The music of the Hmong people of Laos

Author / Creator

Mua, Boua Xou, 1915-2013

Available as

Physical

Summary

Contains traditional Hmong music for the New Year (a time of courting for young people) and for weddings and funerals. There is also an instrumental refugee's lament at leaving his country and some...

Contains traditional Hmong music for the New Year (a time of courting for young people) and for weddings and funerals. There is also an instrumental refugee's lament at leaving his country and some courtship instrumental music; in both cases the pitches of the flute being played parallel the tonal character of the Hmong language, becoming a surrogate speech; the "lyrics" of the lament and two of the courtship "songs" are included. Three examples of gaeng music are included, the gaeng (or kaeng) being the Hmong word for the lu sheng of southwest China, a free reed mouth organ with six pipes used mainly during the long and intricate funeral rites.

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