Homrong

Musicians of the National Dance Company of Cambodia

Released 27 May 1991

Breu Peyney
Leng Suan
Homrong
Tep Monorom Dance
Nor Kor Reach
Luok Phsar
Tropangpeay
Preah Chinnavong
Bohrapha
Mohori Bompay

Musicians of the National Dance Company of Cambodia

Liner notes

Music of a venerable and magnificent culture, plus modern Cambodian folk songs previously unrecorded.

The music on this album represents a range of styles, from the classical orchestra to wedding ensembles and folk groups. (It should be noted that the orchestra here is not the full ‘pinpeat’ orchestra, but a smaller version lacking an extra roneat and an extra ghong).

The singers accompanying the dance orchestra tell stories – episodes from Hindu epics and heroic legends – or poems expressing a great love of beauty and pleasure. Of the folk music, many of these pieces are new to western ears having never been recorded before.

Listen

Further Listening

The Wild Field

Dmitri Pokrovsky Ensemble

Released 27 May 1991

This is an album of peasant songs from southern Russia, specific to an area known as ‘the wild field’ because it has no natural barriers and over the centuries has been ravaged by invaders and marauding Tartars. The songs all date from before the 1917 Revolution and are still sung by workers on collective farms.
The Mahabharata (Original Soundtrack)

Various Artists

Released 24 January 1990

A monumental collaboration of international talent featuring musicians from Iran, Turkey, Japan, Denmark, India and France. This album represents a rare vision shared by musicians of different cultures and races in 1990.

Homrong

Further reading

Bab L’ Bluz KEXP Session

GRIT wins Modern Scottish Classic Award

Swaken Lyrics

Real World Sessions: Owen Spafford & Louis Campbell, 5 December 2023