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Mohowrri
Ensembles
Mohowrri ensemble is the most renowned ensemble that
plays secular music. It is one of the music in connection with god
and temple offering, especially during the Angkor periods. This kind
has 664 musical theme melodies. It is believed to have that hundreds
of melodies undiscovered.
To this day, it is heard at royal banquets, accompanying folk
dances, or played at evening concert. Mohowrri is
purely for entertainment, and its repertoire can include anything
from lullabies to love songs to narratives. Generally, the vocalist
and the ensemble alternate their renditions. This large ensemble is
almost always string-based, although the exact instrumentation
varies depending upon patronage. The term is also used in Thai
Mahori greatly influence by the Khmer, and the instrumentation
is often the same as Khmer Mohowrri music, although the songs
are different. The ensemble have two types of sound. First type of Mohowrri
is call Mohowrri Casai (Mohowrri Strings) which is consist of
these type of instruments;
**Orginal Large
Ensembles**
---Tro-casai (2 strings violin),
---Tro-ou
( 2 strings bass violin),
---Khim
(many strings harp),
---Ta-ka / Ka-puh (Alligator) (3 strings) replaced the Chapei
Dong Veng,
---Roneat
Ek (wood or bamboo Xylophone),
---Roneat
Thoung (wood or bamboo bass)
---Chung
(small symbal bells),
---Skor
Romaneah (python or cow skin drums).
---Khim
Thom (many bass strings harp)
---Kloy (wind)
**Mohowrri Casai Ensembles**
---Tro-casai (2 strings violin),
---Tro-ou
( 2 strings bass violin),
---Khim
(many strings harp),
---Ta-ka / Ka-puh (Alligator) (3 strings),
---Khim
Thom (many bass strings harp),
---Skor Romaneah (python or cow skin drums),
---Chung (small symbal bells),
**Mohowrri
Cha-nai Ensembles**
---All of the above
---any western instruments
---any Cambodian Instruments
Like modern music it also has sections and beats to
each song. Some songs would have between 1-5 sections. This
type of Mohowrri Casai is always played first before
opening to any shows or events. This will give the performers in the
back stage time to finish dressing up. It is use in many
classical plays such as Lacon-Ba-Sak (Drama), Yek-Kei (A play w/
singing), and Ah-Yi (A small scene w/ singing). One
example, "Romeo and Juliet" is one of the play that perform
using Mohowrri Casai. Also it can be played
with or without singing which does not include any acting involve.
Second type of Mohowrri is call Mohowrri Cha-nai
(Modern Fixed Mohowrri) which are consist on variety of instruments
including modern and classical instruments. Mohowrri Chanai
is similar to the Mohowrri Casai (Strings), but it is combine
with modern instruments;
Quitar bass, Keyboard
(org), Violin, Banjo, and any western modern instruments.
This type of music came about when foreigners from the west
introduce modern instruments to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Mohowrri
Chanai music is play and perform like as Mohowrri Casai.
It is seen perform for high class royalty banquets in this modern
day, but is use also now use in today karaoke video with
acting, plays and dramas. And Mr. Sin Simouth has made the modern
Mohowrri Cha-nai very popular.
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Click on the image to detail Description
of each instruments
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Roneat Ek |
The Roneat Ek is a percussion instrument, which is tuned
to pitch and is rather similar to the western equivalent
of a xylophone. It is found in the “Pin Peat” and
“Mohowrri” orchestras. The function of the Roneat in the
ensemble is to keep the harmony going throughout.
The
Roneat Ek is built in the shape of a curved, rectangular
boat. This serves as the sound box, and is approximately
1.10-cm long and over 11 cm wide. The sound box is made
of a hardwood called “Beng” or “Neang Nung” and consists
of two long walls and two short walls, called "Snok
Khawls.” The base of the sound box is called “Cherng
Pean.”
Originally these
instruments were highly decorated with inlay and
carvings on the sides of the sound box, now they are
simpler. The sound bars are made of bamboo or wood and
are suspended from strings attached to the two walls, “Khawls”;
this helps the resonance of the bars.
Each of the twenty-
one sound bars are the same width, but not the same
length, as the length determines the pitch of the bar.
Those on the left, produce the lowest sound. The
furthest to the left and the lowest, therefore, is “F”,
which is around 40mm long. The highest note, is
the twenty- first bar, which is around 30 mm long and
makes the sound “E”
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Roneat Thoung |
The
Roneat Thoung is a tuned percussion instrument made of
wood. This instrument plays an important part in the
“Pin Peat” and “Mohowrri” orchestras. The Roneat Thoung
is placed on the left of the “Roneat Ek” and is
considered to be the male and the
Roneat Ek to be the
female.
The
sound box of the Roneat Thoung is made of tropical
hardwood, using woods such as “Khnor”, “Neang Nung” or “Sralao”.
These particular woods when carved into a sound box have
good resonance. The sound box known as the “Snouk” is
carved into a rectangular boat-shape and is
approximately 97-cm long and 26 cm wide.
The
sound bars are also made of tropical hardwood such as
rose wood or hard bamboo. These are usually sixteen
bars, ranging from “D” to “E” in pitch. To adjust the
pitch, pieces of lead and bees wax are placed underneath
the bars. To raise the pitch of a sound bar, the amount
of wax is increased or lessened according to the pitch
required. For example for a higher pitch, wax is added,
and for a lower one, wax is removed from the bar. The
amount of wax removed or added is tiny and must be done
with a great care and accuracy to create the right pitch
and tone.
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Tro Sau Tuch or Thom |
The Tro
Sau Thom simply as "Tro Sau" only is a bowed stringed musical instrument, larger than
the “Tro Sau Tuch” and is used in “Mohowrri”* music.
The Tro
Sau Thom is made from black wood, “Kra Nhung” or “Neang
Nung”, earlier on in the history of Mohowrri, more basic
materials were used, such as hollow bamboo and tortoise
shell.
This
instrument has a sound box, called “Bompung Tro” which
is around 120mm long and 90mm wide and is covered with
snake or lizard skin. The neck is long, measuring 620mm
and is made or black wood, “Kra Nhung” or Neang Nung”.
Aroung the scroll, or ornamentation. Controlling the
tension of the two strings are two tuning pegs, the
highest being 205mm long and lower peg of 191mm in
length.
The bow stick is made
of hard wood and the hair of either horse tail,
pineapple fibers or fine animal hair fibers. Both ends
of the hair are then tied to the upper and lower parts
of the bow sticks.
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Note: Tro
Sau Tuch and
Thom are
made the
same way but
Thom is just
a little bit
bigger. The
definition
of the
instruments
is the same
as the Tro
Sau Thom. |
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Tro Ou Khmer
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The Tro
Ou is a stringed instrument which is bowed. It has been
used in wedding music since the Chattomuk, Longvek and
Udong periods and it still used in weddings today.
The
sound box is made of mature coconut shell, with one open
side covered with snake or thin flat wood such as
“Rolous” or “Spoung”.
The
neck of the Tro Ou is hardwood, “Kra Nhung”, “Neang Nung”
or black wood. The neck is around 75cm long, with the
upper end quite large in width, tapering down to a
slender base. The strings are attached to two turning
pegs at the top of the instrument. The lower pitched
string is called “Kse Gor” and the higher “Kse Ex”.
Resonance is created within the sound box and by a small
piece of wood (“young”- bridge) round 4cm high. Placed
in the middle of the snake skin, the bridge, serves to
elevate the strings.
Approximately 20cm
below the tuning pegs the strings are tied to the neck
with a piece of cotton thread called Kse Kor, (neck
strings). This along with the pegs controls tension, and
if moved up or down, alters the pitch.
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Tahke Khmer
Ka-puh (Alligator)
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The
Takhe is probably the most recent of the Khmer classical
instruments. The origin of the Takhe comes from the
“Chapei Dong Veng” instrument. These two instruments are
very similar, in fact from above they look almost
identical. However, from the side the Chapei is flatter
and can be played with the instrument on the lap, where
as the Takhe is free-standing.
The
Takhe usually has three to five legs supporting it. When
performing, the player sits beside the instrument. The
left hand runs up and down the strings, while the right
hand plucks them using a plectrum. The word “Takhe”
means alligator or crocodile, as the instrument from
above resembles the shape of one, in addition, the frets
are also rather like crocodile’s teeth. Older models of
the Takhe have a carved alligator crocodile’s head to
enhance this image. Now this is rarely so and the
decoration lies in the ornamented on the side of the
instrument.
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Note: Takhe
is actually
a Thai word.
The
originality
of the
instrument
was once
call Ka-phu
because the
head of the
instrument
was carve
like an
alligator
head. |
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Khim Tuch |
The
Khim Tuch is a tuned percussion instrument originally
used in “Bassac”* music. It is still extremely popular
amongst the Cambodian people today.
The
Khim Tuch (small Khim) can be found in many of the music
ensembles or orchestras, (Such as “Mohowrri” and
“Aye-aye,”) along with other instruments such as the
“Tro Sau”, “Tro Ou”, “Takhe”, “Kloy”, “Skor
Dai” and “Ching”.
The
Khim Tuch is shaped like a butterfly and is made of
hardwood, “Phdeak” or “Kor Ki”. The sound board and the
back wall are made from “Spoung” wood. There are four
main rows of frets, two on the right and two on the
left, both rows on the left are played, but only one is
played on the right.
Traditionally there were seven beating points between
the fret rows. Now, however, they have been extended to
eight or ten beating points making the tuning process
much easier.
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Ching |
The
Ching is a simple percussion instrument. Made of brass
mixed with copper, it consists of two small plates
around 8cm in diameter. By using two kinds of metal, the
sound produced is much sharper than if only one is used.
The
center of the two plates are raised and though the
middle of each one, a hole is bored in order to pass
through a piece of string. The string is attached to
both plates and the Ching player uses the string to
strike the plates together without actually touching the
metal, thus allowing the player to make a clear sound.
The
sound produced when striking the plates just on the
edges is a clear “Ching” sound, hence the name. When
the plates are directly closed over each other, the
sound is a dampened “Chhop”.
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Skor Romaneah |
The Skor Thon Romaneah,
used in Mohowrri Music, consists of 2 drums: Skor Thon
and Skor Romaneah.
The Skor Thon is similar
to the “Skor Dai” drum, except it makes a louder sound.
The Skor Romoneah is very much like the “Skor Yike”,
although it is 5cm shorter in length. However, both the
Skor Thon and the Skor Romaneah have the same drum- head
size, despite differing length.
Both of the drum heads consist of
snake skin and are usually covered either with “Bromaoy”
or “Thlan” snake skin. Other snakes skins can be used,
if they have the same quality as the above- mentioned.
The skin, before it is stretched across the drum, must
undergo a special process, where it is cured in special
liquid and then left to dry in the sun. After this, the
skin may be fixed on to the drum. Originally the drum
heads have detailed carvings, but today the drums are
much simpler.
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Kloy |
The
Kloy, (Cambodian flute) is said to have originated from
around the seventh century. Records of its existence
have been found in carvings on ancient stone pillars,
dating from around the year 611 AD. The carvings shows a
group of four musicians; playing “Pin Peat” music,. With
one playing the “Pin” and the other three the
Samphor,
the Ching and the
Kloy.
The
Kloy was originally performed only in the more formal
Pin Peat orchestra, but gradually its use has expanded
into the Mohowrri and Bassac orchestras. This instrument
is probably one of the most popular amongst the Khmer
people and is found all over Cambodia. Perhaps this is
because it is simple to play and easy to make.
In the
early days of Kloy, there were only four finger holes.
The number later increased to six and then to eight.
Around the country, a variety of Kloy can be found and
the pitches vary according to the length and width of
the instrument.
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N/A YET
Khim Thom |
The Khim Thom is a
larger form of the
Khim Tuch. A
square shape than
its smaller cousin,
it is also played
using a bamboo
beaters or mallets,
but the sticks have
cloth heads. It was
also introduced at
the time of “Lakaon
Bassac”. The Khim
Thom is only ever
found in this type
of music.
The walls of the
sound box are made
of light wood and
the sound board of
fine-grained hard
wood. The Khim Thom
has main rows of
frets, one on the
left and the other
on the right. Each
row has seven
beating points. The
left row has three
metal strings and
the right row has
two bounded copper
strings. The frets
are made of bone or
ivory.Continue
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