The music of Cambodia is derived from a mesh of cultural traditions dating back to the ancient Khmer Empire, India, China and the original indigenous tribes living in the area before the arrival of Indian and Chinese travelers. With the rapid Westernization of popular music, Cambodian music has incorporated elements from music around the world through globalization.
Khmer traditional orchestra
Cambodian orchestra for royal dances at the beginning of 20th century
The roneat has been described as a bamboo xylophone.
Singer/songwriter Sinn Sisamouth
The Pinpeat is the largest Khmer traditional musical ensemble. It has performed the ceremonial music of the royal courts and temples of Cambodia since ancient times. The orchestra consists of approximately nine or ten instruments, mainly wind and percussion. It accompanies court dances, masked plays, shadow plays, and religious ceremonies. This ensemble is originated in Cambodia since before Angkorian era.
Royal dance orchestra, Phnom Penh, c. 1907. Instruments from the left: front row: samphor drum, roneat dek (metallophone), roneat ek (bamboo xylophone), roneat thung (bamboo xylophone), sralai reed pipe, skor thom drums, other drums. Back row from the left: sralai, kong von thom, kong von toch.
Modern recreation of the traditional pin.
Instrument labeled "peatkong" c. 1870 at the Cambodian court. Today known as the kong von toch, it may generically be called gong chimes.
Gong chimes from Angkor Wat. May be called peatkong or kongpeat.