Pinnpeat and Mohori Ensembles in Cambodian Music

The many different styles of music within the Cambodian tradition are played by unique ensembles with their own instrumentation and repertoire. The ensembles focus on one of two basic types of music: religious and secular. The pinnpeat ensemble, which is composed of around ten wind and percussion instruments, specializes in religious music, or the music of the courts. This ensemble would accompany different religious ceremonies and court performances, such as dance. The most common ensemble for secular music is the mohori ensemble. The mohori ensemble is a largely string-based ensemble (with some percussion) that accompanies a vocalist, though the exact instrumentation varies with the repertoire. The mohori ensemble is not used in any religious context, and is meant purely for entertainment, performing often for banquets, folk dances, and specific concerts.
Wind and brass instruments have long been associated with court music. The marching band in the parade, the fanfare during the king's entrance, "Taps" being performed at military funerals, etc. There seems to be something grand, formal, yet deeply profound about wind/brass instruments and their music. Perhaps this explains why Cambodian court and religious music is performed by an ensemble comprised mostly of wind instruments, while the secular and folk music is played by stringed instruments, whose thick and swirly melodies connote a sense of freedom and fun.

Ami vs. Enigma

The terms of "fair use" are, to this day, far too vague to provide any sturdy ground on which to stand in cases such as Ami vs. Enigma. Realistically, there are far too many different possible circumstances concerning infringement of this sort for there to be any specific law to govern it all. Countless issues similar to the Ami vs. Enigma case have arisen, "fair use" being the main topic of debate. The issue arises from the fact that"fair use" is not always objectively fair. While the rights to the recording of "Palang" may fall under fair use (EMI Records paid the Chinese Folk Art Foundation a settlement of $1,500), it certainly does not seem fair to widely distribute the voices of Kuo Hsiu-chu and Kuo Ying-nan and subsequently give them no credit. Mainly, Kuo simply wanted recognition that the voice being heard was that of an Ami tribesman in order to raise awareness of the Ami culture. Already fading out slowly, Kuo feared failure to receive recognition could lead to the end of certain parts of their culture.
There is a benefit to all of this, however, even through the conflict. Enigma's song being the theme for the 1996 Summer Olympics meant millions of ears were hearing the Kuo's. Their native Ami song was distributed across the globe. Even if Kuo was not recognized as the singer, there is still something positive to be found in the "mashing up" of East and West culture on a global level.