Hue Songs on the Perfume River
Hue Songs, a profound cultural symbol of the Ancient Capital region, is not just a form of music but also an integral part of the life and soul of the locals. From the melodious echoing within the palaces to the rhythms over the Perfume River, Hue Songs have quietly engraved themselves into the land of this ancient capital. Let’s explore the origins, distinctive features, and meanings of this characteristic Hue traditional music together with Deluxe Group Tours.
Origin of Hue Songs
Hue songs is a traditional genre of Vietnamese music originating from Hue, which is a form of recitative singing performed in the royal court of ancient kings. It represents a perfect blend of folk music and the most luxurious court music of its time.
Hue songs developed during the Nguyen dynasty period, when Hue was the capital of Dai Nam, now Vietnam, from 1802 to 1945.
Around the 17th century, Hue songs appeared to become a refined interest of the royal and aristocratic class, as well as esteemed households, during the lengthy duration while Hue served as the capital of the Dang Trong location, later becoming the capital of the whole nation under the Nguyen dynasty. It reached its peak during the reigns of Minh Mang (1820–1840) and Tu Duc (1848–1883).
Hue songs flourished during the period of kings and lords, but until 1885-1945, marked by wars and upheavals, Hue songs stagnated. It remained in this state until the period from 1945 to 1989 when it experienced a decline.
In 2015, Hue Songs was recognized as a “National Intangible Cultural Heritage” and is currently being documented by the Thua Thien Hue provincial government to submit to UNESCO for recognition as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
As the night falls and the city lights up, the Truong Tien Bridge spans across the Perfume River, shimmering in various colors, creating an incredibly romantic scene. Dragon boats are anchored along the shore, one by one leaving the docks and drifting slowly on the Perfume River, marking the beginning of the Hue Songs night.
Sitting on the dragon boat, you can gaze upon the scenery of both banks before immersing yourself in the graceful and solemn melodies. Enjoying the gentle and melodious tunes amidst the romantic Perfume River, you will experience a variety of emotions, from silent immersion to the joyous feeling of interaction, flirting, and playful banter. The smooth and deep singing voices resonate in the night along with the sounds of many traditional instruments, blending with the tranquil night scene, leaving you utterly enchanted and captivated.
Characteristics of Hue Songs
Hue songs is not just a musical form but also a distinctive cultural feature of the ancient capital region, reflecting the soul and demeanor of the people of Hue. To create its unique characteristics, Hue Songs possesses the following notable features:
1. Musical instruments
The unique point of Hue Songs lies in the harmonious combination of courtly music and folk music. Hue Songs is melodious and gentle, carrying a subtle sadness and a hint of refinement and elegance. Hue Songs is often performed on the romantic Perfume River, on majestic dragon boats tour in Hue royal style.
To create the melodious and gentle melodies of Hue Songs, the crucial role of traditional musical instruments cannot be overlooked.
The zither (Dan Tranh), with its 16 strings, resonates with soaring high tones, clear as bird songs, reminiscent of flowing streams. The Chinese 4-chord lute (Dan Ty), with its 4 strings, brings forth warm, mellow tones, akin to the human heart’s voice. The two-chord fiddle (Dan Nhi), when played, emits poignant, soul-stirring melodies, evoking profound emotions. The moon lute (Dan Nguyet), also with 2 strings, when plucked, produces warm, bright tones, bringing joy and excitement. The monochord (Dan Bau), with just one string, can still produce smooth, sweet tones, akin to Vietnamese folk songs and proverbs.
Along with other instruments such as flutes and drums, the Hue Songs can create a multifaceted harmony with various shades of emotion, from joy to sorrow, from poignant to fervent. Listening to the melodies of Hue songs will make you feel as if you’re wandering into another world, a world where only melodies exist, a world of traditional cultural values.
Hue Songs carries a strong local flavor, originating from the speech and intonation of the people of Hue; hence, it is closely related to Ho Hue and Ly Hue, serving as a bridge between court music and folk music. However, Hue Songs is very selective about performance timing. It is often only performed at night on the dragon boat on the Perfume River, where there is a gentle breeze and a serene atmosphere, creating a deep and captivating feeling and drawing listeners into the timeless melodies of Hue Songs.
2. Lyric themes of Hue Songs
The lyric of Hue Songs is an indispensable part of the unique cultural beauty of Hue Songs. It bears the distinctive cultural essence of Hue, reflecting the soul and character of the locals. The lyric of Hue Songs often expresses the soul and life of the people of Hue.
The lyric of Hue Songs often celebrates the beauty of Hue’s nature, the romance of the Perfume River, and the imagery of Hue’s women, with their traditional beauty, elegance, and gentleness. Not only that, the lyrics of Hue Songs also often carry a deep emotional and sentimental quality, portraying sweet, romantic verses that reflect the moods of the people of Hue in their daily lives. Sometimes, Hue Songs also express desires, sorrows, and hopes for life.
The Hue Songs’ lyrics can immerse you in various emotions ranging from joy to sorrow, from profound to tender. Within the melodies of the Hue Songs, you might hear the silent tears shed by women for their loved ones lost in wars, while also feeling the joy and celebration of life commemorated through cheerful lyrics combined with lively tunes. There are also simple and heartfelt songs, implying folk tales told through traditional melodies. Yet, there are also grandiose verses reflecting the magnificence and splendor of ancient imperial courts. Together, they create an incredibly diverse and rich musical panorama, embodying the cultural and spiritual essence of Hue Songs.
3. Hue songs singer
Indeed, any traditional folk melody demands strict requirements for the performers, especially the lead singers. Hue Songs is no exception. To fully capture the beauty of this art form, Hue Songs singers need to embody several essential elements:
The first and fundamental factor is that Hue Songs singers need to have clear and accurate pronunciation, which requires them to practice singing and pronouncing the words accurately, following the local Binh Tri Thien accent. Secondly, mastery of vocal embellishments and modulation is crucial. Hue Songs offer various vocal embellishments to convey different emotions, and singers must be proficient in these techniques, especially breath control and falsetto, to produce prolonged and emotionally resonant sounds.
Thirdly, they need to be adept at collaborating with musical instruments, understanding instruments, and coordinating with them to create great harmony in the melody. Fourthly, performance experience, to truly master the nuances of Hue songs, singers must have at least 10 years of performance experience, enabling them to deeply interpret and convey the essence of the pieces. Lastly, the transmission of techniques is indispensable. The intricacies of Hue Songs are difficult to learn and can only be passed down orally; they cannot be conveyed through written materials.
Additionally, the singers must be proficient in every style of Hue Songs, including the Bac style, Nam style, and Xuan Nam style.
Furthermore, for a successful performance, costume factors remain crucial. The ensemble for Hue Songs typically includes musicians dressed in traditional attire, wearing a turban, and playing traditional instruments. The female singers wear traditional áo dài dresses and play percussive instruments like sanh loan and sanh tien.
4. Melodies in Hue Songs
Hue Songs are built upon three main melodies: the Northern melody, the Southern melody, and the Spring Southern melody. If the compositions with the Northern melody feature a cheerful, bright, solemn, and pure nature with 3 unpaired songs and a medley of 10 songs, then those with the Southern melody include 5 songs with a mournful, sorrowful, and lingering nature; the melodic structure has multiple layers, embellishments in singing style, and high demands on pronunciation, articulation, and modulation to convey nuances in each verse. The Spring Southern melody, also known as the “neutral” melody, comprises 5 compositions characterized by a dreamy, vague nature; the melancholy tone of these compositions is more pronounced, hence the Southern essence is more abundant.
The songs belonging to the “hơi dựng” style are a unique and distinctive feature of Hue Songs, with singing techniques that transition from a tender tone to a resentful one, based on either a Northern or Southern melody. The “hơi dựng” style does not have its own set of compositions like the Northern or Southern melodies; rather, it is just a special style within Hue Songs, consisting of only 2 songs: “Cổ bản” in the Northern melody and “Nam bình” in the Southern melody.
Currently, there are 31 compositions in Hue Songs. Among them, 13 belong to the Northern melody, 5 compositions follow the Southern melody, 5 compositions follow the Spring Southern melody, 2 compositions of the Northern (Cổ bản) and Southern (Nam bình) melodies are sung in the “hơi dựng” style, and 6 compositions still have musical scores written in Han characters but have not been reconstructed.
Each Hue Songs melody has distinctive characteristics, reflecting different emotions and sentiments.
Hue Songs Meaning
Hue Songs is a distinctive folk art form of Hue. It’s not just a musical performance but also carries profound meanings about culture, tradition, and the emotions of the people of Hue.
One of the most important significances of Hue Songs along the Perfume River is the inheritance and preservation of the cultural heritage of this region. Hue Songs are not just a form of artistic performance but also a way for the people of Hue to transmit cultural values from one generation to another. Maintaining and developing Hue Songs along the Perfume River helps ensure that traditional values are not forgotten and provides opportunities for younger generations to continue exploring and appreciating the cultural heritage.
In addition, Hue songs serve as a distinctive cultural icon of Hue. They contribute to the uniqueness and prominence of this region, helping to shape its identity and reputation both nationally and internationally. Hue Songs have become an inseparable symbol in promoting and introducing the culture of Hue.
Furthermore, this is also an attractive artistic product in the cultural tourism industry. It captures the interest of many people and contributes to the development of the local and national economies. Tours featuring Hue Songs along the Perfume River are among the most appealing tourist attractions in Hue today, enhancing the stature of Hue tourism even further.
Enjoying Hue Songs
Have a saying: “If you haven’t listened to Hue Songs along the Perfume River, it’s like you’ve never been to Hue.”
Indeed, Hue Songs along the Perfume River is currently the most captivating short experience tour in Hue. They attract not only because of the fame of Hue Songs but also because of the delightful experiences that you can’t find anywhere else in Vietnam. Sitting on the dragon boat, immersing yourself in the cool breeze, swaying to the melodies of Hue Songs, not only that, but you can also release floating lanterns, admire the city of Hue as it lights up, and marvel at the Truong Tien Bridge shimmering in the night… That’s also why, when visiting Hue, you must experience listening to Hue Songs along the Perfume River.
Currently, there are many ways for you to participate in the Hue Songs along the romantic Perfume River.
Firstly, you can purchase tickets directly on the Toa Kham pier, where many ticket outlets for taking the Hue Songs dragon boat are focused. You can pick your preferred time slot to experience Hue Songs in keeping with your preferences and time table, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM or 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The price ticket rate for listening to music is only 100,000 VND for Vietnamese visitors and 150,000 VND for foreign travelers.
Secondly, you can book tickets through travel agencies, which is a suitable option if you want to combine listening to Hue Songs with other tourism activities. Travel agencies typically offer package services including transportation, tickets for listening to Hue Songs, and meals. Although the price may be higher than buying tickets directly, you will enjoy many conveniences and accompanying services, especially without worrying about availability.
Finally, you can participate in the Perfume River tours, such as the Hue Boat Tour on Perfume River, etc., where some tours offer Hue traditional singing performances. This allows you to experience cruising on the Perfume River and enjoy traditional music simultaneously. The prices of these tours depend on the specific program and accompanying services.
Hue Songs is a unique “musical color” that is totally different from modern music nowadays. It needs to be listened to, understood, and experienced multiple times to truly comprehend. With the hope that you can immerse yourself in the dreamy journey of exploring the city of Hue through its melodious tunes for the very first time. I have written these lines to share my experiences and knowledge about Hue Songs.