1.

Khmer music is an important aspect of Cambodian life and culture. It is a

significant component in religious and traditional ceremonies such as
weddings or temple celebrations. Khmer civilization reached its peak during
the Angkor period, from the ninth to fifteenth centuries when great
monuments were built, with elaborate carvings depicting myths, gods and
aspects of daily life.

The carvings musical ensembles on bas-reliefs are nearly identical to the

ensembles performing in Cambodia today, where virtually every village in
Cambodia possesses a music ensemble. This continuity is testimonial to the
strength of this ancient tradition.

https://asiasociety.org/education/khmer-music

Photo by Sam Ang-Sam

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The many different styles of Cambodian music are each played by a unique ensemble type with its own
repertoire and general set of instruments. All ensembles specialize in one of two kinds of music:
religious or secular.

Two well-known ensemble types that play religious music are the pinn peat, or court ensemble, and
the kar, or wedding ensemble. Other important religious ensembles are the korng skor, a drum and
gong ensemble that plays funeral music, and the arrakk, an ensemble that plays music for spirit worship
and communication, often to help bring a medium into a trance.

http://archive.pov.org/thefluteplayer/conduct/
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The pinpeat orchestra or musical ensemble performs the ceremonial music of the royal courts and
temples of Cambodia. The orchestra consists of approximately nine or ten instruments, mainly wind and
percussion (including several varieties of xylophone and drums). It accompanies court dances, masked
plays, shadow plays, and religious ceremonies.

Cambodian Art music is highly influenced by ancient forms as well as Hindu forms. Religious dancing,
many of which depict stories and ancient myths, are common in Cambodian culture.

https://stampaday.wordpress.com/2018/08/13/the-pinpeat-orchestra-of-cambodia/

A pinpeat ensemble performing at a small shrine in Cambodia. Photo by Stampaday

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5-tone musical instrument of the Khmer

The 5-tone musical ensemble or Pinpeat orchestra is a unique product of the Khmer in Vietnam’s
southern region. It performs ceremonial music in the pagodas and at major festivals. The 5-tone musical
ensemble consists of nine or ten instruments, mainly wind, string, and percussions including several
varieties of xylophones, drums, cymbals, gongs, and fiddles.
The 5-tone musical ensemble expresses the inner feelings and attitudes of the Khmer towards genies,
nature, and other people. Almost every Khmer pagoda has a musical ensemble. In the past ensembles only
performed in pagodas. Now they also play at festivals and parties.
https://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/art-entertainment/151845/5-tone-musical-instrument-of-the-
khmer.html

A 5-tone musical ensemble or Pinpeat orchestra of the Khmer.

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The city of Angkor served as the royal center from which a dynasty of Khmer kings ruled one of the
largest, most prosperous, and most sophisticated kingdoms in the history of Southeast Asia. From the
end of the 9th century until early in the 13th century, numerous construction projects were undertaken,
the most notable of which was Angkor Wat. It was built by Suryavarman II as a vast funerary temple
within which his remains were to be deposited. Construction is believed to have spanned some three
decades.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Angkor-Wat

Angkor Wat, near Siĕmréab, Cambodia. Photo by Getty Image

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German musicologist Ingo Stoevesandt wrote in his blog: Today little is known about the traditional
music of Cambodia. One of the main reasons for this is the way how Cambodia was involved in several
wars in the last decades. After the Vietnam war the self-inthroned “Khmer Rouge” regime under the
leadership of Pol Pot tried to destroy every cultural root of Cambodia in order to start at “Point Zero”
again.

This means that many relics of traditional and cultural meaning have been destroyed, teachers,
musicians and performers have been killed and most of the traditional knowledge perished in less than
twenty years. Today only a few traditional habits survived, sometimes mixed up with popular and
Western influences.

http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Cambodia/sub5_2c/entry-2899.html