To find out about “Don ca tai tu”, the first person we call on is Professor Tran Van Khe who lives in Huynh Dinh Mai Street, Binh Thanh Precinct, Ho Chi Minh City. His house was a present of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to him when he returned to the home country to research and preserve the traditional music of the country.
Tran Van Khe possesses a lot of photos, exhibits, musical instruments and other documents relating to “Don ca tai tu” which he put on display. According to the Professor, “Don ca tai tu” is a folk culture style, typical in Mekong Delta River and in the South. Therefore, talking about the South means to be reminded of “Don ca tai tu”.
Professor Tran Van Khe and his son, Professor Tran Quang Hai are regarded as living dictionaries on “Don ca tai tu”.
“Don ca tai tu” was established immediately after the formation of the South Vietnam. The folklore closely attached to the formation and development of this land since its first came into being. At the dawn of the South, “Don ca tai tu” existed and developed under oral culture. Land exploiters made advantage of quintessence of ceremonial music, royal music and folk songs to create a new form of music which is suitable with the water-logged region.
“Don ca tai tu”, at first, was an entertainment of those who left for land reclamation. After that, it was performed at temples and pagodas during Tet holidays and great anniversaries.
Relating to the word “tai tu”, Prof. Tran Van Khe said that it means ‘talented’ instead of ‘amateur’ in French as some thought of. Thus, “Don ca tai tu” is a cultural activity of a group of talented people who are good at singing and repartee and love practicing. “Tai tu” often going with “giai nhan” (the beauty), forming a heart-to heart couple.
“Don ca tai tu” is different from “nhac tai tu”, a traditional musical genre in the South basied on the music of “ngu am” (five tones) and “that thanh” (seven pitches).
During the 19th and early 20th century, especially under the Nguyen dynasty, “Don ca tai tu” developed strongly and became an indispensable hobby of gentlemen and hi-class people. Prof. Tran Van Khe’s father, named Tran Van Trieu (alias Hai Trieu), led one of the two famous “Don ca tai tu” teams in My Tho, Tien Giang at that time. The other team was headed by Nguyen Tong Trieu. The two teams’ singers and instrumentalists were invited to give performances in France many times.
As Prof. Tran Van Khe remembers, he was nurtured and grew up in the atmosphere of “Don ca tai tu” in his family. He shared that his current fame has resulted from his aspiration for musical instruments when he was young. His uncle and aunt’s love of music inspired him much. Studying to play musical instrument was also to nurture the soul and noble life.
Under the instruction from his uncle, Nguyen Tri Phuong, a reputed author on “Tuong” (classical drama), and his aunt, Tran Ngoc Vien, Tran Van Khe well played “don nguyet” (Vietnamese two-chord guitar), “don co” (Vietnamese two-chord fiddle) and “don tranh” (16-chord zither).
The Prof. has to date never forgotten his memories of his childhood living with his aunt as his mother died when he was 9 years old. A year later, his father also passed away. Since then, he lived with his aunt Tran Ngoc Vien, often heard and was inspired with the sound of “don tranh” played by the aunt at the garden with lots of fruit-trees.
“Don ca tai tu” is an elegant hobby that could not be separated from the one who loves it. As a result, artists and the beauty consider it a almost as a “religion”.
Traditionally, at the first days of the Lunar New Year, artist often play musical instruments. Such a ceremony is well prepared. On these days, members of the family get dressed and play nice melodies on spring and other newly-composed songs. This rite has become indispensable in artists’ life.
Surveys from functional sectors show that “Don ca tai tu” has been present in 21 cities and provinces across the South with more than 2,000 teams and clubs with over 22,600 members.
According to a new research by musician and researcher Dang Hoanh Loan, the former Deputy-Head of the Institute of Musicology, along developing in the South, “Don ca tai tu” has been introduced to various regions throughout Vietnam and other countries as well. It is said that “Don ca tai tu” will be immortal as the land of southern Vietnam.
(to be continued)
