Fantasia on a Theme from Thailand

This captivating work is a set of variations on the Pong Lang Dance, one of Thailand's most popular melodies. The pong lang is like a xylophone with its wooden keys suspended vertically on ropes, with the low notes on the upper end and the high notes at the bottom. The melody uses the pentatonic scale and is very simple in nature. The variations expand on fragments of the original tune in a variety of tempi and styles that make each new change thrilling! After this exploration, the original melody returns, gradually gaining speed and energy as one would hear in a traditional performance of this dance.