T’rung
It is made of very short bamboo tubes differing in
size, with a notch at one end and a beveled edge at the other. The long big
tubes give off low-pitched tones while the short small ones produce
high-pitched tones. The tubes are arranged lengthwise horizontally and
attached together by two strings.
There are three types of T'rung: high,
medium and low tones. The simplest type is composed of five tubes corresponding
to La, Do 1, Re 1, Fa 1, Sol 1 and producing deep and resounding tones. In the
majestic Central Highlands, T'rung is
often played after back-breaking farm work and during evening get get-togethers
in the communal house around a bonfire with young boys and girls singing and
dancing merrily. The sounds of the gong
and T'rung also mingle together at wedding parties and
village festivals.
The T'rung instrument has been largely
improved. More tubes have been added, and at times as many as 48 tubes are
arranged in three arrays capable of performing intricate piece of modern music
while preserving the traditional sound scale Some players have even invented a
stick notched at both ends for a single hand to produce two sounds at the same
time, heightening the artistry of the instrument.
Vietnam's national music bands have never neglected
the role of T'rung, an instrument which is original and made of simple
materials, but highly appreciated at performances in the famous musical halls
of many foreign countries.
