Musician Khi - A lifetime of pioneering, a legacy of lasting fame.

When mentioning traditional music of Bac Lieu, people often remember Cao Van Lau and his song "Da Co Hoai Lang." But before Cao Van Lau created that immortal song, there was a teacher who quietly laid the foundation, built the career, and opened the creative path for generations. That person was Le Tai Khi - Nhac Khi, a revered ancestor whom artists of many generations still respectfully call the "Later Ancestor." His name stands out for his pioneering role in passing on the craft and giving birth to traditional music of Bac Lieu.

• Solemn ceremony commemorating the 49th anniversary of the death of musician Cao Văn Lầu.
• Preserving the identity of Southern Vietnamese cải lương (traditional opera).
• The heroic spirit of Giồng Bốm burns brightly through the cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera) play "The Red Sun".

A name that is widely recognized.

Mr. Vuong Hong Sen, a scholar very knowledgeable about Southern Vietnamese theater and traditional music, once wrote a rather weighty statement: If we are to mention the first person worthy of being called the "founding father of Cai Luong," why not mention Mr. Hai Khi in Bac Lieu?

The late musician Le Tai Khi (Nhac Khi).

Not only did Vương Hồng Sển acknowledge his contributions, but he also mentioned Lê Tài Khí 's rare talent: single-handedly bringing to life drums, trumpets, cymbals, and stringed instruments, as if there were an entire orchestra playing. Vương Hồng Sển's writing shows that, in the eyes of those knowledgeable about the old craft, Nhạc Khị was a significant figure who played a leading role in the early days of Southern Vietnamese traditional music and cải lương (reformed opera).

In his book "Bac Lieu Past and Present," author Huynh Minh also views Nhac Khi with respect: "Musician Hai Khi, also known as Nhac Khi, was extremely talented, simultaneously playing four musical instruments – the lute, the cymbal, the trumpet, and the clappers – earning everyone's admiration." The single word "talented" used by Huynh Minh alone is enough to show that in the cultural memory of Bac Lieu, Nhac Khi was a skilled and talented musician with a unique spirit in his playing.

Author Tran Phuoc Thuan, who has devoted much effort to researching the traditional music of Bac Lieu, considers Nhac Khi as "the founder of the Bac Lieu school of traditional music," a "solid pillar" that provided the initial impetus for traditional music in Southern Vietnam in general and Bac Lieu in particular. According to artist Phung Ha, if we talk about the next generation of Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera), "in music it is Nhac Khi, in Cai Luong it is Moc Quan Nguyen Trong Quyen." A short statement, but from someone in the profession, someone who once stood on the Cai Luong stage, clearly demonstrates the respect that artists have for Nhac Khi.

Foundation builders

Nhạc Khị's real name was Lê Tài Khí, but his neighbors called him Hai Khị, while in the profession he was commonly known as Nhạc Khị. He was born and raised in Láng Giài, Vĩnh Lợi, Bạc Liêu (now Cà Mau ); his life was marked by illness, and his eyesight was not as good as that of a normal person, but he possessed an exceptional memory and unparalleled patience. His father passed down some musical knowledge to him, and he later taught himself more, listening to music and refining his skills.

According to author Tran Phuoc Thuan, Nhac Khi's memory was extraordinary: after hearing a piece of music once or twice, he could sing it again, play it, and even refine it to make the melody sweeter and more concise. As a result, despite his physical disadvantages, he rose to become a pillar of support for a whole generation of people passionate about traditional music.

What earned Nhạc Khị respect, besides his musical skills and compositions, was his greater contribution to nurturing amateur music . He formed a band, trained young musicians, and created a gathering place for those passionate about traditional music.

Tran Phuoc Thuan wrote that, outwardly, the band performs at funerals and ceremonies to earn a living, but in reality, it's a "training ground" for singers and musicians in Bac Lieu. To put it simply: he both makes a living from his profession and supports those who work with him.

According to Tran Phuoc Thuan, Nhac Khi is also recognized for his contributions to the modernization, revision, and application of the 20 foundational musical pieces, thereby training a large number of artists for Bac Lieu and Southern Vietnam. In this respect, research documents show that Nhac Khi was one of the people who brought the 20 foundational musical pieces into the life of vocational training and into the traditional music movement of Bac Lieu, forming the basis for later generations to build upon and create.

The person who inspired Cao Van Lau to write "Da Co Hoai Lang" (A Song of Nostalgia)

What needs to be discussed thoroughly is the role of Nhạc Khị in relation to Cao Văn Lầu. For a long time, it has been said that "Dạ cổ hoài lang" (The Melody of Nostalgia) originated from Cao Văn Lầu's personal sorrow – the separation of husband and wife, the feelings of a man in dire straits. That is true, but not entirely accurate. According to research, Mr. Trần Phước Thuận stated that Nhạc Khị not only taught his students how to play instruments and sing, but also how to compose, how to use music and songs to express the country and its people. To concretize this teaching method, he adapted the song "Nam ai cổ Tô Huệ chức cẩm hồi văn" (Ancient Nam Ai Song by Tô Huệ), then extracted the theme "Chinh phụ vọng chinh phu" (A Warrior's Wife Longing for Her Warrior Husband) to guide his students and band members in composing.

The late musician Cao Văn Lầu (a student of musician Lê Tài Khí).

This point is crucial because the image of the woman waiting for her husband is not just about a woman longing for her husband. It also represents the pain of separation, the heartbreak, the tragedy of a time of national upheaval, where husbands are separated from their wives, children from their fathers, and families are torn apart. Nhạc Khị wanted to use the song and music to evoke "the scene of children separated from their fathers, husbands separated from their wives, and families torn apart" caused by the times. In other words, he opened a path for his students: to use personal pain to touch upon collective pain.

Therefore, if Cao Van Lau was the one who made "Da Co Hoai Lang" immortal, then Nhac Khi was the one who inspired the emotional core of that masterpiece. Not only "Da Co Hoai Lang," but through research documents, scholars have also placed this piece alongside Ba Chot's "Lieu Giang," and other songs like "Chinh Phu Than" and "Sau Chinh Phu" by Trinh Thien Tu to show that, although each has its own style, the common thread remains the image of a woman waiting for her husband. In short, Nhac Khi didn't compose for his students, but he opened up the emotional field, the thematic thread, and the artistic way of thinking, allowing his students to go further. That is the true contribution of a great teacher.

A lifetime spent amidst the sounds of the lute.

Nhạc Khị is also remembered for four famous songs: "Ngự giá đăng lâu" (The Royal Procession Climbs the Tower), "Ái tử kê" (Beloved Child), "Minh Hoàng thưởng nguyệt" (The Emperor's Appreciation of the Moon), and "Phò mã giao duyên" (The Prince Consort's Love), which are known in the classical music community as the Four Treasures. Trần Phước Thuận considered these to be poignant musical pieces, deeply reflecting the human emotions in a time of national loss and homelessness. According to Huỳnh Minh and Vương Hồng Sển, Nhạc Khị is portrayed as a person who was both talented and experienced many hardships, but ultimately left an indelible mark on posterity.

Later generations speak of Nhạc Khị with utmost respect: Vương Hồng Sển acknowledges his contributions; Huỳnh Minh recognizes his talent; Trần Phước Thuận places him as a pioneer of traditional music in Bạc Liêu; Phùng Há confirms his position in the music of cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera). His name is used by the government to name two streets, one in Bạc Liêu ward and the other in Hòa Bình commune, Cà Mau province. The fund supporting, preserving, and developing Southern Vietnamese traditional music is also named after Lê Tài Khí. This alone shows that Nhạc Khị is a name remembered with respect by many generations and from many different perspectives.

A space recreating the artistic activities of Southern Vietnamese folk music and singing – an intangible cultural heritage – at the exhibition area of ​​the Ca Mau Provincial Museum in Bac Lieu. (Photo: My Linh)

Therefore, writing about Nhạc Khị today is to properly remember the pioneer 's contribution. To remember that before "Dạ cổ hoài lang" stirred people's hearts, there was a teacher who knew how to evoke the longing of a woman for her husband; before the generation of artists brought glory to Bac Lieu, there was a man who quietly and persistently laid the foundation of 20 musical pieces, through teaching the craft and with a heart for traditional music. And before Bac Lieu's traditional music became a shining star of the South, there was a musician deeply rooted in his homeland and country, whom people respectfully called: Nhạc Khị.

Nguyen Hoang Le - Nguyen Minh Hai

Source: https://baocamau.vn/nhac-khi-mot-doi-mo-loi-van-tieng-luu-danh-a129243.html