Music of Southeast Asia PDF

# Music of Southeast Asia ## Music Of: - Cambodia - Indonesia - Laos - Malaysia - Myanmar - Philippines - Singapore - Thailand - Vietnam ## Cambodia - Cambodia is one of the most beautiful countries in Southeast Asia. - It is also known as Kâmpŭchéa. - It was the center of the Khmer (Cambodian)...

# Music of Southeast Asia ## Music Of: - Cambodia - Indonesia - Laos - Malaysia - Myanmar - Philippines - Singapore - Thailand - Vietnam ## Cambodia - Cambodia is one of the most beautiful countries in Southeast Asia. - It is also known as Kâmpŭchéa. - It was the center of the Khmer (Cambodian) kingdom of Angkor, a great empire that dominated Southeast Asia for 600 years. - Their music gained a worldwide reputation in the 1960s until the dramatic political problems in Cambodia. - Art music is highly influenced by ancient forms as well as Hindu forms. - Cambodian court music is roughly similar to that of Java, Indonesia. - They feature choruses with large orchestras based on struck keys and gongs. - Cambodian people also absorbed and adopted Indian, Chinese, European, and other cultures to suit their own traditions and tastes that resulted in a distinct Cambodian culture. ### The Pinpeat: - The Pinpeat is a Cambodian musical ensemble or an orchestra that usually accompanies ceremonial music of the royal courts and temples. - Music is always part of their court dances, masked plays, shadow plays, and religious ceremonies. - This group is similar to the Piphat ensemble of Thailand and usually consists of nine or ten instruments. #### Instruments: - **Samphor:** a double-headed drum played with hands (membranophone) - **Oneat:** xylophones (idiophone) - **Chhing:** finger cymbals (idiophone) - **Kongvong:** gong circles (idiophone) - **Skorthom:** two big drums similar to Japanese (membranophone) ## Indonesia - Indonesia is an archipelago in Southeast Asia comprising approximately 17,500 islands. - With over 238 million people, Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country and is the fourth biggest nation of the world. - Through interaction with other cultures such as Indian, Arabic, Chinese and European, a wide range of musical styles has been developed. - Today the contemporary music of Indonesia is popular not only in the region but also in the neighboring countries. ### Basic Indonesian Music Scale: - **Slendro:** five (5) equidistant tones in octave - **Pelog:** heptatonic (7) tone scale with semi tone - Both vocal and instrumental music in Indonesia use slendro and peloq scales. ### Melody Types: - **Polyphonic stratification:** kind of melody is a result of hocket/Interlock. - **Interlocking:** a common technique used in gong ensembles. - **Irama:** is an Indonesian term for tempo ### Gamelan: - The Gamelan or Gamelan orchestra is the most popular form of music in Indonesia. - There are many types of Gamelan but the famous Javanese and Balinese Gamelan are the most famous. - It contains a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, kendang and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. #### Gamelan Orchestra Characteristics: - used to accompany dances, songs, and Wayang Kulit - are believed to posses supernatural powers. - consider their instruments sacred, stepping over them is considered disrespectful - musicians bow before playing the instruments to show respect #### Javaese Gamelan: - Used for court music. - Percussion dominated. - Style of playing gives solemn character. #### Balinese Gamelan: - Used for sacred music. - Consist of metallophone and mostly gongs. - Sudden change of tempo and dynamics are the basic characteristic. - Sounds are very bright and brilliant. - Use of fast and rattling sounds of cymbals makes distinctive characters. #### Gamelan Vocal Music: - Vocal music is used as ornamentation of the Gamelan. - It is as important as gamelan. - **Pesindhen** is a female soloist singer who sings with a Gamelan. - **Gerong** refers to the unison male chorus that sings with the gamelan. - **Karawitan** is the term for every kind of gamelan music in Java. ## Myanmar - Myanmar was known as Burma until 1989. - The country’s name was officially changed by the military government that took over in 1988. - Early civilization in Myanmar dates back to the 1st century with archaeological evidences of the Pyu Kingdoms of Thayekhittaya (Sri Ksetra), Beithano (Visnu), and Hanlin. ### Myanmar Music: - The music of Myanmar (or Burma) has similarities with many other musical traditions in the region, including Chinese music and Thai music. (Likely due to its long land border shared with China.) - The **Hsaing Waing** is Myanmar's traditional folk music ensemble. - It is made up mainly of different gongs and drums as well as other instruments depending on the nature of the performance. #### Hsaing Waing Instruments: - **Hne:** a double reed pipe - **Chauk lon pat:** a set of 8 tuned drums. - **Maung hsaing:** larger bronze gongs in a rectangular frame - **Pat waing:** a set of 21 drums in a circle. - **Kyi waing:** small bronze gongs in a circular frame - **Siand wa:** (bell and clapper) - not shown in the image. ### Formal Classical Performances: - For more formal and classical performances that are performed indoors, the ensemble may be accompanied by the **Saung Gauk**. - The **Saung Gauk** is the national instrument of Myanmar. It is a 13-string angular harp with soft sound. - Other instruments may be used alongside the Saung Gauk: the **pattala** (Burmese xylophone), or the **piano and violin**, both introduced during colonial rule. ### Mahagita: - Myanmar not only has musical ensembles but also has an extensive collection of classical songs called the **Mahagita.** - These songs are divided into different types: the oldest repertoires, royal court music, songs of longing, horses' dance songs, worship songs for Burmese spirits, and songs of sorrow and music adapted from Ayutthaya and the Mon people. - The **saung gauk** usually accompanies these songs. ## Malaysia - Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. - It is divided into two regions: - **West Malaysia:** also known as Peninsular Malaysia - **East Malaysia:** consists of thirteen states and three federal territories. - Chinese and Indian cultural influences made their mark when trade began in the country. - Trading also increased when immigrants flocked to Malaysia. - The country is multiethnic and multi-cultural, which plays a large role in developing their culture. - The constitution declares Islam the state religion while protecting freedom of religion. ### Multi-racial Music Influences: - Malay - Chinese - Indian - Iban - Dayak - Kadazandusun - Eurasians ### Malaysian Music: - Malaysian music is largely based around percussion instruments. - It has multicultural influence and is believed to have originated in the Kelantan-Pattani region with a mixture of Indian, Chinese, Thai, and Indonesian influences. ### Malaysian Music Types: - **Classical and Folk music:** emerged during the pre-colonial period and still exists in the form of vocal, dance, and theatrical music. - **Syncretic or Acculturated music:** developed during the post-Portuguese period (16th century). It contains elements from both local music and foreign elements of Arabian, Persian, Indian, Chinese, and Western musical and theatrical sources. ### Malaysian Musical Instruments: - Musical instruments of Malaysia are greatly associated with their culture and roots. - Due to colonization, the stages of development of Malaysian instruments are great. - They share some common features with Indian musical instruments. - After the colonization of Malaysia by the British, the musical development was influenced by Western music. ### Malaysian Musical Ensembles and Types of Performances: - **Agung and Kulintang:** This is a gong-based musical ensemble commonly used in funerals and weddings in East Malaysia. This type of ensemble is similar to the kulintang of the Philippines, Brunei, and Indonesia - **Kertok:** This is a musical ensemble from the Malay Peninsula that consists of xylophones played swiftly and rhythmically in traditional Malay functions. - **Dikir Barat:** This is a type of musical form that is important to Malaysia's national culture. It is performed by singing in groups and often in a competitive manner, usually with percussion instrumental accompaniment, or sometimes without instruments at all. - **Silat Melayu:** This is a form of martial art that is similar to t'ai chi. It originated in the Malay Peninsula since the Christian Era and is a mixture of martial arts, dance, and music usually accompanied by gongs, drums, and Indian oboes.