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SEPTEMBER 8, 2000 VOL. 26 NO. 35 | SEARCH ASIAWEEK
Why they're singing Tran Tien's songs in Vietnam By MARIA CHENG and CRAIG THOMAS Ho Chi Minh City Composer Tran Tien prizes originality above all else. So it's his way or not at all. Unlike many of his colleagues, he doesn't turn to the West for ideas. "I don't listen to other people's work," says the 53-year-old pioneer of modern music in Vietnam. Though his country has been swamped with Western pop over the past decade, Tien refuses to yield to commercial pressures. "I make what appeals to me," he says. "I don't create music with an ear to what others want to hear." Fortunately for Tien, his compatriots are more than eager to listen to his unique brand of music, which blends Vietnamese folk with jazz, rock and country elements. Those in the know say that for every three people in Vietnam, at least one will know the words to a Tran Tien song. Praise indeed. Since penning his first song nearly 40 years ago, Tien has become a national icon by updating traditional music with contemporary style. The result is a tuneful tapestry that puts to shame the copycat material churned out by many composers. What's more, Tien's glory days are far from over. With the rise of 23-year-old singing sensation Thu Ha, who just happens to be his niece, the composer's muse is apparently just getting started. Together with Thu Ha, he is teaching Vietnamese to appreciate musical innovation once again. "She'll be the first local singer to incorporate jazz into modern Vietnamese music," brags Tien. "I have no choice but to write for Thu Ha. She is the only one who really understands the spirit of my work." Like her uncle, Thu Ha is a graduate of Hanoi's Conservatory of Music, and draws influences from a wide range of styles: rock, blues, gospel and jazz. While Thu Ha has produced just two solo albums, she tied with pop star My Linh as the top singer of 1999 in a poll conducted by a leading local newspaper. Thu Ha is also featured on some 20 compilation CDs of Vietnam's leading artists. Actual sales numbers are difficult to track in Vietnam, where piracy reigns and discs are shared. On paper, Thu Ha's albums have sold nearly 20,000 copies. Industry executives suggest, however, that her penetration of the market is probably five times as high. Tien has made only one album (with his niece), but as many as 50 of his songs have been recorded and performed by other artists, official sales of which run into the hundreds of thousands. Perhaps the greatest accolade for Tien's work is the way his songs have become standards not only for performing artists, but for everyday people. Tien is also the first composer to successfully sue for copyright violation. He was awarded $1,500 in damages a couple of years ago, setting a valuable precedent for musicians, who must now approve recordings of their work and receive royalties. Born in northern Ha Tay province in 1947, Tien grew up during what Vietnamese call the American War. Though dispatched to the battlefront, he served as a cultural cadre, entertaining the troops rather than engaging in actual combat. Steeped in the country's painful history, Tien's music draws much inspiration from his wartime experiences, focusing on themes such as loss, the unavoidable tragedies of war, and the conflicting sentiments toward the que huong, or the motherland. The universal draw of Tien's music — which cuts across all class and background divides — has made the composer a "people's artist." Tien refuses to be labelled a pop artist. That, he says, implies he is willing to sacrifice artistic integrity for mass appeal. There is nothing formulaic about his songs, which reject the usual blandness of prevailing pop ballads. Rather, they feature a strong narrative. Tien's most popular tunes can often be classed as folk music, as he seldom strays far from his Vietnamese origins. Yet tradition is just the start for Tien, who typically transforms folk culture into a contemporary art form with an underlying message. Take his hit song, Chi Toi (Older Sister). This recounts the story of a young woman who sacrifices her own chances of marriage for the sake of her mother and younger siblings. Tien describes the story as "one half real, one half inspiration." From a Vietnamese perspective, the tale is a noble, albeit tragic one. "In all families, there is one person who is less happy than the others," Tien explains, "one who makes a sacrifice for the happiness of others. I wanted to write about that person." The populist composer is often enlisted for social campaigns, including a United Nations family planning program. For that project, Tien wrote La Dieu Bong, based on a poem about a young girl destined to marry the man who brings back a leaf from a mythical tree. Intended to encourage young people not to rush into marriage, the song has since become a national favourite. Pretty good for a public announcement. Tien's latest work, Sac Mau (Colors), looks set to be another hit. Those who have heard it performed are generating lots of word-of-mouth interest in the song, which Thu Ha will include in an upcoming album. Written specifically for her, Sac Mau is about the futility of trying to capture the human spirit in a painting. And the best is yet to come, if Tien himself is any judge. His favourite composition, he says, is "one that I haven't written yet." A new song, he says, takes only about 15 minutes — plus about 50 years of experience. Write to Asiaweek at mail@web.asiaweek.com
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