An Evening of Poetry and Music – Traces of Previous Lives and Love Songs for the Homeland, Part 18 of a Multi-part Series

Đoan Trang is also an accomplished player of the “tam thập lục,” a 36-stringed zither shaped like a butterfly. The instrument is played by plucking the strings with a fingernail or by using a very small mallet, which is soft at one end and hard on the other. Đoan Trang will play two solo sections on the “tam thập lục” (36-stringed zither) “Nostalgia” followed by an excerpt of “Persian Fare.”

Next, we feature Nam Phương, Nghĩa’s other daughter, performing on the “đàn bầu” (monochord instrument). This unique Vietnamese instrument dates back to the seventh century. A monochord instrument, the one string is attached to an end stick, which can be moved back and forth with the left hand, thus changing the tension like a rubber band being stretched, thereby changing the pitch. Various sounds can also be achieved by plucking the string at different places, and by touching the string with a finger at the same time, it is plucked-produced harmonics. Also, striking the string with a finger to imitate a drum. An extremely difficult instrument to master, a dull-muted sound is produced if the finger is not placed exactly in the right place. The “đàn bầu” is traditionally played by a man. A traditional poem in Vietnamese literature says women must not listen to the “đàn bầu” because its hypnotic magic will cause the lady to fall in love with the player. Listen now to an expert “đàn bầu” player, accompanied by her brothers and sister as Nam Phương performs one South Vietnamese folk song, the lullaby “The Four Seasons” and “The Rice Drum” from North Vietnam.