Yil Chanthou – Pinpeat, Khmer Classical Music (199X) [MP3 320 kbps]

• Sacred Royal Court Tradition: Authentic performances of fundamental sacred pieces including Sadhukar (the invocation piece performed before all ceremonies) and classical dance suites.
• Masterclass Ensemble Playing: Rich polyphonic textures showcasing traditional Khmer idiophones, gong chimes, and double-reed aerophones.
• Rare 1990s Cambodian CD Master: Digitized directly from an elusive original pressed CD manufactured in Cambodia during the late 1990s revival era.
• Includes High-Resolution Artwork Scans: Complete scan pack of original CD inserts, tray card, and disc face included in the distribution.
• Verified Dynamic Range: Uncompressed dynamic master rated at DR10, preserving the percussive transients and resonant overtones of bronze and bamboo instruments.

The Sacred Spirit of the Pinpeat Orchestra
The Pinpeat (ពិណពាទ្យ) orchestra is the oldest and most revered musical ensemble in Cambodia, having accompanied royal court ballets, shadow puppet theatre (Sbek Thom), and Theravada Buddhist religious rituals for over a millennium. Depicted on the temple bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat, the Pinpeat relies on intricate melodic counterpoint, microtonal tuning, and heterophonic variations.

In this landmark 1990s recording, master instrumentalist Yil Chanthou leads an authentic traditional ensemble through the core liturgical and dance repertoire—opening with the sacred Sadhukar, moving through divine dance pieces (Tep Romjuai, Tep Nimit), and traversing complex theatrical themes.

Instrumentation & Sonic Architecture
The ensemble features Cambodia's signature classical instruments: the Roneat Ek (high-pitched bamboo/hardwood xylophone), Roneat Thung (low-pitched xylophone), Kong Vong Thom and Kong Vong Touch (circular bronze gong chimes), Sralai (quadruple-reed oboe), Sampho (double-headed barrel drum), and Chhing (brass finger cymbals keeping the metronomic pulse).

Tracklist:

• 01. Sadhukar — (03:42) (Sacred invocation / homage to the teachers and deities)
• 2. Tep Romjuai — (04:07) (Dance of the Entranced Divinities)
• 3. Tep Nimit — (03:29) (Creation of the Devas)
• 4. Tep Bantom — (06:31) (Reclining Divinity)
• 5. Khek Mon (2nd Theme) — (04:20)
• 6. Khek Mon (3rd Theme) — (08:05)
• 7. Bai Tlang — (10:07)
• 8. Thayoi-Nawk — (07:25)
• 9. Khek Lopburi (2nd Theme) — (08:30)
• 10. Saloma — (02:24)
• 11. Ruo Samla (3rd Theme) — (01:17)

Total Duration: ~60 minutes

Digital Audio Specifications:

• Codec: MPEG-1 Audio Layer III (MP3)
• Container: Tracks (.mp3)
• Bitrate: 320 kbps Constant Bitrate (CBR)
• Sampling Rate: 44,100 Hz (44.1 kHz)
• Channels: 2 (Stereo)

**foobar2000 Dynamic Range Report:**  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
Analyzed: Yil Chanthou / Pinpeat, Khmer Classical Music  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
DR Peak RMS Duration Track  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
DR9 0.00 dB -12.56 dB 3:43 01-Sadhukar  
DR9 0.00 dB -11.11 dB 4:07 02-Tep Romjuai  
DR11 0.00 dB -12.91 dB 3:30 03-Tep Nimit  
DR9 0.00 dB -10.82 dB 6:32 04-Tep Bantom  
DR11 0.00 dB -13.57 dB 4:20 05-Khek Mon (2nd Theme)  
DR11 0.00 dB -13.19 dB 8:05 06-Khek Mon (3rd Theme)  
DR9 0.00 dB -12.73 dB 10:08 07-Bai Tlang  
DR10 0.00 dB -12.42 dB 7:25 08-Thayoi-Nawk  
DR10 -0.41 dB -12.66 dB 8:30 09-Khek Lopburi (2nd Theme)  
DR12 0.00 dB -13.69 dB 2:24 10-Saloma  
DR12 0.00 dB -14.80 dB 1:18 11-Ruo Samla (3rd Theme)  
---------------------------------------------------------------------  
Number of tracks: 11  
Official DR value: DR10  
=====================================================================  

Listening & Archival Info:

• Digitized from the original Cambodian physical compact disc via CDex at maximum 320 kbps quality.
• Embedded with full track tags and accompanied by original jacket/disc scans.
• Fully compatible with all desktop, mobile, and vehicle audio players (Winamp, foobar2000, VLC, Apple Music, Android/iOS players).