The Source of Sound involves the material, the movement and the vibration of which music arises.
The Source of Sound 62, Hmong mouth organs
A source of sound with a lot of music with contemplative mouth organs, a sung legend and a mouth harp. It’s the Hmong’s music from Southeast Asia who mainly live scattered in the mountains of South China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam and since what they call the American War (Vietnam War for us) even in exile in France, French Guiana, and the United States of America. The mouth organ is the predecessor of the harmonica, the accordion and the harmonium. The free reed that causes the sound of these instruments was first invented in the mountains of Southeast Asia. The free reed was first made out of a hard and flexible piece of bamboo en later it would be made out of metal. At the end of the 18th century, the metal reed came to the West via China. For the Hmong and some other tribes, the mouth organ literally is a speaking instrument and its players tell a story, like Nai Hua who sings about the things he did the day before recording this song.
Please, enjoy it. Now or later.
01 Yesterday 13’49
Qeej (mouth organ): Nai Hua
Pakui, Doi Inthanon, Thailand
rec: Fred Gales
©Sound Reporters
Nai Hua
02 A dance song 9’22
Qeej (mouth organ): Song Yee Sa Yang
Doi Pui, Thailand
rec: Fred Gales
©Sound Reporters
Song Yee Sa Yang
03 Pu Chao Wong 10’49
anonymous: vocals
Mukassum, Mae Hong Son, Thailand
rec: Fred Gales
©Sound Reporters
04 Courting song 1’40
Mouth harp: Yang Pao Vang
Muang Sing, Laos.
rec: Fred Gales
©Sound Reporters
Yang Pao Vang (to the right) and Suphab Yongsuwan (next in line) without whom these recordings wouldn’t be possible.
05 Tjula 3’47
Qeej (mouth organ): Nai Tu Wang Tangsang
Mueng Khun, Chieng Khwang, Laos
rec: Fred Gales
©Sound Reporters
Nai Tu Wang Tangsang
06 Far away 19’24
Qeej (mouth organ): Nai Hua
Pakui, Doi Inthanon, Thailand
rec: Fred Gales
©Sound Reporters
