In praise of impermanence

CD Review: Fragile Beauty by Huong Thanh & Nguyên Lê.

Ton Maas | June 2008 issue

Some cultural treasures are still hardly explored. A good example is Vietnam. In the West, very few people are aware of its exquisite musical heritage. If we do hear some sounds from Vietnam, they’re usually kitschy and targeted at potential tourists.

Incomparable to that is the collaboration between two musicians of Vietnamese descent living in Paris: jazz guitarist Nguyên Lê and singer Huong Thanh. Lê grew up in Europe, with Jimi Hendrix as an idol; Thanh’s father was a celebrity of the cai luong, an opera-like Vietnamese art form. They too draw from the rich musical tradition of their ancestors, but not with the intention of preserving it. On the contrary, the impudence with which they arrange the age-old melodies—employing influences from radically different styles and genres such as rock, jazz, Afro and Latin—is refreshing. Furthermore, they make Vietnamese traditions a lot more accessible to untrained ears.

Vietnamese is a tonal language—the meaning of a syllable (Vietnamese words never have more than one) is determined by pitch and modulation. Whereas Chinese has four such inflections, Vietnamese has no less than seven. The consequences for the art of singing are demonstrated by Huong Thanh in a spectacular way. To integrate the melodic structure of the lyrics into the musical melody of the song, highly sophisticated acrobatics are required. Thanh’s gracious agility in this respect is impressive and intensifies the sensation of almost unworldly splendour.

Because of the Buddhist world view Vietnamese culture has been saturated with, themes like impermanence and the fragility of life are conveyed in poetic form. Despite its melancholic mood—expressed by the dan bau (a single-string zither with an adjustable pitch-bending lever)—this music is a far cry from desperation. Instead, it shows how misery can be a source of inspiration.

Tools: Discuss | Email | Print | RSS | Weekly Newsletter
Save/Share:

Comments