The Don Ca Tai Tu: Chamber Music of the Mekong Delta

In 2013 the southern Vietnamese chamber music genre don ca tai tu was officially recognised as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, yet few albums of it have been released internationally. Recorded by the Vietnam Institute of Musicology in the lead up to the UNESCO nomination, this CD showcases some of the best ensembles from Ho Chi Minh City and rural provinces in the Mekong delta.

Don ca tai tu is known for being highly improvised. Each musician in the ensemble performs elaborately ornamented melodies, creating a rich multilayered texture. A selection of the traditional repertoire is included on the disc, from plaintive and sorrowful versions of the piece ‘Tu Dai Oan’ to a rendition of the solemn and majestic ‘Ngu Doi Ha’. Roughly half the tracks are instrumental while the rest feature solo vocalists accompanied by instruments like the ty ba (pear-shaped lute), the dan bau (monochord) and the Vietnamese guitar, ghi-ta phím lõm. The recordings are crisp and sharp, but would have been improved by a warmer, more blended sound. Like the album itself, the liner notes provide an excellent introduction to the subtle art of this compelling musical form.