Vietnam - Ensemble Nguyen Vinh Bao Nguyen Vinh Bao, Ba Tu, Ut Ti, Hoang Co Thuy

This music for string quartet offers a selection of melodically refined chamber pieces brimming with highly subtle ornamentation, creating a fine blend of different instrumental timbres and sonorities. It is performed with great poetry by musicians of the previous generation. Traditional Vietnamese music, shaped by numerous cultural influences linked to its geography, is characterized by movement and abundant variation. It is an art form where dynamism appears to be a permanent feature. Each composition is played from memory, and improvisation is a primary form of musical creation. Once the melodic canvas is fixed in memory, performers can execute extremely complex and daring variations. The ensemble features: Nguyên Vinh Bao on dàn tranh (zither with 25 strings) Ba Tu on dàn nguyêt (moon-shaped lute) Ut Ti on dàn nhi and dàn gao (2-stringed spike fiddle) Hoàng Cò Thuy on dàn ty bà (4-stringed pear-shaped lute)