Ovations for the two masters

Fans of late genius composers Uea Sunthornsanan and Samarn Kanchanapalin gathered for two rounds of a charity concert in their honour last Saturday and Sunday.

More than 40 of their songs – many becoming classics and some being covered repeatedly – were performed during the concert “Pleng Thamnong Song Khru” (“Melodies of Two Masters”) in the 2,000-seat Main Auditorium of the Thailand Cultural Centre, which was almost full.

The concert lasted over four hours on Sunday afternoon, one hour more than scheduled. There was a break that lasted much longer than the scheduled 15 minutes

Part of the proceeds will go to a fund to rehabilitate the historical Phya Thai Palace and to the Uea Sunthornsanan Foundation, according to the organisers.

One of the two emcees joked that this concert could set a world record for an audience’s greatest combined age. She did not exaggerate. Most viewers were middle aged or retirees. Many came in wheelchairs or were supported by walking sticks or their young relatives.

The concert featured five veteran singers and National Artists – Sawali Phakaphan, Suthep Wongkamhaeng, Ruangthong Thonglanthom, Charin Nuntanakorn and Chalie Intravichit. They were joined by guest singers including Santi Lunpe, Sarawani Phothithes, Oravi Sajjanond and Sumet Ong-art, as well as many young singers.

MR Thanadsri Svasti, another veteran singer who is also a famous food connoisseur, was originally scheduled to sing but fell ill, according to an emcee.

The music was provided by four bands – the Sundaraporn and Kanchanapalin big bands and two supporting bands of Thai instruments, Malai Thong and Ko Phai. It is rare for a Thai concert to have four bands playing together, with a good blend of Thai and Western instruments. Sundaraporn played Uea’s songs and Kanchanapalin played Samarn songs.

The five veteran singers got enthusiastic applause and cheers from their fans for performing some of the classics by the two musical geniuses. They each sang a few songs that made them popular during their heyday and became classics. These included “Pieng Kam Diew” (“Only One Word”) for Suthep, “Ban Sai Thong” (from the movie of the same name) performed by Sawali, “Kwan Jai Jao Thui” (“Buffalo’s Sweetheart”) by Ruangthong, and “Yard Phet” (“Drops of Diamond”) by Charin.

Composer and singer Chalie Intravichit, who is 90, sang the classic “Tha Chalom” (referring to an area in Samut Sakhon close to the Gulf) that he wrote more than 50 years ago. He joked that the audience was lucky to see him perform live, since he might not live until the next big concert comes along.

Santi, who is known for rendering patriotic songs, performed with his powerful tenor voice along with a group of young singers on “Krungthep” (“Bangkok”) and “Pa Lan” (“Voice of the Forest”). The music was so inviting that the audience clapped along.

The veteran singers, who are in their 70s or 80s, could still perform well and retain their ability to entertain the audience, although you cannot expect their voice quality to be like in their heyday. At least this concert provided a good opportunity for their fans to see them perform live.

Young singers from the big bands, some of them forming choruses, provided quality performances.

The concert was well organised. The 44 songs were divided into nine sections, starting with those in honour of the nation, Buddhism and the monarchy, and including love songs, songs about the sea, songs for duos and farewell songs. Every audience member was given a 24-page booklet containing details about the songs and singers, as well as a complete list of the musicians.

In an impressive finale, 27 younger singers from the two big bands sang two lively tunes, “Chuen Chiwit” (“Happy Life”) and “La Kon Samrab Wan Nee” (“Good-bye for Today”). It was a pity that the senior singers did not show up during the finale. Yet, for many in the audience, it was an evening full of classic songs with poetic lyrics and pleasant music.