19) Thaung Htike At The Piano.

Thaung Htike playing Burmese Piano. 

In Stuttgart before our concert at the "Linden Museum". 

The piano had just arrived. Thanks to Schoke Pianos Köln!!!

Listening to the Burmese piano style for the first time, what did it reveal to my ear? What does it reveal to your ear?

The piano is one beautiful example of how cultural exchange has affected Burma  from earlier times on. And this is not only from western music. There were influences of Thai music on the classical music of Burma for example. 

Back to Sandaya, the Burmese piano. When you listen to Thaung Htike you hear

Pentatonic elements, western harmonies, dominant colors, some little flavors of bluesy motives even. Basically this piano style copied the playing of the burmese music ensembles to the piano and added some flavors and bits. I hear the music of the Hsaing Waing ensembles a lot in the piano figures. 

You hear a lot of intervallic playing, not so much harmony. Sometimes they stress interesting combinations such as 9th intervalls or a sharp eleven on heavy beats. Which is interesting. But since the music is always moving further through the motives these spicy intervals create a special tension and sound. You hear the special embellished lines, the phrasing and accented endings of melodic parts typical for burmese music. It is also very interesting to listen to the changes in his time feel. He changes constantly in between even and ternary feel.