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.
A piphat is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments. It is considered the primary form of ensemble for the interpretation of the most sacred and "high-class" compositions of the Thai classical repertoire, including the Buddhist invocation entitled sathukan as well as the suites called phleng rueang. It is also used to accompany traditional Thai theatrical and dance forms including khon, lakhon, and shadow puppet theater.
Piphat Khrueang Ha, 1930
Piphat Khrueang Yai, 1930
Piphat Mon exhibited at Cité de la Musique, Paris