Work
The Ca Tru Singer
for bassoon and piano/percussion
Borrow/Hire:
To borrow items or hire parts please email SOUNZ directly at info@sounz.org.nz.
About
The "ca tru" music tradition of North Vietnam, also known as "hat a dao" or "hat noi", has a long history. The ensemble consists of a female singer who also plays the "phach" (known, also, as "cai sinh"), a percussion instrument consisting of a short piece of resonant bamboo supported on a small bamboo platform which doesn't hinder the resonance, and played with two hard wooden sticks. The instrument is not large. Singing style often has a slightly nasal quality. Another ensemble member plays a lute/guitar-like instrument, the "dan day", and the 'spectator' strikes the praise drum, the "trong chau".
The Ca Tru Singer for bassoon and keyboard with percussion draws on several timbral (vocal and instrumental), melodic, tempo, rhythmic and textural aspects of the tradition.
The piece was written for Sydney based bassoonist Sophia Rhee.
– Diana Blom