CULTURAL SOUNDS: THE SPIRIT OF VIETNAM

    • CD7
    • CA HUẾ (THE HUẾ SINGING) IN CENTRAL VIETNAM
    • Ca Huế (the Huế singing) was a special traditional chamber music in Huế, a central city of Vietnam. Ca Huế originated from royal music. “There was the chamber music, serving the Nguyễn Kings and their mothers”. At first, Ca Huế was the chamber music performed in the palaces of royal families, mandarins, and wealthy people. After that, it spread to common communities. Ca Huế has been gradually influenced by many Huế folk musical types. During its development, Ca Huế affected royal music; for example, ten bản Tàu musical pieces (or it can be called ten bản Ngự or Thập thủ liên hoàn) were played in sacrifice ceremonies or some occasions in the court by royal instrumentalists. Ca Huế is the essence mixture of folk music and royal music, which creates the special nuance satisfying the artistic demand of the elite intellectual class and the common class. As a result, in the past, during happy occasions such as New Year ceremonies, parties for celebrating promotions, or parties for opening new businesses, Ca Huế was organised at the private houses of mandarins, the elite class, and Huế common people.
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In the past, participants of Ca Huế included only the elite class, mandarins, and the people with erudite literary knowledge and with the ability to compose beautiful and profound lyrics. They played instruments together and shared their thoughts through instrumental music and singing. The singing and the instrumental music of one person was the inspiration for the singing and the musical composition of another. Group members were also the audiences. They enjoyed their mutual talents respectfully. In recent years, Ca Huế has been performed on stage to also serve the common people. In this musical type, there is a clear classification between composers, performers, and audiences like professional music. The interactive relation among group members of Ca Huế chamber music can be presently only found in Ca Huế in private houses.
SOUND LIST
1 Thập thủ liên hoàn (Instrumental ensemble)
Performers: The folk artist group in Huế City Time of audio-recording: 1998
08'33" PLAY
2 Lý vọng phu (Singing with accompaniment)
Performer: Minh Mẫn Time of audio-recording: 1997
08'10" PLAY
3 Nam ai (Instrumental ensemble)
Performer: The folk artist group in Huế City Time of audio-recording: 1998
08'36" PLAY
4 Nam xuân (the solo of the nhị two - string fiddle)
Performer: Phạm Văn Phức Time of audio-recording: 1998
04'12" PLAY
5 Tứ đại cảnh (Instrumental ensemble)
Performers: The folk artist group in Huế City Time of audio-recording: 1998
04'27" PLAY
6 Lý tình tang (singing with accompaniment)
Performer: Diệu Liên Time of audio-recording: 1972
05'02" PLAY
7 Long ngâm (Instrumental ensemble)
Performers: The folk artist group in Huế city Time of audio-recording: 1998
03'15" PLAY
8 Hò mái nhì - Nam Bình (Singing with accompaniment)
Performer: Khánh Vân Time of audio-recording: 1997
06'41" PLAY
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