Bringing Moon Lute, an Instrument of the Past, to the Present (Discover Prompt Day 21: Instrument)

When I was little, Vietnamese traditional music sounded foreign to me. It was too slow, too melancholic for an energetic child who wanted something more upbeat. it’s just wasn’t my cup of tea. But as I get older, I began to grow more curious about things in the past starting from my own culture. Thanks to Youtube, I got introduced to various Vietnamese traditional string instruments, one that caught my interest is đàn nguyệt, or the moon lute.

What is it?

Đàn nguyệt is a hand-held instrument with a solid soundboard, elegant long neck and only two strings. In Vietnamese, “đàn” means instrument, and “nguyệt” derives from the ancient word for moon due to the round and pale appearance of the soundboard. The neck of the moon lute is slender yet strong, more tapered as it gets toward the headstock. Traditionally, the strings are made from silk fibers twisted into a durable strand; now they are replaced by more sturdy alternatives such as fishing or nylon strings. Although the moon lute has only two strings, there are four tuning keys on the head stock, allowing musicians to experiment different pitches.

The moon lute has 11 frets now versus the original 8. As you can see in this photo on the left, the frets are higher and more prominent than those in a guitar. The correct way to play the instrument is to pick the nylon strings on one hand while applying pressure with the other.

Its role in Vietnamese tradition and culture

Photo by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Flickr

The moon lute can be played solo or in a musical ensemble to accompany plays, poetry readings, important traditional ceremonies. It has definitely seen more glorious days in the past, being one of the selected instruments in royal orchestras. Personally, I like the harmonious sound that the moon lute, flute, and 16-string zither make when played together. They tend to evoke nostalgic feelings in me, a tranquil sadness that cannot be named. Here’s a short performance from four Vietnamese music students, they’re playing a song called “Người ơi người đừng về” translated to “Stay, my beloved”.

Modern Adaptation

I’m glad I’m not the only young adult who like listening to Vietnamese traditional music, especially instrumental music. There are people who love it so much that they specialize and become professional musicians in this music genre. Without them, I’m afraid that Vietnamese folk music will be forgotten and lost among the rapid-growing entertainment industry. Recently, some young artists have brought a huge attention to this instrument by using it to perform hit songs from American and Vietnamese pop cultures. The modern adaptation of the moon lute was an unexpected, bold, and brilliant musical deviance. It breaks all the preconceived image of the moon lute ― old, gentle, relaxing, somewhat melancholic. The modern adaptation was well-received and I can see why. I’m loving it!

Let’s watch this hot, energetic, mesmerizing performance from a contestant in Vietnam’s Got Talent, playing “Fade” by Alan Walker, and you’ll know what I mean.

This post is inspired by the daily Discover Prompts. Throughout the month of April, Discover by Worpress.com releases one prompt a day to give inspiration and facilitate conversations among bloggers. Just search for Discover Prompts and you’ll find more posts like this. Or read my takes on the prompts song, hands, pair, light, book, scent, distance.