Myanmar | Nat Pwe | Academy Myanmar Pyi Kyauk Sein Ensemble | Traditional Ouverture

Academy Myanmar Pyi Kyauk Sein Ensemble
'Myanmar Traditional Overture' (Musical introduction to the rite)

This video presents excerpts of a performance representing a nat pwe (ceremony for the nat spirits) held by a group of musicians from Yangon led by the Master Pyi Kyauk Sein. The musicians are all masters and leaders of their respective ensembles gathered especially for this occasion. They accompany the rite and dances of the nat kadaw (mediums) that are “entered” by the various spirits of the nat during the ceremony. In the introductory note to this event Lorenzo Chiarofonte writes that in Myanmar the cult of local spirits (nat) is strictly interwoven with the daily life of the people both in the villages and in urban settings. Devotees pray and call upon the Thounze Khunna Min (the official pantheon of the 37 nat) asking for help in obtaining good health and economic improvement. The nat kadaw, considered as “brides” and “dancers of the spirits” play an important mediating role, connecting the human and supernatural world during the nat pwe, a ceremony in which the nat are recalled and asked to dance and provide their advice, “entering” the body of the medium. Necessary support to this rite is the musical ensemble hsaing waing made mainly of melodic percussions. The pat waing, with 21 tuned drums hung on a circular frame, has the leading role, accompanied by two gong-chime instruments (kyi waing e maung hsaing) and by a shawm (hnay). Besides this melodic section are the large drum pat ma, the chauk lon pat made of six tuned drums, the sidaw with drums beaten with sticks, linkwin cymbals conferring rhythmic liveliness, and the singing voice invoking the spirits and telling their feats.
In this excerpt the musicians perform an instrumental suite to introduce the performance. The piece goes by the name “Myanmar Traditional Overture”. The suite represents the official opening for hsaing waing groups performing abroad. During the performance, the musicians shout their group leader’s name, Myanmar Pyi Kyauk Sein, to encourage themselves to play, to manifest their gratitude for being host, and to advertise and support their director.

This event, part of the cycle named ‘Music and Rite’, was organized by the Intercultural Institute for Comparative Music Studies of Fondazione Giorgio Cini, after a research, and with the scientific advice of Lorenzo Chiarofonte, in cooperation with Nay Win Htun of the Gitameit School of music of Yangon, and the Department of Philosophy and Heritage, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

Academy Myanmar Pyi Kyauk Sein Ensemble: Pyi Kyauk Sein (director), Aung Soe, Hla Myaing, Kyaw Kyaw Lin, Kyaw San Hlin, Min Han, Zaw Win Naing, Zin Min Htike.

Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venezia, 17 November 2017
Video: Beppe Drago

More info on this event: http://www.cini.it/en/events/music-and-rites-nat-pwe-music-and-dance-spirit-worship-yangon
http://www.cini.it/en/foundation/institutes-and-centres/comparative-music-studies

Видео Myanmar | Nat Pwe | Academy Myanmar Pyi Kyauk Sein Ensemble | Traditional Ouverture канала Fondazione Giorgio Cini