The artist of Bung river

At night, many people in the central villages of Dien Ky commune (Dien Chau) often have the habit of coming to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuc's house to enjoy the sound of the monochord to relieve the hardships and worries after a hard day's work. The sound of the instrument helps visitors temporarily forget the noise of life, their souls become relaxed, and the friendship between neighbors becomes stronger...

“I still remember, at the age of 10 I was introduced to the flute; at the age of 12 I was proficient in playing the erhu, mandolin and harmonica. When I was a little older I learned to play the monochord and soon became proficient, then became a “musician” of the class, school, village, commune and district art troupes. Since then, the instruments have become my friends, following my military service and my journey to make a living in everyday life” - Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuc opened the conversation.

Musical instrument collection of artisan Nguyen Dinh Tuc. Photo: Cong Kien

He was born and raised by the poetic Bung River, his childhood was associated with days of playing and bathing in the river, enjoying the cool breeze blowing in from the sea. Perhaps that is why his soul is always open to the sounds of nature and rural village life. He was also lucky to be born into a family that loved singing, his mother was famous throughout the region for her talent in responding to folk songs of Nghe Tinh.

His uncle was talented in playing the monochord, the two-stringed fiddle and the flute. When he was a child, Mr. Tuc followed his uncle around all day to enjoy the clear, smooth melodies and learn to sing the profound folk songs of Nghe An. His passion for singing and playing the instruments was kindled and originated from there, and then became a "debt" to life.

Artisan Nguyen Dinh Tuc with his monochord. Photo: Cong Kien

On the wall of his house, Mr. Tuc dedicated a rather solemn corner to hang his favorite musical instruments, not only to affirm his passion, but also to show his admiration and respect for the traditional values ​​of the ancients. In high school, Nguyen Dinh Tuc was a handsome, good-looking student, good at singing, good at playing musical instruments, and a member of the school's art troupe.

Leaving school in 1974, the young man left his family to join the army, becoming a special forces soldier operating in the legendary Sac forest. His indispensable luggage was a flute, then he went to the battlefield to find materials to make the monochord. During breaks after battles, the young man from the Bung River would take out his flute or monochord to play soulful and profound melodies, temporarily forgetting the lurking dangers.

Nguyen Dinh Tuc's honor was to participate in the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, advancing with his unit to liberate Saigon. The most memorable moment was during the party celebrating the liberation and reunification of the country, the sound of the monochord played by the young soldier from his hometown of Nghe An made the people of the South go from one surprise to another.

Artisan Nguyen Dinh Tuc has dedicated a rather solemn corner to hang musical instruments. Photo: Cong Kien

“At first, the people there could not believe that with just a string attached to a simple gourd, they could have such a magical series of sounds. When the sound of the instrument rang out, the laughter suddenly stopped, everyone seemed to return to the innocent and carefree years, bathing in the river of nostalgia” – Mr. Tuc excitedly recounted.

In 1981, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuc left the army and returned to his hometown to work as a welder and bicycle repairman. After a busy day of making a living, the man would take his monochord to the riverbank to express his feelings to the water and the wind. There, he seemed to return to his childhood, to the nursery rhymes and the carefree summer afternoons of swimming.

Although life has ups and downs, and making a living is sometimes easy and sometimes difficult, Mr. Tuc's love for the instrument and flute never changes. Without the opportunity to study formally and systematically, he spends time self-studying through books, television and visiting artisans in all the villages. Whenever there is a solo performance of a traditional musical instrument on television, he will definitely watch it.

Watch artist Nguyen Dinh Tuc play some traditional musical instruments

He followed every gesture of the performing artist to learn new secrets, so that the sound of the instrument and flute would become increasingly smooth and refined.

With his natural talent and passion, Mr. Tuc is always present in the mass art troupe of the commune and district, participating in cultural and artistic festivals and competitions as a musician. In addition to contributing to the group’s overall achievements, he has also won for himself proud awards for his solo performance of the monochord.

These are the A prize at the Sen Village Singing Festival in 2006; the Gold Medal at the Provincial Armed Forces Mass Art Festival in 2006; the Silver Medal at the Military Region 4 Mass Art Festival in 2007; the A prize at the Provincial Trade Union Festival...

Besides, he once participated in accompanying music for the program of Playing and singing Vi-Giam folk songs on Voice of Vietnam Radio (2008). And at the exchange and performance sessions in the communes in the region, there was almost no time without the sound of the guitar and flute of "Song Bung Artist" accompanying the Vi-Giam folk songs.

Mr. Tuc added that in addition to the monochord and flute, he also plays the two-stringed fiddle, the moon-shaped lute, the three-stringed fiddle and the four-stringed fiddle skillfully. The monochord is always the number one priority, followed by the moon-shaped lute and the flute. “Some people compare the right hand holding the plectrum to the “father” of the sound when playing the monochord, and the left hand to the “mother” of the sound. I find this comparison very reasonable,” Mr. Tuc shared.

Artist Nguyen Dinh Tuc (2nd from left) participates in playing the guitar at the exchange session of Folk Song Clubs of Dien Chau district. Photo: Cong Kien

Because playing the monochord requires special techniques, with the right hand, you must know how to place the pick in the correct position on the palm and between the fingers, and pluck at the right point to get the right sound source. With the left hand on the neck and strings, you must perform the operation precisely according to the rules of vibrating, tapping, stroking, sliding, and bell-making fingers.

Admiring Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuc’s passion and talent, many people have come to his house to be instructed in the techniques of using traditional musical instruments, especially the monochord. To date, he has taught 15 people how to play the monochord proficiently, becoming the nucleus of the local mass cultural movement.

While writing these lines, we received the good news that Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuc has been awarded the title of Meritorious Artist. This is a worthy reward, recognizing his contributions - "Artist by Bung" to the preservation and promotion of national musical identity.