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Dramatic Romance in Music Tabxuafadin, a Traditional Lao Song

The process of falling in love, portrayed in movies and dramas, is not always easy. Whenever love seems to blossom, the couple faces hardship and struggle. In a love story, such dramatic situations are an indispensable element of viewers’ enjoyment. The same is true in The Story of Parka and Shida a folk tale told in southern Lao PDR.
The main characters, a boy and a girl, are driven away by obstacles that separate them, but they long for each other forever. The heartbreaking love story features the traditional Lao song, “tabxuafadin.” The music takes listeners to an increasingly dramatic climax, thanks to the traditional instruments khaen and kachabpih.
The khaen is a wooden instrument that was passed down from the ancient Nanzhao era. The instrumental technique and tone are similar to the traditional Korean musical instrument called a saenghwal. It sunique high notes captivate the ears of listeners.
The kachabpih has a similar appearance to the Western-style guitar, and the instrumental techniques are also very similar. However, the kachabpih has a slightly more oval shape. One of its main features is its extremely wide range of high and low notes.
If you are curious about the traditional Lao song “tabxuafadin,” performed with the khaen and kachabpih, scan the QR code. You can listen to traditional Lao music on the KF ASEAN Culture House YouTube channel.

▶ KF ASEAN CULTURE HOUSE YouTube