Bhutan World Music And Bhutanese Folk Music CDs

See our new extensive, illustrated Sky Saxon and Seeds discography

Modern Bhutan's history goes back to the early 1600's, when Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal united several fiefdoms in the area near present-day northeast India. It was soon after this that Bhutanese folk music developed.

Heavily influenced by Tibetan folk music, the traditional music of Bhutan features instruments and styles common to this area of Asia. The Bhutanese version, however, is infused with a gentle loneliness that reflects the beautiful, rolling landscape that is home to the country's many scattered ethnic groups.

Bhutanese folk music is divided into two styles:

Zhungdra
This is a very difficult and unique singing style which first arose soon after the unification of the Bhutanese people. Its main feature is a complex vocal tone that follows a simple melody. It is difficult even for highly skilled singers to master. It is believed that if zhungdra is sung too improperly, it will bring bad fortune.

Boedra (also bödra)
This style is a direct descendant of Tibetan court music. It is livelier and features instruments such as dulcimers, flutes, lutes and fiddles.

In addition to borrowing from neighbors such as Tibet and Nepal, the musical character of Bhutan is also largely shaped by its ties to the chanting monks of the Drukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism. This is the largest school in Bhutan.

These days, traditional Bhutanese music is in significant danger of disappearing. The younger generation overwhelmingly prefers rigsar, which is modern Bhutanese pop music that relies on synthesizers and seems to carry no traces of any music created before the 1960s or so.

The older generation often laments this, and it is left to a few scattered enthusiasts, such as musician and scholar Jigme Drukpa, to struggle to keep Bhutan's musical past from being obliterated forever.

Bhutan folk CDs for sale

We search the web for vendors who sell Bhutan folk CDs, select the most relevant ones and sort them into specific categories so you can see a larger selection of offers.

Articles (world folk music CDs)

Luk thung is the country music of Thailand

Thai: ลูกทุ่ง Also: plen luk thung; luuk thung; loog thung; look thung; luk tung Generally described as Thai country music, luk thung is a style of music that has become quite popular in Thailand since the 1960's. It is generally slow paced (although there is a livelier variety), and the lyrics often deal with the plight of poor people in rural...

Newari folk music of Tibet

The Newars, an indigenous group in the Kathmandu valley of central Nepal, create a unique form of music in which percussion plays lead, and wind instruments provide incidental color. The musical direction is dictated by nature, particularly time and seasons. The style of music from this region consists solely of percussion and wind instruments - no strings...

Ranad ek and ranad thum, the xylophones of Thailand

Thai: ระนาดเอก (ranad ek); ระนาดทุ้ม (ranad thum) Also: ranat ek/thum; ranad thume The ranad ek is a kind of high-pitched xylophone from Thailand with either 21 or 22 bars made of bamboo or other hard wood. The lower-pitched ranad thum is based on the ranad ek, but has longer, wider keys. In both, the bars hang together on...

Khene, the bamboo reed flute from Laos and Issan

Thai: แคน Also: khaen; kaen; khen The khene, a long bamboo reed instrument, is the most beloved musical instrument in Laos, and the Lao instrument most familiar to the rest of the world. Often a common part of daily life, in some families as indispensable as chairs and tables, the khene is revered worldwide for its highly unique buzzing sound. The...

Bhutan folk CDs