Thai Elephant Orchestra

Thai Elephant Orchestra Artist: David Soldier & Richard Lair
Label: Mulatta
Category: Music



Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 660662859721
EAN: 0660662859721
ASIN: B00005B19H


Release Date: 2001-04-10

Related Categories:

Thailand Thailand
Related | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music
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Tracks:

  1. Thung Kwian Sunrise
  2. Temple Music
  3. Rainforest
  4. JoJo
  5. Duo For Renats
  6. Big Band
  7. Swing Swing Swing
  8. Percussion Trio
  9. Luuk Kob's Diddley Bow Feature
  10. Harmonica Music
  11. Heavy Logs
  12. Now We're Off To Paint
  13. Elephant Field Recording
  14. Somneuk & Four Elephants
  15. Trio For Theremin & Electric Keyboard
  16. Ken's Wind Instrument
  17. Big Elephant Saddle
  18. Somneuk's Renat Solo
  19. Chang Chang Chang

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Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars elephant music.......2007-01-04

Most unusual...very enjoyable. Will get many hours of listening plesure with these unique musicians.

5 out of 5 stars Luuk Kob Is The Buddy Rich Of Elephant Percussionists!.......2006-02-19

This is one of the most amazing things I have ever heard, and I have spent a good part of my life seeking out obscure and unusual music. The Thai Elephant Orchestra consists of six elephants trained to play instruments ranging from drums and harmonicas to the theremin and electronic keyboards.

I have always been fascinated with elephants, and recently purchased a delightful picture painted by an elephant; these songs demonstrate to me that elephants are capable of multiple varieties of artistic expression. Sadly, most elephants are extremely endangered; fortunately the Thai Elephant Conservation Center provides safe housing for many elephants, most of which excel in the arts.

These songs vary widely in their nature and demeanor. I actually expected a kind of unorganized cacophony, but was amazed at how well orchestrated most of the songs are. I find them to be largely very soothing, with the exception of the delightful "Trio for Theremin and Electric Keyboard," which is upbeat and just plain strange. I would pay top dollar to see an elephant play a theremin with his trunk.

I highly recommend this CD for anyone who loves elephants or music. The commentary in the liner notes is very interesting and topical, and can't help but bring further empathy for these wonderful animals.

Five stars for the sextet of Phrathida, Luuk Khang, Luuk Kob, Phumpuang, Phangkhawt, and Jojo!

5 out of 5 stars Happy Elephants' Music.......2005-07-28

The rhythmic and tonal sense of elephants creating music proved surprisingly refreshing. It's something you might hear at a buddist temple. Some pieces are primitive and meditative, while another sounds like elephants' version of our rock music. The tracks vary. The range of rhythmic and tonal variations seems to support the contention that the elephants aren't just robotically mimicking what they're trained to play, but that they themselves are listening and playing with their ears. But, I wish all the tracks were of elephants playing music, and not of humans interjections. But, even with that taken into consideration, the CD is not merely novel, but it provides music that is uncomplicated and yet not tiresome.

4 out of 5 stars Gamelephant!.......2005-05-15

Elephant music is a lot like elephant painting -- abstract, colorful, non-representational, and basically a silly idea with a very non-silly goal (funds raised going to help preserve the species).

Comparisons could be made to gamelan music, but is that because of the instruments they were given, the country in which these recordings were made, or some natural preference of the elephants for gamelan? Would they write string quartets given the proper tools? Rock & roll if they lived in Ashbury Park?

Inquiring minds want to know.

5 out of 5 stars Otherworldy beauty!.......2004-02-29

The truly amazing thing about this CD is that the elephants play to please themselves, not we human listeners. They do produce music, but the harmony is not human. The music is eerily/strangely beatiful. Many have expressed disappointment that the elephannts do not play arangements of human music.They play solely for their own enjoyment. By listening to this CD we might also understand that the difference between us and other animals is less than we thought.

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