiced in the province of Naan, along the northern border with Laos. It is a style that, unlike the usual Saw genre, is not accompanied by three free reed wind instruments, the pii, and a lute, the süng, but only by string instruments, a fiddle, the saw lo, and the lute, the süng. These recordings were made in the house where the group rehearses on November 20th, 2022, in Ban Muang Jang, just outside of Nan city.

It begins with a song to welcome the listeners, in which their Saw teacher, Po Kampai, is also invoked, and the spirit of the genre is asked to come and help the musicians with their performance. It is followed by Tatong Teng Labam, a love song and dance with the melody Tatong Teng and a Burmese dance form. Then the classic Chao Suwat Nang Buakam, the dramatic story of Prince Suwat and Lady Buakam, followed by Pleng Eu Sata Wan Kirt, a song about the influence of the day of the week on which you were born on what happens to you and what your character is like. Then the Saw Pan Fai, the Saw of the spinning wheel, which tells of an innocent childhood and the hardships of growing up and adulthood. The last two songs are Praloh Meung Nan, about Praloh who ran away from home to the forest, and Saw Papon, in which the listeners are wished good luck.

01 Saw Long Nan                                                            11’38

02 Tatong Teng Labam Pama Tam Nong                 7’34

03 Chao Suwat Nang Buakam                                    10’39

04 Pleng Eu Sata Wan Kirt                                           5’00

05 Saw Pan Fai                                                                5’36

06 Saw Praloh Meung Nan                                          9’17

07 Saw Panpon                                                                9’24

All tracks composed, arranged and played by Pinanop Thotsapon Burawat – vocals, Chomyong Katiya – vocals, Nattapon Sukya – saw lo, Guesakun Ngankayan – süng.
Recording, editing and production Fred Gales, Sound Reporters.