Mahori khmer orchestra

Last update: December 5, 2023

The term mahori មហោរី designates both an orchestral ensemble (with numerous spatio-temporal variants) and the repertoire played by the latter. Saverous Pou, in “Cahiers d’études franco-cambodgiens N°5” (July 1995), deciphers the probable origin of the term mahorī: “It goes back to the Sanskrit manohara, -rī, “which delights, which charms the soul ”, which had been borrowed for a very long time by the ancient Khmers. In Old Khmer epigraphy itself, essentially popular, it appears as a proper name given to the servants of the gods, probably musicians. K.400 (9^th c., IC VI, 85: 16) among others mentions two forms: manohara and manoharī. More than names, these are nicknames chosen for their intended meaning and their melodious sound, conferred on servants according to their talent — a common Khmer custom then and now. In another order of ideas, the famous Sanskrit stele of Prè Rup, K.806 (10^th c., IC I, 98: CCXXI), alludes to the “ornate poetry” or kāvya, probably lyrical to which told the great king Rājendravarman, in these terms: kāvvye… manohare. Therefore, this Sanskrit word was formerly well known to the Khmers as a lexeme, and its use expanded and popularized in onomastics. Such a four-syllable word was doomed to wear out in popular Khmer usage. Hence the mutation of manoharī, to take only one form, in mahori, which is far from being strange or exceptional in Khmer.”

The mahori orchestra (also transliterated mohori, mohaori, mahaori) or vung phleng mahori (វង់ភ្លេងមហោរី) is originally an ensemble of entertainment music of aristocratic essence played in the royal courts of Cambodia, Thailand (Siam) and Laos before penetrating among wealthy families, then finally among the common people. It has its origins in the pre-Angkorian era and, earlier, in southern India. When we talk about orchestras and orchestral music, we must separate various elements:

1. The orchestral structure. This has evolved over the centuries, but certain components have remained stable: use of stringed instruments including a “melodic conductor” and a “rhythmic accompanist”, a flute, drums, cymbals.
2. Instruments. All have evolved or changed since Indian origins, but their general acoustic characteristics remain similar. The mahori orchestra, whether Thai (Siamese) or Khmer, is an ensemble with a variable structure with obligatory instruments below which it cannot function.
3. The directory. It too has evolved over the ages: melodies, rhythms, texts, interpretation.

What generally characterizes the mahori is the use, from the beginning, of stringed instruments, to which melodic percussion such as xylophones and gong chimes were later added, without however modifying the existing ones. We have devoted an article to the mahori orchestra of the court of Ayutthaya in which we report on the stability of stringed instruments and percussion (drums, cymbals, scrapers) from the Gupta period in India until the end from the Ayutthaya era to Siam.

The mahori played in the second half of the 19^th and during most of the 20^th century at the royal court of Cambodia is the most mixed orchestra there is since its instruments come from India, Siam, the Middle East. Orient through Malaysia, Burma and China. See details below.

The song Preah Thong ព្រះថោង accompanying this video is considered one of the oldest in the Khmer classical repertoire. It is performed by the singer Pich Chakrya ពេជ្រ ចរិយា, accompanied by an orchestra similar to the one photographed by Gsell, plus a two-string fiddle tro, which already existed at that time.

We have dedicated a special page to this orchestra: The musicians of King Norodom (reign 1860-1904), by Émile Gsell.

As we said above, the mahori is an orchestra with a variable structure. The oldest orchestras only included stringed instruments (apart from percussion and a flute). For reasons probably relating to acoustic power and perhaps also a desire to innovate, the mahori borrowed instruments from the pin peat ensemble of Siamese origin. Five types are identified:

1. Vung phleng mahori Preah Reach too វង់ភ្លេង មហោរី រាជ្យទ្រព្យ រាជ្យទ្រព្យ រាជ្យទ្រព្យ (mahori ensemble of the royal court), also called vung phleng pei kaew
2. Vung phleng mahori thom វង់ភ្លេងមហោរីធំ (large mahori set)
3. Vung phleng mahori kreaung kse (mahori ensemble with stringed instruments)
4. Vung phleng mahori kreaung pin peat (mahori with instruments from the pin peat ensemble)
5. Vung phleng mahori chhnai (modified mahori set)

The mahori ensemble at the Royal Palace of Cambodia in Phnom Penh was composed of a varying number of instruments depending on the availability of instruments and musicians at any given time. Here is the list in alphabetical order of typology:

• kong vong touch and kong vong thom gong chimes (Siamese origin - pin peat)
• krapeu ek and krapeu thung zithers (Mon origin, Burma); kse diev (Indian origin)
• chhing cymbals (Indian origin)
• khloy flute (Khmer origin)
• chapei dang veng Lute (probable Siamese origin)
• krap scraper (Indian origin)
• skor daey/arak and thon drums (uncertain origin: Indian and/or Middle Eastern then Siamese); skor romonea (probable Siamese origin)
• tro Khmer fiddles (probable Near Eastern origin through Malaysia then Siam); tro or, tro che (Chinese origin)
• roneat ek and roneat thung xylophones (Siamese origin - pin peat).

At the time when the royal court still had a mahori orchestra, one could hear music that was soft and fluid, but also energetic depending on how the various instruments were used. But beyond the instruments, the mahori orchestra is also equipped with singers, as we can already see on the bas-reliefs from the Bayon period (late 12^th - early 13^th century). The texts depict the beauty of nature, feelings of love or certain joys of everyday life.

There are hundreds of songs in the mahori repertoire. Nowadays, they are played at banquets or to liven up certain folk dances. Tourists visiting Khmer temples in the Siem Reap region can hear mahori being performed by minimalist orchestras composed of men and women who are victims of landmines.

The usual playing of this repertoire consists of an alternation between the singer and the orchestra. When he/she speaks, the singer is accompanied only by the pair of thon-romonea drums and chhing cymbals. The song (one or two verses) is immediately taken up instrumentally by the orchestra.

The mahori repertoire is not exclusive to the royal court, the people also play it. The so-called “royal” orchestras are like the chicken and egg paradox: “Which came first: the egg or the chicken? ". Thus, the question is asked: did the popular orchestras generate the royal orchestras or are they only impoverished emanations? Unless the truth, as is often the case, lies at the crossroads. In their popular version, the orchestras playing the mahori repertoire also have a variable structure. They consist of stringed instruments (khim zithers, krapeu; tro fiddles), wind instruments (khloy flute, slek leaf), percussion instruments (skor daey drum, chhing cymbals, roneat xylophone).

Below, two examples of popular orchestras found in the temples of the Angkor Archaeological Park (Siem Reap).

> L'orchestre mahori de la cour d'Ayutthaya