Preserving the Tinh lute and Then rhythm

With the talented hands and passion of an artisan, Mr. Ha Van Nguyen in Kien Lao village, Quy Mong commune has devoted his life to preserving and spreading the quintessence of Then singing and Tinh lute - a precious cultural heritage of the Tay ethnic group.

Born into a family with a rich artistic tradition, both his maternal grandparents were artisans and makers of this instrument, Mr. Ha Van Nguyen has had a love affair with the zither since he was 12 years old.

Not only learning how to tune and tune the instrument according to ancient Then songs, since childhood, Mr. Nguyen practiced making simple parts of the instrument, along with learning Then melodies and stomping songs.

Making a guitar requires perseverance and skillful hands.

Up to now, although he cannot remember the number of instruments he has made, his greatest joy and happiness is that he has donated about 100 Tinh instruments to Then singing clubs and relatives, contributing to the preservation, performance and spread of Tay ethnic culture.

For artisan Ha Van Nguyen, making a dan tinh is a process of learning and research. To make a dan tinh requires meticulousness and skillful hands.

There are many stages in making a Dan Tinh, from creating the wood blank to shaping the neck, then making the soundboard and the body. In making a Dan Tinh, every stage must be meticulous.

Artisan Ha Van Nguyen, Kien Lao village, Quy Mong commune.

The instrument, crafted by artisan Ha Van Nguyen, is famous in the region for its light weight, standard tone, resonance, and high and low tones, and is favored by many customers. All stages are done by hand, with precise carving.

In particular, adjusting the holes for the body of the instrument requires a keen ear, a good sense of sound; the right type of strings, and the right size for all three strings. Therefore, to have a good instrument with standard sound, the artist must know how to sing Then melodies, understand the pitch ranges, and basic music theory.

According to Mr. Nguyen, this is a special profession because the worker's job is to preserve, conserve and promote the traditional cultural values ​​of the nation.

Not only a talented artist, Mr. Nguyen is also a dedicated teacher, passing on his love for the Tinh lute and Then singing to many generations. Mr. Ha Minh Hop in Dong Cat village is a typical example.

Nearly 70 years old this year, Mr. Hop is still diligently playing the Tinh lute and Then melodies. Although he started learning the instrument at the age of 12, because he did not have formal training, he has not memorized many melodies.

In 2014, he was invited by the commune to join Mr. Nguyen's Then singing and Tinh lute teaching class. Thanks to his dedicated teaching, Mr. Hop has now memorized Then melodies, mastered Tinh lute making, and deeply understood the value of national culture.

Artist Ha Van Nguyen guides members of the Then singing and Tinh lute club to perform the Tinh lute.

Mr. Nguyen also actively inspires the passion for the Tinh lute and Then melodies to the young generation.

Mr. Bui Hoang Luc, Kien Lao village shared: "The sound of the Tinh lute is very beautiful, making me want to learn to preserve and promote the beauty of my ethnic culture."

Over the years, Mr. Nguyen's musical instruments have always been the highlight of local festivals, provincial and communal performances and have been warmly welcomed by the public. Besides his talent for singing and playing instruments, Mr. Nguyen also has a gift for composing. The Then songs he has adapted into themes praising the homeland, love between couples, labor... have become familiar and easy to remember for members of the Then singing and Tinh lute Club of the commune.

Ms. Ha Thi Huyen Trang shared: "I just joined the club but I am already passionate about the songs, the music and have a deeper understanding of ethnic culture. I regularly participate in exchanges and performances to spread the Tay cultural values ​​to tourists."

In Mr. Nguyen's stilt house, the sounds of Tinh lute and Then melodies still resound every day.

For artist Ha Van Nguyen, singing Then and playing the Tinh lute have become a passion and responsibility for the national culture. He always keeps in mind to teach the younger generation to preserve the cultural heritage left by their ancestors, helping the Tinh lute and Then melodies continue to promote their value in the spiritual life of the people.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/giu-gin-dan-tinh-dieu-then-post886402.html