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24 July 2008

Duc Tuan – Tieng Hat Truong Chi

Tieng Hat Truong Chi continues Duc Tuan’s direction in concept album. He covers Van Cao’s tunes with the accompanying of Hoai Sa’s arrangements. Hoai Sa is a young, talented musician and he is one of the top-billing producers in Viet Nam. He is also passed for a jazz, semi-classical pianist; therefore, it is not a surprise that Duc Tuan enlisted him for this release.

Like his previous albums, Duc Tuan recorded Truong Chi with a set of standards: wise song selection and quality production. Sometimes a too-careful-too-perfect album returns a reverse effect. Truong Chi is indeed a perfect album, and its perfection robs its soul. In every track the arrangement has stripped down to its basic elements, which diminishes the depth and the textures of the work. The title track, “Truong Chi,” is beautiful rendition. Hoai Sa has done a superb job of playing the piano behind Duc Tuan. The problem is that the track is six minutes long, and without variations, it gets worn out quick. Both “Thu Co Lieu” and “Buon Tan Thu” have a repetitive, mechanical drum track throughout, which doesn’t help Duc Tuan’s little fatigued and breathy vocals.

“Ben Xuan” and “Thien Thai” are good, but could have been better if Hoai Sa could add some colorization and dynamics into the harmonization—something Duc Tri has done so well in his orchestration. With an album like Truong Chi, production plays an important role in enhancing the music. If Hoai Sa could step up his game, the album would have been a great, instead of just decent, one.

34 Comments »

  1. Is there a link to listen to these songs, Donny? Thanks

    Comment by Phi Quach — 24 July 2008 @ 4:10 pm
  2. La mot fan cua Duc Tuan, nhung Ha da khong du kien nhan nghe het dia nay. Luc do khong biet la tai sao, nay doc nhung nhan xet cua Donny moi gat gu dong y. Thanks.

    Comment by Ha Do — 25 July 2008 @ 9:44 am
  3. Yeah…Truong Chi is such a great song. It’s a good cd but i think Duc Tuan should release his next cd with new songs.

    Comment by Anonymous — 27 July 2008 @ 6:03 pm
  4. To me this is a very good album. DT da mang nhac Van Cao den gan gioi tre, lam no de nghe hon ma van giu nguyen net sang trong va lang man cua nhac Van Cao.

    Comment by Vina N. — 27 July 2008 @ 8:10 pm
  5. Album nghe khá điệu! Tuấn nên hát đàn ông 1 chút sẽ thấy không cường điều! Diễn tả từng chút một nghe rờn rợn! Tuy nhiên, Mùa Xuân Đầu Tiên được!

    Comment by Phạm Thiên Nhiên — 28 July 2008 @ 12:09 am
  6. I like this album. It is better than Tc PD. Agree with Vina

    Comment by HV — 28 July 2008 @ 1:20 am
  7. Yeah, Duc Tuan’s voice has become so “dieu” with the previous Pham Duy album and this one. And certainly the dragging arrangements made him sound even worse. I like the good old Duc Tuan who sang “Ao Anh Suc Chi Duong Ta,” “Tieng Duong Chai” and “Hoi Trung Duong” with such masculinity.

    Comment by donny — 28 July 2008 @ 9:07 am
  8. I do not think so. I think that the way he sings depends on the content of songs. I’m not his big fan but I appriciate highly his way of singing. He sings with all his love.

    Comment by Ngoc Hong — 28 July 2008 @ 10:15 am
  9. Thích theme “cuộc đời đó có bao lâu mà hững hờ” với background màu hồng của Donny!

    Hát mạnh mẽ, dứt khoát và bớt điệu không có nghĩa là không diễn tả được xúc cảm trong từng câu chữ (vốn luôn buồn bã) của nhạc Việt! Điệu đâu tìm thấy ở Phạm Đình Chương CD của Tuấn! Thế mà với Phạm Duy & Văn Cao CDs này, mình thấy quá điệu! Nếu ở Quận Cam, quý vị sẽ thấy 1 Lê Hồng Quang còn tệ hơn Tuấn trong “điệu”. Quang không đáp ứng được một yêu cầu tối thiểu, bình thường của thính giả từ một giọng ca nam: dứt khoát, đàn ông!

    Chúng ta đều có quyền chọn lựa, mình chọn lựa sự điệu đàng ở những bài hát lâm hàn thế này từ những giọng ca nữ: Mộng Thủy là một ví dụ!

    Nãy giờ, mình chưa hề nhắc đến một danh ca vì theo tôi, đem một danh ca vào đây là sự khập khiễng!

    Khác với Ngoc Hong, I AM A FAN OF DUC TUAN! I voted Pham Dinh Chuong album là một trong vài CDs sáng giá nhất từ Việt Nam trong những năm thật gần!

    Comment by Phạm Thiên Nhiên — 28 July 2008 @ 1:47 pm
  10. I agree with Ngoc Hong. He is “dieu” depending on the song. These songs are composed in women’s point of view, thus when he sings, he takes the woman’s part. When he sings “Huong Xua” he is not “dieu” at all.

    Comment by Anonymous — 28 July 2008 @ 1:52 pm
  11. Vao Youtube nghe Tuan hat Huong Xua, Loi Cu, Thien Su Chua Dau, Phantom of the Opera. Rat hay ma hoan toan khong dieu ti gi.
    http://www.youtube.com/user/dedoroixem

    Comment by Anonymous — 28 July 2008 @ 2:00 pm
  12. http://www.tialia.com/video.php?mediaid=19791

    Đền nghị Thảo & Tuấn đừng hát tiếng Anh!

    Comment by Phạm Thiên Nhiên — 28 July 2008 @ 2:02 pm
  13. http://boomp3.com/listen/drhf3jf_p/chi-chung-do-thoi

    Đây là bài hát, theo mình, Tuấn trình bày tuyệt vời và cảm xúc nhất! Mình đã cảm nhận được cái khung cảnh rất thật, rất chạm của cái “một chiều lê thê ngồi co mình trên ghế”. Lúc đó, có lẽ trong phòng thu, Tuấn đã rươm rướm nước mắt. Chả có gì sai khi 1 người đàn ông nghẹn ngào như thế này cả, nhưng đừng điệu là được! :=)

    Comment by Phạm Thiên Nhiên — 28 July 2008 @ 2:18 pm
  14. Actually Duc Tuan’s rendition of “Sang Ngang” gets me every time. The sentimental keyboard licks; the sorrow saxophone; and Duc Tuan’s tear-jerking emotion. Damn that song touches every soft spot.

    Comment by donny — 28 July 2008 @ 2:48 pm
  15. Hi. I live in the US and really like Duc Tuan. Do anyone know where I can buy DVD’s of his performances? Has he ever done a live show of just himself?

    Any information would be appreciated.

    Cam On.

    Comment by Chris — 28 July 2008 @ 3:48 pm
  16. anybody heard of Truong Chi sang by Anh Ngoc.

    Comment by ph — 28 July 2008 @ 3:56 pm
  17. Chris: Bích Thu Vân 714-963-1089.

    ph: Rồi! Mình đã nghe! Đấy, mình thích cách diễn đạt của Anh Ngọc đấy và một vài người nữa như nhóm Thăng Long, Duy Trác…Dĩ nhiên la Thăng Long, Duy Trác chưa hát Trương Chi (hoặc có mà mình không biết).

    Comment by Phạm Thiên Nhiên — 28 July 2008 @ 4:05 pm
  18. Mình mới tìm ra Duy Trác có hát Trương Chi. Thế thì chiều nay về tìm lại trong tủ CDs để nghe Duy Trác hát xem thế nào. Một điều chắc chắn là phải đơn giản. Vô hình chung, với mình, một bản tình ca Việt phải hoàn toàn đơn giản. Nếu có 1 chút hàn lâm vào thì nó sẽ không đọng lại trong mình như là một tình ca Việt Nam đẹp đẽ nữa. Sự đơn giản phải ở trong ca từ, âm điệu và cách diễn đạt!

    Em có nghe mùa Thu mưa giăng lá đổ…Có con trâu lành trên đồi nằm mộng gì…Là ví dụ của sự đơn giản!

    Tình Nhị Hồ vẫn yêu âm xưa, cung Nguyệt Cầm vẫn thương Cô-Tô…là ví dụ của loại nhạc hàn lâm!

    Comment by Phạm Thiên Nhiên — 28 July 2008 @ 4:21 pm
  19. I don’t care for DT’s voice.
    I like Donny singing better hahaha :)
    BTW, I got “saudong” by Donny T.
    We recorded with our new mixer.
    Anyone interested to hear the visual man singing ? It is much much more soulful than DT. :)

    Comment by Thuhoai — 28 July 2008 @ 4:31 pm
  20. Oh no, you guys didn’t recorded me.

    Comment by donny — 28 July 2008 @ 4:37 pm
  21. Pham thien nhien, you are my new friend

    Comment by ph — 28 July 2008 @ 4:54 pm
  22. Co ai nghe DT hat Hoai Cam va Doi Mat Nguoi Son Tay trong chuong trinh tuong niem TCS o Paris nam nay chua? Vao Youtube ma nghe. Vao google ma doc phe binh. DT hat moc tren phim piano, giong tuy khong hay bang Le Thu, nhung absolutely moving khi hat Hoai Cam.

    Comment by Anonymous — 28 July 2008 @ 5:21 pm
  23. ph: Nhiên mong được làm bạn âm nhạc với ph. Thật đấy! :) Nếu cần bất cứ điều gì liên quan đến Trịnh & Phạm Duy (và những giọng hát định mệnh), Nhiên sẽ làm hết sức cho bạn! Chúc vui!

    Comment by Phạm Thiên Nhiên — 28 July 2008 @ 7:00 pm
  24. Chris
    This year Tuan can have his own performance (maybe Sep). You are in US, you can contact Kim Loi.

    Comment by Ngoc Hong — 28 July 2008 @ 9:54 pm
  25. Thien Nhien
    Mot nguoi mot cam xuc. Tuan hat nhu bai Suoi mo hay Truong Chi theo cach Doi Mat Nguoi SOn Tay thi co the khong hay bang. Minh danh gia cao Doi Mat nguoi Son Tay. Bai hat trong album nay da so mang tinh hung trang thi hat manh me. Con tinh cam nhu Suoi mo thi hat nhe nhang hon, tha hon vao bai hat nen xuc dong khi hat thi co the thoi.Hihi. Tuan hat live thi hay hon.

    Comment by Ngoc Hong — 28 July 2008 @ 10:02 pm
  26. I agree (not completely) with the author’s comment about Tieng hat Truong Chi of this link : http://www.thethaovanhoa.vn/home/van-hoa-toan-canh/am-nhac/Duc-Tuan-cat-tieng-hat-Truong-Chi/297/20080725065519311,14.htm

    Comment by Ngoc Hong — 28 July 2008 @ 11:37 pm
  27. I agree with Donny. Đức Tuấn’s “Sang Ngang” (by Đỗ Lễ) has got to be the best version that I’ve ever heard of that song. I swear it makes me wanna cry every single time.

    Comment by Son Doan — 29 July 2008 @ 7:06 pm
  28. I just listened to this DT’s cd on http://www.yeuamnhac.com/cbeta/album_details.php?id=EB857A1280D1
    His style/voice here is a little feminine (die^.u nhu anh Phạm Thiên Nhiên no’i) for a male singer. Thru out the cd, the music/arrangment is same old. Nothing new in here to make a new album. maybe i am kind of “kho tinh” but if a singer wants to cover old standard songs (TCS, PD, VC…) he has to make it fresh and current. If not I would rather listen to the original artist. BTW, Mua Xuan Dau Tien is a very good song.

    Comment by Q~ — 31 July 2008 @ 1:46 pm
  29. Q~ :)

    Just a separate notes, I also like Mua Xuan Dau Tien but you know, it was written in 1976, the first “Mua Xuan” of the Communists.

    Comment by Phạm Thiên Nhiên — 31 July 2008 @ 6:59 pm
  30. Yeah I know. But still good:-) Tu nhien no lam minh nho lai nhung ngay xuan co chim en hoi con nho o que nha (Hue)….

    Comment by Q~ — 1 August 2008 @ 1:12 pm
  31. Thanks for the head up Pham Thien Nhien. I’ll be sure to never listen to that song. Not that I have anything against the Communist itself but any kind of music that scream political propaganda definitely left a bad taste in my mouth.

    Comment by Hoang — 1 August 2008 @ 11:53 pm
  32. This cd is good. Van Cao is a phenomenal composer and his music is asethetically at its best both the melody and lyrics. Personally i think Duc Tuan sang very well in Truong Chi, Thien Thai and Mua Xuan dau Tien. Other songs i can relate to how he’s described as ” dieu “. I have found that he sang little “dieu” a while back many cds b4. But overall, his vocal is beautiful and techniquely sound.
    Van Cao was pretty much guarded and emotinally tortured after Communists took over VN and he was not allowed to write anything. It’s an extreme pity for an artist to not be able to express his arts. I profoundly feel angry and hatred toward the communists as most people here. With the Mua Xuan Dau Tien, Van Cao was hoping after ” giai phong” and reunion of the nation it will be better for the Vietnamese people. I do not find it offensive jsut because it was released in 1976. Basically he was hoping after the wars everything will be better. But of course it was not. And the communists bit him as hard or even harder ( as he was an influencial person )as anyone else at that period of time.

    Comment by Lam Dien — 2 August 2008 @ 4:35 am
  33. Lam Dien, thanks for the details. It must be rough for Van Cao then. While I didn’t know about the history of the song nor the detail biography of the author like you. I also didn’t find the it offensive just because it was released in 1976. I was more annoyed by the subtle message in the title accompany by the year it was release. “Mua Xuan” (spring) symbol happiness and renewal. After 1975 life was hellish for many people so how could it be “Mua Xuan”?

    Since he was emotionally torture like you said. So maybe he was just trying to vent, or maybe he just trying to come to good term with the communist government at the time. People need to make a living so that’s perfectly understandable. Whatever the reason is I understand that the situation is horrendous for the author and I am not judging him in anyway. Still, I can’t bring myself to promote a song with a title like that knowing the year it was release. So I just don’t listen to it.

    Comment by Hoang — 2 August 2008 @ 10:10 am
  34. Tac gia bai viet tren day nha.n xet ra’t hay va chi’nh xa’c. Duc Tuan the? hie.n tam y’ bai ha’t ra’t hay, nhung ve` pha`n ky~ thua.t co’ le~ CD nay ke’m 2 CD truo’c.

    Comment by Thanh — 2 August 2008 @ 11:33 am

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