Musicican Nguyen Quang Ton
MUSICIAN NGUYEN QUANG TON
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In Hue, the first year of Gia Long, at that time, all over the inner city, the three regions of the North, Central and South, no one did not know about the famous Don Ca Tai Tu: Tro Ton.
Tro Ton’s real name is Nguyen Quang Ton, he was originally a superintendent of Quoc Hoc Hue school, from To Da, Huong Thuy district, Thua Thien province. As a person who is extremely passionate about the dan ca and is extremely good at it, he is always present wherever there is a dan. Traveling around the country, he finally found for himself an “unremarkable” Ty Ba, which is an ancient Ty Ba, a treasure of the family of the ruler Luu Duc Vang.
After the death of the emperor, the ancient Ty Ba was taken care of by the servants in the house, brought to the altar to worship, and the ancient Ty Ba was still and motionless as if waiting for someone to come pick it up. Listening to the sound of the ancient Ty Ba, not afraid of hardships, Tro Ton lit a ceremony to ask for the royal family’s once-in-a-lifetime care to gently play the ancient Ty Ba and play the notes handed down to posterity. Under his holy hands, the sound of the ancient Ty Ba seemed to release all the worries in the heart, resounding, making people’s hearts bewildered, they just wanted to listen but didn’t want to leave. Since then, the ancient Ty Ba has been attached to Master Ton as an inseparable object.
War, chaos, people rushing, people running, North Central South everywhere is dying, fighting, exploiting, oppressing, after being expelled from Quoc Hoc Hue school, because of opposing the government, participating in the love movement country, Tro Ton with his wife and children, the family wandered to Quang Binh, living a miserable life, a piece of rice and clothes weighed heavily on their shoulders. But he still did not forget to spend time on creativity, finding new “secrets” to be able to maximize the effectiveness of the ancient Ty Ba.
The plays imbued with patriotism, cheering for the revolutionary movement of the masses, against the French invaders, against the corrupt court… were performed by him from the ancient Ty Ba. Among the poor students that day at the village school he taught, he especially noticed a small student with a gentle and elegant personality, extremely soft and flexible hands with a passion for music. An amateur to the point of madness, Chau Dinh Khoa.
As destined, Chau Dinh Khoa is none other than the grandson of the minister of the ceremony Chau Dinh Ke, a confidant of the historian Luu Duc Vang – the first owner of the ancient Ty Ba.
The delicious “dishes”, techniques in the profession, and secrets were entrusted and taught by Mr. Tro Ton, who taught Chau Dinh Khoa with so much enthusiasm that he would be able to reveal all his forte with the Ty Ba, and put up great songs, melody from skillful hands.
(If readers have information about Tu Ton and are willing to contribute to this project, please contact me via: tyba.vn@gmail.com . Thank you very much!)
