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The traditional music of Laos
An Overview
written by INGO STOEVESANDT
Tuning
Based on the main instrument Khene of the Lao, we find a diatonic scale A-B-c-d-e-f-g as the main core for the different five scales called "lai". All melodies are seperated through a consideration equally to western major ("san") and minor ("yao"). If we take a look at two of these scales, "po sai" (left, belonging to "san") and "soi / noi" (right, belonging to both), we see that these and the other scales rise from the same tonal material in a modal way:
The Lao term "peng lao deum" (traditional lao pieces") tries to seperate the court music (mainly of Luang Prabang) from the nonclassical folk traditions, but the historical traces do indicate an indigenous classical tradition which is mainly influenced by the ancient Khmer traditions and upland people from the area. King Fa Ngum (14th century) was raised and educated in Angkor Wat, so the Khmer traditions were the first center for the court music, which changed in 1828 when the Siamese sacked Vientiane and slowly infiltrated the musical traditions of the court as well. Today, the court music has vanished. It was considered as "elitist, burgeoise" and forbidden by the communist government, and the last performers in Tennesee, USA tried to rebuild the court music in diaspora but failed due to a lack of members.
The classical ensemble and its instruments still get used in many Lao traditions today, basically for the "lam" traditions and the only "theatre" like traditions "li-ke" (or "lam poem", from 1940) which immigrated from northern Siam, gets performed with acting, story telling in "lam" singing styles and a Khene motuhorgan , thus remaining the only theatre tradition in Laos today.
An Overview
written by INGO STOEVESANDT
Tuning
Based on the main instrument Khene of the Lao, we find a diatonic scale A-B-c-d-e-f-g as the main core for the different five scales called "lai". All melodies are seperated through a consideration equally to western major ("san") and minor ("yao"). If we take a look at two of these scales, "po sai" (left, belonging to "san") and "soi / noi" (right, belonging to both), we see that these and the other scales rise from the same tonal material in a modal way:
SAN: "sutsanaen"
(on G) - "po sai" (on C) - "soi" (on D)
YAO: "yai" ("great", on A, performed on higher pitch) - "noi" ("small",
on D, performed on lower pitch)
What seems to be modal music is represented in the term "lai" which replaces the Thai "thang" and means the style, matter, techinque and occasion to use a scale. This is different from the modal music one can find in Vietnam or Burma.
Classic musicThe Lao term "peng lao deum" (traditional lao pieces") tries to seperate the court music (mainly of Luang Prabang) from the nonclassical folk traditions, but the historical traces do indicate an indigenous classical tradition which is mainly influenced by the ancient Khmer traditions and upland people from the area. King Fa Ngum (14th century) was raised and educated in Angkor Wat, so the Khmer traditions were the first center for the court music, which changed in 1828 when the Siamese sacked Vientiane and slowly infiltrated the musical traditions of the court as well. Today, the court music has vanished. It was considered as "elitist, burgeoise" and forbidden by the communist government, and the last performers in Tennesee, USA tried to rebuild the court music in diaspora but failed due to a lack of members.
The classical ensemble and its instruments still get used in many Lao traditions today, basically for the "lam" traditions and the only "theatre" like traditions "li-ke" (or "lam poem", from 1940) which immigrated from northern Siam, gets performed with acting, story telling in "lam" singing styles and a Khene motuhorgan , thus remaining the only theatre tradition in Laos today.
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