[ Home | Contents | Search | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Peter S. Balkan
Production: JHG2005
Date: 2/9/2006
Time: 11:48:43 AM
My wife just returned from Thailand and Laos, where she toured with our daughter, who now lives in Hong Kong. As always, both gals know to keep an eye out for Jews Harps. In Luang Prabang, Laos (a World Heritage site), my daughter found 3 nice Jews Harps and bought them for $10.00 for all 3. They are similar to the Vietanmes "Dan Moi' s" in that they are brass, held to the lips (rather than the teeth) and produce a similar sound. Their shape is roughly similar as well. But, that is where the similarity ends. Unlike the Vietnamese instrucments which are thin sheet brass, rolled to give strength, the Laotion ones are of a thick, solid brass with two reeds. Sound volume is roughly the same as the Vietnamese (maybe a bit more) but sustain and musical range is (in my opinion) much greater. They are a much finer quality instruments with far better musical attributes. I have an extensive collection of Jews Harps... assisted by my own efforts, my travels, my attendance at the Internation Congress and my daughter's work-travels to remote parts of the world. But.... I have never seen a Laotion Jews Harp and I have never seen anything like the ones she bought in Luang Prabang. By the way, the people in that area of Laos are Hmong, the same ethnic group as the Vietnamese who make the Dan Moi's. Here's a so-so photo of two the instruments along with a bamboo case. http://www.uneedspeed.net/~pbalkan/Laotian JH.jpg
