A major closes his life to Hue royal court music

      Retired major Pham Ba Dien, 90, has daily been cycling to give lectures and collect old lost songs of Hue royal court music.
The villagers in Pho Trach village, Phong Hoa commune, Phong Dien district, Thua Thien-Hue province refer to him as the countryside keeper of the soul of royal court music.
Recalling his time in the army, the major said that “in that fierce war, our soldiers had to live in difficulties but their spirit was still high. Each soldier showed their own countryside’s speciality of art. Who lived in Nghe Tinh sang La River Music's songs; whose village was in Bac Ninh sang love duets. I performed the special art of Hue royal court music. I received much applause. Many Hue citizens cried as listening to the familiar songs that made them nostalgic”.
Born into an intellectual family, Dien was educated in court music from his childhood. At the age of 18, he joined the army.
The elderly man proudly confided, the royal court music helped him become acquainted with numerous comrades and provided two opportunities to meet with Uncle Ho in 1954 and 1962.
Coming back to civilian life, Major Diem spent his time on his fascination with the old music. He said, “royal court music becomes my blood and bone that I could not live far from. It must be saved from being lost into oblivion”.
Since his retirement, he often cycles to old villages and libraries as well as meeting with old people to find out more about and record would-be-lost Hue old songs.
He writes down all collected songs in both old Chinese and Vietnamese scripts whereas he can then teach others.
Hundreds of musical pieces and melodies have been listed in Dien’s treasure. “It has taken me years of effort to collect them. Sometimes, students from art schools and universities ask me to make a copies of them for their graduate thesis”, Dien boasted.
In his view, that is a good way to duplicate the aspiration of royal court music to others.
He has established a Pho Trach village’s art troupe including nearly 30 children. He recalled it took him several months to convince those children and their parents to go along with the program.
The expense for musical equipment has been drawn from his budget and partly sponsored by the district’s cultural office.
His art troupe is now widely known. It has been invited to participate in Hue festivals and various other festivals and events.
“Court music is of the people. It must live prosperously to serve the people in the countryside, not just to be played in palaces”, the old major shares his desire.