The Laos has one of the most original musical heritage of South East Asian heritage built up over the centuries thanks to the mutual cultural influences between civilizations determinatesi Laotian and Thai, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Chinese.
Among the lesser-known musical reality of the whole territory of Laos is the classical music tradition of its southern region of the country, the region identified with the district of Champasak. In this narrow geographical and cultural area - known to many by dell'estesissimo archaeological site of Wat Khmer-Pu, now UNESCO World Heritage in 2000 - this is still a double musical expression of ancient origin: the Seb-We (Or Ry-Ma-I) and Seb-Gnaï. In the first case, the musical tradition rests in the use of stringed instruments (so), percussion (rang-nat-kong and Vong) and mouth organs (Khen). This kind of performance was traditionally used as a form accompanying choirs and only as a prelude and conclusion of vocal works. The second genre, the Seb-Gnaï provides for the use of their own musical instruments of the Seb-We (with the exception of stringed instruments and organs in the mouth) with the addition of some other specific drums and a wooden wind (pi). Unlike the Seb-we, the executions of Seb-Gnaï not have a role as musical accompaniment, but constitute a real and their own musical expression, which takes the form of processions on the occasion gifts, religious processions, theatrical performances of the great Indian epics of Ramayana.
The historical events that, in the not too distant past, led to the fall of the Laotian kingdoms and the establishment of a socialist government, led to a rapid deterioration of the musical traditions of southern Laos, blamed for a "reactionary", especially given Read their character and their close proximity to the court life. Because of these assumptions, for many years, the musical performances of the Seb-Seb-Gnaï us and were totally banned from the country. It 'was just in time very recent - in response to the changing cultural climate in Laos and the emergence of an interest in the preservation and recovery of indigenous cultural traditions - the musical traditions have been tentatively re-appear in public life and then reappear in some contexts of religious and ceremonial of southern Laos.
The CD offers a series of songs of their classical repertoire performed by the orchestra of the Seb-Gnaï of Champasak. Recorded live in February 2006, the music tracks are a rare example of one of the most delicate musical heritage of South East Asia.
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