Tibetan Sacred Ritual Music

1. Tibetan Sacred Ritual Music Tapestry of Sacred Music

2. Tibetan Sacred Ritual Music • Tibetan Ritual Music is mainly percussive Rolmo (horizontally played cymbals), Silnyen (vertically played cymbals) and Nga (drums) accompanied by basic melodic lines of “Gya Lings” which are double reed shawms  whose tone are more akin to the sombre tone of coranglais than the bright tone of oboes."The Doong (Conch Shells) is also blown. The percussive quality is more important than the melodic because the ritual music represent the “Lion's Roar” to which the Buddhist Teachings are compared. Conch Rolmo Silnyen

3. For the Gya Ling music, there is a lead player and the second player follows the lead player in terms of the fingerings (there are no notations when playing). Hence there is a split second delay in the second player's note when the note/fingering changes, and this produces a special effect produced by the two Gya Ling players. Also the scale is modal and not tonal and may sound a little out of tune to a Western trained musician. As many of the notes are long single notes, the lead player embellishes these long notes with occasional mordents and again the second player imitates with a split second difference and the special Gya Ling split second dissonant effect can be heard more prominently.

4. For certain Rituals especially to Wrathful Bodhisattvas and Protectors of the Teachings, the Doong Chen (akin to Swiss long horns in shape and sound) and the Kang Ling (imitating the sound of frightful wild animals such as jackals) are added to create a frightful atmosphere and presence. Especially for rituals to the Protectors of the Teachings, there are special low droning “yangs” or sung chants that has added sounds like “yayi yaya” and “waya” after each syllable to elongate certain important syllables. You will be able to hear these during the performance of the Namsay Chayang which includes rituals to the Protectors of the Teachings. Kang Ling Doong Chen

5. In the Sakyapa Tradition, there are generally three main types of sacred music:  ChodRol (offering/peaceful music after the 8 offerings are offered to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas),  DrakRol (invocation music during empowerment ceremonies) and  Chen Den (complex invocation music which could last as long as 30 minutes announcing the presence of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and Protectors during such rituals). The sub-traditions of Sakyapa Tradition which are Sakyapa, Ngorpa and Tsarpa have their own styles of ChodRol, DrakRol and Chen Den for the same ritual.

6. Today's program is performed by Jamchen Lhakhang which represents the Tsarpa sub-tradition of Sakyapa Tradition. The ceremonial processional music is played when the highest ranking Teacher is invited to the performance area of the ritual. He is escorted in front, by two melodious Gya Lings and his entourage follows behind Him. The ritual monks are normally in the ritual performance area awaiting the arrival of the Teacher. The Teacher enters and takes His higher seat.

7. The Dorje Loppon (Vajra Master) and Om Dzed (chant leader) and the music leader and other monks then take their seats. The music leader for the Sakyapa and Tsharpa sub-traditions is the main Rol Mo cymbal player but for the Ngorpa sub-tradition is the main Sil Nyen cymbal player. The Om Dzed leads the chanting in a deep droning voice and takes chanting direction from the Dorje Loppon in general and at times from the Rinpoche. He will also in general also play the Nga (drum) especially in those rituals where the drum beats with each syllable recited as in rituals to the Protectors of the Teachings. The music leader (in this case who plays the Rolmo) leads in communication with the Dorje Loppon and gives musical direction of starting, cadences and endings, with slightly exaggerated gestures with his arms and cymbal.

8. Tibetan sacred music is passed down by rote and imitative learning. The old master musician shows the young disciple musician how a certain instrument is played and the disciple imitates it. This is similar to Eastern oral tradition music such as the Indonesian Gamelan traditions of Solo and Dogjakarta. One interesting feature of the Gya Ling is that the sound is produced using continuous “circular breathing”. This technique is available in the Western double reed blowing tradition but is seldom required in Western music. This “circular breathing” is practised by blowing through a straw into a glass of water and one is breathing in air at the same time blowing out through the mouth. The Gya Ling players do this “circular breathing” AT ALL TIMES!!!

9. In today's program the Naga Puja mainly has Chod Rol played after certain sets of offerings. Following that, the main performance of the Namtoesay Chayang will feature the Chod Rol and related Chen Dens for the main Nam Tho Say Bodhisattva and the related Protectors of the Teachings. There will be many “yangs” during the offertory chanting to the Protectors of the Teachings. At the end of the ritual performance, the Highest ranking Teacher or Rinpoche takes leave. The ceremonial processional music is played. He is escorted in front, by two melodious Gya Lings and his entourage follows behind Him. The End

10. The End Singapore Buddha Sasana Society Sakya Tenphel Ling