The Source of Sound 88
The steel mouth organ and death
Traditionally, in the birthplace of the instrument – continental Southeast Asia – the mouth organ is made from a gourd or wooden resonance chamber and tubes made of reed or bamboo. The free reed, the small but sound-producing part of the instrument, is made of bamboo or, more commonly, a metal alloy. However, in Thailand, the Hmong people also make mouth organs from steel, both the resonance chamber and the tubes. This steel instrument has the advantage of being more durable, less susceptible to damage, and resistant to temperature and humidity changes. It is also more uniform, with each instrument having a more consistent pitch. Additionally, the owner can choose their preferred color. The instrument also has a distinct, somewhat louder sound due to the material used. However, it has less variation in volume and pitch of sounds.
It is an invention developed and produced by the Hmong people in Thailand that is becoming increasingly popular, but has not yet caught on among the Hmong living in other countries.
In this episode, you will hear two professional Hmong mouth organ players from Thailand, Wangju Sema and Nayong Yut Senwang, playing steel mouth organs, and one Hmong mouth organ player from Vietnam, Hang a Dêńh, playing an instrument made of wood and bamboo. The last two players perform a number of songs related to death. In Hmong society, the mouth organ is an indispensable instrument when it comes to death, and mouth organ music is played at all related rituals and events. The instrument also has a role in guiding the spirit of the deceased to the afterlife and showing the spirit the correct path. It is important to note that the mouth organ is literally a speaking instrument that can convey words and messages to the audience.
01 Song of welcome 1’33
Wangju Sema – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
02 About the culture 2’52
Wangju Sema – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
03 The family stays far away 3’08
Wangju Sema – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
04 The chicken call the sun 5’08
Wangju Sema – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
05 The branch of the tree fell down 5’55
Wangju Sema – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
06 Send the spirit to the afterworld 4’11
Nayong Yut Senwang – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
07 The dead look down and see 1’44
the children cry
Nayong Yut Senwang – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
08 The night 3’23
Nayong Yut Senwang – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
09 Song for the sick people 5’56
Nayong Yut Senwang – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
10 Song for the dead to arrive in 9’02
the afterworld
Nayong Yut Senwang – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2022
11 lunch offerings for the dead 5’56
Hang a Dêńh – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2023
12 Evening meal offerings for the dead 10’55
Hang a Dêńh – qeej mouth organ
recording Fred Gales, 2023
