Classical and traditional music
Classical music in Laos, referred to as " peng Lao deum " ("traditional Laotian songs") describes the music of the royal court. But banned during the communist era because it was considered elitist and bourgeois, this court music - certainly influenced by ancient Khmer traditions - has practically disappeared. Today it remains a traditional music, played by two types of orchestras: the Sep Nyai and Sep Noi (also called "Mahori"). The former has false tunes of Thai piphat and practices a ceremonial and formal music rich in traditional instruments: kong vong (gongs), ranat (xylophone), pi (oboe), bass drums and sing ensembles (cymbals similar to Thai ching ). The second, the Sep Noi, plays popular tunes, especially at weddings, and includes an ensemble of iconic Thai instruments: the sô u, a hurdy-gurdy whose resonator is made of a coconut closed by a wooden plate and which is played with a horsehair bow, the sô i very similar to the previous one but slightly smaller and covered with a python skin at the resonator, and finally the khene
, the national instrument, made of two rows of bamboo flutes with free metal reeds.Laotian musical traditions include the lam luang, a sung theatrical form similar to opera but with a strong emphasis on improvisation, action and dance. Orchestrated with traditional and/or western instruments, lam luang
continues to be widely practised, often by large troupes, dealing with both traditional and social issues such as AIDS or drugs. In Luang Prabang, the Nava Meekong offers beautiful walks on the Mekong River as well as dinner cruises where one can not only admire the sunset over the river but also enjoy a show of traditional music and dance. An inratable. Thereis also a lot of traditional music during various festivals, such as New Year's Day, the Rocket Festival(an event held around May-June to invoke the return of rain before the resumption of rice cultivation) and the Vat Phou Festival. On the evenings of full moon, Vat Phou sparkles with a thousand lights. Candles are distributed all around the site and traditional music concerts are also organized on this occasion.Folk and popular music
Very popular, the Laotian folk music seems to be stainless and continues tirelessly to punctuate the local festivities. The most popular musical expression is undoubtedly the mo lam (or mor lam or maw lam). Considered more traditional than its Thai namesake, the Laotian mo lam brings pairs of singers together in improvised jousting matches full of humour and guile. While the forms vary from region to region, the most common types of mo lam see either male/female couples mimicking flirtation and/or romance, or two members of the same sex fighting in a question-and-answer duel, sometimes in costume. Depending on the region, the mo lam can also be the vehicle for exorcism rituals, celebration tales or the transmission of local legends. Often orchestrated, these jousts are rhythmed to the sounds of the inescapable khene, sô, phin (lute), sing
and drums. The mo lam and its poetic acrobatics are an art particularly prized by Laotians. You don't become a mo lam artist overnight, the training is as difficult as it is long, which gives the best of the genre true star status.Current music
It is the French colonial presence that, at the beginning of the 20th century, introduced Western musical styles to Laos. By the 1920s, Ventiane was full of clubs and concert halls playing modern music. A movement of crossbreeding between French and Laotian music appeared at the time, with great standards from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s being adapted for the local audience. A phenomenon that would come to an end during the communist era, Western music becoming considered both counter-revolutionary and decadent.
Today, Laotian youth are increasingly following international music and Thai variety shows on television and entertainment programmes. Thai pop and the inevitable K-pop (Korean pop) are very much listened to by young Laotians and, at the same time, very much copied by the local record industry. In fact, local pop music is doing rather well and is full of artists played massively on the country's airwaves. Among them, Alexandra Bounxouei is one of the most popular stars. In her wake, Sam Intharaphithak, R&B singer from Vientiane and CELLs, the biggest Laotian rock band, are enjoying great success.
In the capital, it is common to find a Laotian pop concert in places like Paris Cocktail, a bar concert held by a young Franco-Lao, as well as at the Galaxy, a typical Lao nightclub with a live music programme. In Luang Prabang, the Muang Swa offers a number of local groups in a traditional good-natured atmosphere.The dance
In Laos, we can distinguish between the popular dance, Lam Vong, practised in family celebrations, and classical dance, performed in the theatre. Lam Vong is traditionally practiced throughout the country. Danced in couples, to the sound of khene, khong and sô
, it consists of a round where the protagonists spin gently and move their hands gracefully to express feelings. Each gesture is codified. Unlike European dances, it is not the feet but the hands that play the most important role. The latter always move in opposition to each other, i.e. while the left hand is open, palm down, the right hand, whose thumb and forefinger touch, moves upwards, with bending of the wrist. The hands of the partners must never touch each other. Today this popular dance is practiced at parties and in discos. A name to remember in the field is Kong Seng Pongphimkham, one of the greatest Laotian dancers. She started dancing at the age of 8 and during her career she has given numerous performances both in Laos - notably for President Kaysone - and on stages all over the world, from Japan to Russia via France.Classical dance is the result of a slow sequence of body postures (68 in total) performed to the sound of a traditional orchestra, and referring to episodes of Phra Lak Phra Lam : Ramayana Lao
. Many years of learning are necessary to acquire a perfect mastery. To see dance on stage, the capital city offers many options. One of the most popular is the Yensabai Show in Vientiane, a renowned show (and approved by the Ministry of Culture) where one can see about ten traditional Lao dances performed by professional dancers. You canalso see them while dining at the Kualao Restaurant or by going to the National Cultural Hall, a gigantic gilded building built by the Chinese government at the end of the 1990s, which also offers classical dance.
