Khmer Music At The Heart Of Cambodian Culture
An intrinsic part of the Cambodian music scene, Khmer music dates back to the era of the Khmer Empire. Although, Cambodia is home to other music, Khmer music has always been an essential component of the Khmer culture.
The Angkorskaya period saw the peaking of Khmer music. This music was the heart of all temple ceremonies, religious events and weddings. The temples of Angkor pay homage to this beautiful music, with beautifully sculpted figures of the celestial dancers dancing to the music coming from the musical instruments that are vividly depicted on the walls.
Khmer music was initially used to communicate with God and to summon the spirits. The sound that came out from all the instruments was believed to have this capacity.
Khmer music is five-tone or pentatonic with a rhythm determining the structure. This is the reason the shock instruments, such as the drums, double kettle-drums and gongs hold the main place in an orchestra. To the westerner, it may seem to lack harmony, as the music from one musician may give a different tune from that of the others.
Pinpeat, Mahori and Phleng kar are the three different ensembles of Khmer classical music. Mahori uses only stringed instruments. Pinpeat is one of the most popular ensembles that use wind and percussion instruments. No classical performance, prayer or a religious ceremony is considered complete without this music ensemble. Having its origins in the courts of the Angkor era thousands of years ago, it has through the ages retained its position as the strongest of all the music ensembles, with about 250 theme melodies. During theater performances, Pinpeat is played in conjunction with the exact act being performed on the stage. The sound from this ensemble is rich and has a strong rhythm that is said to fill people's hearts with joy.
Pinpeat has the distinction of being at the root of many other Khmer ensembles that came about much later, such as the khlang chnak and phlaeng knong schoor. The old court music of Khmer (skor yol and chhing), lives on in every village in Cambodia, in spite of the various modern influences.
In the absence of any notation for Khmer music, it has always been passed down from the master to the disciple. This led to improvisation and slowly American influences began to be noticed. Western musical instruments such as the flute, guitar and organ are used in the modern version of Mahori/Mahori Samai.
Khmer musicians are adept at playing all the instruments in an ensemble, while achieving perfection in one. This leads to a better understanding of the musical instruments by all the musicians and brings to fore their musicianship.
For Cambodia, coming to terms with the violent past is not easy, but the hypnotic Khmer music, which has survived those tragic years; brings the glory of the past to the present and fills the hearts with joy. Khmer music is the soul of Khmer; it soothes the mind and heals the heart of every Cambodian. - 18424
The Angkorskaya period saw the peaking of Khmer music. This music was the heart of all temple ceremonies, religious events and weddings. The temples of Angkor pay homage to this beautiful music, with beautifully sculpted figures of the celestial dancers dancing to the music coming from the musical instruments that are vividly depicted on the walls.
Khmer music was initially used to communicate with God and to summon the spirits. The sound that came out from all the instruments was believed to have this capacity.
Khmer music is five-tone or pentatonic with a rhythm determining the structure. This is the reason the shock instruments, such as the drums, double kettle-drums and gongs hold the main place in an orchestra. To the westerner, it may seem to lack harmony, as the music from one musician may give a different tune from that of the others.
Pinpeat, Mahori and Phleng kar are the three different ensembles of Khmer classical music. Mahori uses only stringed instruments. Pinpeat is one of the most popular ensembles that use wind and percussion instruments. No classical performance, prayer or a religious ceremony is considered complete without this music ensemble. Having its origins in the courts of the Angkor era thousands of years ago, it has through the ages retained its position as the strongest of all the music ensembles, with about 250 theme melodies. During theater performances, Pinpeat is played in conjunction with the exact act being performed on the stage. The sound from this ensemble is rich and has a strong rhythm that is said to fill people's hearts with joy.
Pinpeat has the distinction of being at the root of many other Khmer ensembles that came about much later, such as the khlang chnak and phlaeng knong schoor. The old court music of Khmer (skor yol and chhing), lives on in every village in Cambodia, in spite of the various modern influences.
In the absence of any notation for Khmer music, it has always been passed down from the master to the disciple. This led to improvisation and slowly American influences began to be noticed. Western musical instruments such as the flute, guitar and organ are used in the modern version of Mahori/Mahori Samai.
Khmer musicians are adept at playing all the instruments in an ensemble, while achieving perfection in one. This leads to a better understanding of the musical instruments by all the musicians and brings to fore their musicianship.
For Cambodia, coming to terms with the violent past is not easy, but the hypnotic Khmer music, which has survived those tragic years; brings the glory of the past to the present and fills the hearts with joy. Khmer music is the soul of Khmer; it soothes the mind and heals the heart of every Cambodian. - 18424
posted by X - Men at
4:37 PM
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