NGUYỄN THỊ MINH CHÂU

The integration economy with the social transformation resulted in various
changes in the literature and art in general and music in particular.
These changes, along with the issues related to the public taste and criticism
and theory in musical activities are the key content of this paper.  

       Keywords: Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu, New music,
Music in the period of market economy

The integration period should probably be considered to begin 1986, so-called “the open-door period”. This was a milestone to mark the gradual changes in many aspects of literature and art in general and music in particular. It was accompanied by the shift from the subsidized economy to the market economy.

Those changes will be discussed via the impacts on musical life, the popular tastes and musical criticism theory in nearly three decades - the transition period between two centuries (from the late 20th century to the early 21st century), or more broadly between two millenniums (from the late 2nd millennium to the early 3rd millennium).

Musical life in the transition period and
the influences

As for the musical life from 1975 to 1986, musicians and musical administrators were confused and passive. However, in the late 1980s, they changed their mind directing themselves to the integration and renovation.

The first element influencing musical life was the changes in awareness. Musicians felt that their artistic creativity could escape from the tight bond of political preconceptions. To be untied by the government then to gradually untie themselves was a long-term and difficult process for composers and artistic and cultural administrators.

The Author Nights of the “senior” composers such as Văn Cao, Đỗ Nhuận, Huy Du became special events in the quiet music life in the middle 1980s. This kind of event was supposed to be “new”. In addition to traditional songs and marching songs, love songs that were written before and during the resistance against French colonials (so-called “prewar music”) became apart of the general repertoires. These love songs were forbidden from performing during the resistance against American empire. There is a series of typical romantic songs such as Bến xuân, Suối mơ, Thiên thai, Trương Chi, Buồn tàn thu composed by Văn Cao; Chim than composed by Đỗ Nhuận; Sóng nước Ngọc Tuyền, Ba Vì năm xưa, Sẽ về Thủ đô and Những gác chuông giáo đường composed by Huy Du.

“Trần trụi 87” program of musician Trần Tiến was also a pioneer musical event. When the music programs of propagation and praise were too dogmatic and uninspired, making audiences extremely tired; and when the prewar mawkish musical programs that used to appear the tenseness in postwar reduced its initial attraction, Trần trụi 87 was regarded as an extraordinary phenomenon. That extraordinariness made cultural administrators felt insecured, but the public praised it. It was the first time for a program to be a musical report imbued with the ego. Thanks to rock style and simple form of performance (sometimes only a performer singing with a guitar, the lyrics were plain and whirled into innermost heart) with such songs as Ðồng hồ báo thức, Trắng đen, Ý nghĩ trong phòng hải quan, Ðóa hoa tôi tìm, Trần trụi 87, etc, the program really attracted audience, especially the youth into the heart-to-heart stories and thought of daily-life dolour that was once considered as a taboo and avoided to be mentioned.

Despite the criticism raised by the press, the author was even under arrest as he was supposed to arouse rebellion of public, Trần trụi 87 was acknowledged as a timely response to the renovation, and was a confirmation for the ability of musical circle to take part in.

Taking part in, which means the works reflecting the state of mind of the contemporary public, is not always going smoothly. In spite of the Renovation, the stern and rigid conception, existing as the remnants of war, still burdened on musical management in the late 1980s. Some love songs that were prefered by young people and became famous later, were also in the same fate being criticized and forbidden. Such prestige characters as musicians Hoàng Hiệp and Xuân Hồng, who were the leaders of Hồ Chí Minh City Music Association, were blamed by the press for “changing the composition from revolutionary music to popular music”. A work with such words of “anh anh - em em” [you and me] is regarded as popular music, and the one with such word of “kiss” is forbidden. In this case, we can see that composers and musicians “took part in” more quickly than cultural managers. However, the “taking-part-in” awareness of composers is nearly meaningless because that of culture and art managers still remained the routine.

The trial to take - part - in of composers and musicians was much more effective in 1980s since the “opening” and “renovation” atmosphere was clearer. A four-night performance of the song selection Half of the century of Vietnamese songs (1994) was to summarize the achievements in the past; re-acknowledged values of romatic songs in the early period of new music, and encourages composers to take part in the contemporary musical life.

The conception about light music changed from complete denial to the selective reception. Light music (together with chamber classical music and folk music) is recognized as one of three main musical lines in national festivals. Diverse light music festivals were organized in cities. Love songs full of young spirits appeared more and drove back the oversea music fever.

After many years of love songs lacking crisis, it was not easy to lead the public taste from Vietnamese music performed from the oversea (hereinafter Vietnamese oversea music) to local music. It should acknowledge that the musical circle won the first merit. We cannot help mentioning the appearance of the band Friends. Thanks to the initiative of musician Trịnh Công Sơn in 1991, at this moment the waves of Vietnamese oversea music (Vietnamese music performed in foreign countries) was in the pinnacle. Friends comprises seven musicians from Hồ Chí Minh City: Trịnh Công Sơn, Tôn Thất Lập, Trần Long Ẩn, Từ Huy, Nguyễn Ngọc Thiện, Nguyễn Văn Hiên and Thanh Tùng. They brought public the new spiritual foods, lyrical songs that closely attached to the social life and still was favourite of many people until now. Those are such songs as Sóng về đâu (Trịnh Công Sơn), Tình yêu mãi mãi (Tôn Thất Lập), Xin làm người hát rong (Trần Long Ẩn), et cetera.

The rise of Vietnamese love songs with various names mentioned in “light music” (so-called the “young music”): Thanh Tùng (Hát với chú ve con, Chuyện tình của biển, Lời tỏ tình của mùa xuân, Ngôi sao cô đơn, Em và tôi, Giọt nắng bên thềm, Lối cũ ta về…), Phú Quang (Em ơi Hà Nội phố, Thương lắm tóc dài ơi, Đâu phải bởi mùa thu…), Dương Thụ (Lắng nghe mùa xuân về, Vẫn hát lời tình yêu, Điều còn mãi…), Bảo Chấn (Tình thôi xót xa, Nỗi nhớ dịu êm, Hoa cỏ mùa xuân, Bên em là biển rộng, Đêm nay anh mơ về em…)…

Some composers, who won the hearts and mind of the young generation, created the songs inspired by Vietnamese folk music, such as composer Trần Tiến (Tùy hứng lý ngựa ô, Ngẫu hứng sông Hồng, Sao em nỡ vội lấy chồng, Quê nhà...), Phó Đức Phương (Huyền thoại hồ núi Cốc, Chảy đi sông ơi, Trên đỉnh Phù Vân, Một thoáng Tây Hồ, Không thể và có thể, Về quê…), Nguyễn Cường (Em muốn sống bên anh trọn đời, Đôi mắt Pleiku ), etc.

In addition to the above composers, love songs also include the senior composers such as Huy Du, Nguyễn Đức Toàn, Hoàng Vân, Văn Ký, Nguyễn Văn Tý, Chu Minh, Phan Nhân, Lư Nhất Vũ and Phạm Trọng Cầu; the authors born from 1940s-1950s such as Phạm Minh Tuấn, Diệp Minh Tuyền, Trương Ngọc Ninh, An Thuyên, Văn Thành Nho, Đặng Hữu Phúc, Ngọc Đại, Trọng Đài and Quỳnh Hợp; and authors born in 1960s-1980s such as Quốc Trung, Ngọc Châu, Võ Thiện Thanh, Việt Anh, Huy Tuấn, Anh Quân, Lê Minh Sơn, Giáng Son, Xuân Phương, Đỗ Bảo, Lưu Hà An, Hồ Hoài Anh, Lưu Thiên Hương and Nguyễn Đức Cường. The taking-part-in awareness of musical circle has been proceeded through generations.

Professional musical circle has always been aware that no matter how the musical life has thrived, the representative voice for a country at international musical market is still instrumental music. In 1990s, it marked the revival of Vietnamese instrumental music after many years “losing its voice”. Despite the sinking or floating life of instrumental music, whether symphonies are arranged or unarranged, professional composers always bring up the orthodox music from the multi-part vocal music with accompaniment to symphonies and chamber music.

The prosperity of instrumental music was attributed to the symphonies themed in the war. Those are Đội cận vệ bất diệt (Undying bodyguards) of Đàm Linh, Rhapsodie Hàm Rồng of Nguyễn Đình Tấn, Trở lại Điện Biên (Returning Điện Biên) of Trần Trọng Hùng, Người về đem tới ngày vui of Trọng Bằng; and three symphonies No. 5, 6, 7 of Nguyễn Văn Nam that praise the country and honor women including Mẹ Việt Nam (Vietnamese mother), Hòn ngọc Viễn Đông (Far Eastern pearl), Chuyện nàng Kiều (The Tale of Kiều).

The last decade of the 20th century was a shift from Vietnamese oversea music to local music, and the early instrumental music prosperity, whereas the first decade of the 21st century is directing towards the diversity via various experiments and aspiration for international integration. Many obstacles that prevented awareness were handled. Approaches to global music have been opened thanks to the internet. Composers have never had more choices of selection of music genres and types of expression before. They are now more and more exposed to global music trends. Composers, especially the young, can show their talent through their own ways of applying new expression methods in popular entertainment music such as pop, rock, jazz, soul, R&B, techno, hip-hop, rap, Latinh, new flamenco and dance; and academic music, such as modern music, post-modern music, contemporary music, electronic music, experimental music, and collage arts.

Studies are expressed in national identity and trial to confirm specific identity in popular songs and professional instrumental music. The national character is clearer thanks to the appearance of folk elements or compositions based on traditional music principles, particularly the close relation between music and lyrics, between melody and Vietnamese intonation.

National identity is elevated in instrumental music, in which there is not only folk musical elements but melody of new songs and timbre of traditional musical instruments; there is also East - West combination via free music structure and forms, simultaneity of the fourth interval that is full of Oriental colour, via methods of the horizontally multi-part development which is both close to Western modern music in the 20th century and presents the improvisation of Vietnamese old music.

Vietnamese audiences only care about popular music, whereas Vietnamese symphony and chamber music always takes effort to integrate into the world. Despite the unpopularity at home, Vietnamese instrumental music works are having more and more chances to be introduced abroad, throught the mobilizing tours of the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, and performances of Vietnamese artists who are living and working abroad.

Instrumental music in the transition period has been built through the works of musicians and composers born in 1910s-1930s including Nguyễn Văn Thương, Huy Du, Nguyễn Văn Quỳ, Đàm Linh, Nguyễn Đình Tấn, Chu Minh, Trọng Bằng, Quang Hải, Vĩnh Cát, Doãn Nho, Hoàng Dương, Nguyễn Văn Nam, Hoàng Hà, Nguyễn Thị Nhung, Ca Lê Thuần, Thế Bảo, Phan Ngọc and Đỗ Dũng; of those who were born in 1940s-1960s including Nguyễn Xinh, Vĩnh Lai, Hoàng Cương, Trần Trọng Hùng, Nguyễn Đình Bảng, Nguyễn Cường, Phúc Linh, Ngô Quốc Tính, Đặng Hữu Phúc, Đỗ Hồng Quân, Trọng Đài, Đức Trịnh, Hoàng Lương, Minh Đạo and Doãn Nguyên; of those who were born in 1970s-1980s including Vũ Nhật Tân, Kim Ngọc, Trần Mạnh Hùng, Lê Quang Vũ, Đặng Tuệ Nguyên, Đỗ Kiên Cường, and so on.

The list of instrumental music repertoire has been prolonged with works composed in the first decades of the 20th century, including symphony No. 8 and No. 9 of Nguyễn Văn Nam, the dance drama Ngọc trai đỏ (red pearl) and opera Người giữ cồn of Ca Lê Thuần, Ký ức Hồ Chí Minh (Memory about Hồ Chí Minh) and concertos for traditional musical instrument and symphony orchestras of Quang Hải, Ký ức Đồng khởi (Memory about general uprising) of  Võ Đăng Tín, Trổ một of Đỗ Hồng Quân, Đất nước (Country) and Tám khúc giao hưởng từ dân ca (Eight symphonies from folk song)of Đặng Hữu Phúc, Ký ức 1995 of Vũ Nhật Tân, Eo lưng of Trần Kim Ngọc… Vietnamese chamber music and symphony are also performed in the world’s theatres, such as Đối thoại of Đỗ Hồng Quân, Lệ Chi viên of Trần Mạnh Hùng, Ngày hội, Pizzicato and the chamber music concerts of Đặng Hữu Phúc.

Many instrumental music works have been written on the occasion of great events of the country, such as the 300^th anniversary of Sài Gòn - Hồ Chí Minh city (1998); the 990^th year of Thăng Long - Hà Nội (2000); the 1000^th year of Thăng Long - Hà Nội (2010); the large-scale symphony chorus which are memorable events of instrumental music life, such as Mở đất of Đỗ Hồng Quân, Thành phố trẻ (Young city) of Chu Minh và Trần Quý, Sóng hồn of Nguyễn Thiên Đạo, concerto Thăng Long of Đàm Linh, Thăng Long - Hà Nội and Hà Nội thiên kỷ mới (Hanoi, new millenium) of Vĩnh Cát, Chào năm 2000 (Welcome the year of 2000) of Trọng Bằng, Hoa Lư - Thăng Long bài ca dời đô of Doãn Nho, Thăng Long ngày ấy of La Thăng, Thăng Long ngàn năm hội ngộ of Thiếu Hoa, etc.

The instrumental music life is more exciting since the first time when the “musician night” was organized in 2002 in Vietnam by a Vietnamese composer. That was the symphony night of composer Vĩnh Cát. The year of 2010 was the 1000^th birthday of Hanoi and composer Vĩnh Cát organized a symphony concert about Hanoi. From his point of view, the art program celebrating the great festival would be poor and seem to lack the specific intelligence of Hanoians if there were only pop or rock songs.

The instrumental music picture gained new vitality with the author nights organized by musicians of Vietnamese origin who were living abroad, including Nguyễn Thiên Đạo (Hòa tấu 95 - Concert 95, Sóng hồn - Wave’s soul, Hồn Trương Chi - Trương Chi’s soul, Khói - Smoke, Khai giác - Awakening, Định mệnh bất chợt - Sudden fate…), Tôn Thất Tiết (Đối thoại với thiên nhiên - Dialogue with nature), Nguyễn Lân Tuất (symphone entitled Tổ quốc tôi - My country; works for chamber concert). Recently, young composer Đặng Hồng Anh organized her music night (Kiều poetic symphony and chamber concerts).

The returning of Cô Sao (the first opera of Vietnam) with new version, which was rearranged by Đỗ Hồng Quân on the occasion of the 90^th birthday of composer Đỗ Nhuận (in 2012), was a special event in professional musical life. In 2014, Cô Sao was performed the first time in Sơn La where the author was sent into exile. That place was also the context of this opera.

The most burning instrumental music event in 2014 was “the commitment to battle” of Vietnamese instrumental music composers and performers at Asian – European New Music Festival organized in Hanoi in October 2014 (that was the first time this festival was organized in an Asian country). It confirms that the name of Vietnam has been situated on the professional instrumental music map of the world, and proves the integration spirit and potential to the world of Vietnamese academic music performers and composers.

The integration of Vietnamese professional musical circle into the musical life was also demonstrated through the activities of the Vietnamese Musicians’ Association. Several music festivals are regularly held three or four times per year in turns in Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam. Therefore, composers in provinces and cities can easily introduce their new works, exchange and mutually encourage with regard to composition, performance, theory and criticism. Since 2010, the third day of September has become the Musical Day of Vietnam. The foundation of this day expresses a desire to praise academic music including songs and instrumental music; propagate “pure” music; encourage young composition circle and performers; and attract the public, especially young people. The public highly appreciates those events and especially welcome the latest program (September 3, 2014). Thanks to these events, music lovers can hope for a quality enhancement in Vietnamese music in the future.

That is the sense of integration. “To certify” this sense, we can see unprompted and organized musical activities, repertoires of vocal music and instrumental music that have been composed from the social environment full of changes, and its favorable and unfavorable from objective elements of that environment.

What are those objective elements? The efforts to fall in line with musical life of the musical circle can be shown more clearly from the aspect of economy (market) and technique (electronics and computing technology). Those are two elements of greatest effect. Let’s see the changes in Vietnamese musical life through these most decisive effects.

The conversion from subsidized structure into market-oriented economy was a difficult-to-anticipate effect, which led to a series of other conversions in all musical activities. After the silence due to the non-preparation of spirit, professional activities and ability to earn living, the musical circle must have self-motion and find ways to adapt to changes. The concept of “governmental personnel” is no more important. More and more composers and artists carry out their activities freely. Regular members of the personnel cannot live on the governmental salary. They cannot give whole mind to their work, and must have “one foot in one foot out”. Many talented people quit job and start their own business. Those who try to remain profession will earn living by many ways such as writing music from orders, instrumentation, opening studio; performing at night clubs, restaurants and hotels; teaching the musical instruments at home, or working as tutors, etc.

Money rules over all. Musical products are goods. Goods follow a principle that “the supply serves the demand” and “customers are Gods”, which has caused the appearance of market - oriented music. The child of the market economy grows very quickly. It encroaches on the academic music so significantly that nearly all the public consider it as the only representative of the Vietnamese music. The musical life is floating and difficult to be controlled, which raises the paradox and unfairness for professional and talented people.

Academic musicians have not enough good conditions to arrange and popularize their works in the public. There is a sentence handed among the musical circle, “A man can become a composer only when he writes a song”. They are “nothing” to the public in spite of their fame among the musical circle. Whereas many composers writing the market - oriented songs have not been trained methodically, they just follow the business itinerary, then become composers “in vogue” and very famous.

Regular-training performers are “unmarketable”. Not only instrumentalists but singers are “unmarketable” in a music industry dominated by songs. The way to enjoy music “watching more than listening”, i.e. attractive appearance and launching tactics, makes many mediocre singers become music stars.

The audience at the subsidize period enjoyed what they were provided. After becoming God, they have the right to choose. Popular taste controls not only the tape market but the stages and the mass media. Radio and television programs give priority to business more than the art quality, and under control of sponsors or enterprises who buy the advertisement. A product can be assessed through not only the art quality but criteria of best-selling. Their price is even set by business tricks, including the gimmicks to consume real and fake products. Advertisement is displayed in mix with television shows, not only because of consumers’ benefit but the abuse of music. Advertisement with “senseless music” doesn’t respect watchers and is offensive to music art.

Traditional music revival in the early 21st century could not avoid the influence of market-oriented economy and commercialization, particularly of the UNESCO’s recognition as the intangible heritages of humanity. Fraudulent exchange of real and unreal things has been risks that turn the intangible heritages of our forefathers and folk artists (the living treasure) into the victims of art and commerce activities.

Entertainment music encroaches on academic music. Popular songs infringe on chamber music, symphony and traditional music. Those dark sides are not the full effect of market-oriented economy on musical activities. However, all bad things of musical activities should not be blamed on market-oriented economy. In case it is an indispensable change of social development rule, anything of good adjustment, like the natural rule of elimination, will exist. Those factors tempered the musical circle, especially musical managers.

Another great influence in musical life is technique. This is actually an important evolution from the backward technique in musical activities (recording, publication and musical propagation) to electronic technique receiving in the late decades of 20th century and computing technique in the early 21st century.

Electronic sound equipments appeared in 1970s together with the import of light music, which marked an advance in technique, first and foremost in musical performance and enjoyment. It gradually spread to other activities, such as composition, harmony and instrumentation, tape publication. Electronic instruments, including the electronic guitar, keyboard and electronic drum, are more and more popular, modern and handy. Keyboard, so-called organ, positively takes part in making and playing music. The demand for learning to play organ raises much more than other musical instruments, thus many piano tutors have changed to teach organ.

That technique plays an important role to sound and visual quality explains the rising consumpsion of Vietnamese oversea music and karaoke. Though local songs are interesting, it cannot dominate over Vietnamese oversea tapes because of their low quality of recording and harmony. Market-oriented music later resolves this shortcoming, then karaoke lists are filled with local songs. On the one hand, it should acknowledge trial of producers in fierce competition of tape market. On the other hand, it is regretful for good-technique products with standard sound and fine images but bad music quality. Unluckily, artitstic value and technical quality is seldom in parallel. If only the musical planner adjusted in advance this paradox, in stead of holding responsibility of people for their bad aesthetics.

Unheard-of thing in the past about musical technique is the computing technology. Computer appeared with a series of musical-writing software such as score and publication of musical pieces, and music-making software such as harmony, instrumentation, recording and montage of video clip. All music-making steps are computerized, which increases the product quality and reduces effort, time and money for professional as well as non-professional music makers, in market-oriented and entertainment music as well as chamber music and symphony.

Computer shows the preeminence of information technology when Vietnam started using internet. The year of 1986 “opened” the political consciousness and the musical circle could fall in line with local music. Thanks to the internet, composers and musical enjoyers can unlimitedly approach global advantages. They can understand people and themselves more, then have a chance to integrate with international musical forum.

Professional musical training syllabus is too backward; text books are too rare; there are not enough good conditions for people to listen to concert regularly; and the information is out of date and subjective. In that circumstance, the internet is a wonderful compensation that can provide from archive documentations to musical activity information update in all forms such as documents (texts and musical pieces), sound and image of the past and present.

The online world creates real and positive effect. Internet opens the unlimited leanrning environment, especially to those who never skip chances to study lessons about life. Internet brings about the electronic magazines, website, blog, social pages with a number of handy musical columns and all forms of reading – listening and watching. Internet is a forum for global exchange, a place for composers to popularize his works and welcome feedback from the audience directly and quickly. Internet brings about the online rich musical treasure with all types of music from ancient days to present, popular and academic music, folk and chamber music, symphony, from simple to serious compositions.

The online world also causes real negative consequences, since every modern technique has side-effect. The online world is not different from the real world, which is full of the fakes, garbage, waste and harmful things. Low-quality music also orginates from there. We can find many forbidden compositions on the internet.

Whether it is the advantage or disadvantage, the good or bad effect depends on users and the way they use the internet. Old generation is not proficient at using internet. Parents cannot control children, while managers cannot manage the situation and always tend to block internet. All methods to restrict internet access show the powerlessness of the old generation and causes the generation battle between the old and young, who are aware of human rights. The important thing is that we need to train the young generation and make them believe in good things. It depends on good taste of music, which has grown up in a healthy music environment.

Once there is no truly musical composition in a topsy-turvy environment, it will be easy to mistake art for technique, and usually abuse the preeminence of techniques to fill in the weakness of art. Electronic technique and internet provides media and musical-playing software for those who do not play music or know nothing about music. One can become a singer or a musician without learning music or having basic music knowledge.

For bad-voice singers, there is technique to adjust voices in the studio, and then using playback for lip-sync in front of the public. One who has talent to imitate the style and physical appearance of a hot idol also becomes “hot”!

Composers can easily plagiarize music according to “model version” in the internet with all types of music. There are so many cases that take time to be discovered. Recently, some prizes of music and singing contests on television were cancelled. Many famous young composers write the songs by computer programs. Those songs are still supposed as artistic creation. In recent music and entertainment activities, a new way of “playing” so-called mash-up has been raised, it means putting together the available songs with mixing methods then turn it to a new  product, publishing tapes and uploading into internet.

With regard to the effect of technique in musical life, we cannot help mentioning the role of television. There have been changes since the period when there were only some governmental channels for broadcast in some hours per day on TV. There are now hundreds of channels of the government, private and oversea sectors which are broadcast 24/24 nationwide. The television, with such a rich number of channels and a huge amount of time, presents many music and song programs. The years of 2000s are supposed as the decade of television music and songs.

Via popular music and song playgrounds that buy the copyright from foreign famous programs, television is performing a role to rouse the musical life as much as the performances on stages. Different music game shows and contests that look for young talents in songs and music composition succeed from this season to the next season. The central television is animated with such programs as Bài hát Việt (Vietnamese songs), Con đường âm nhạc (Music road), Trò chơi âm nhạc (Music game)...; and such programs broadcast annually as Sao mai, Sao mai điểm hẹn, Tiếng hát truyền hình (Singing television), Vietnam Idol, Đồ-rê-mí, Giọng hát Việt (The Voice of Vietnam), Giọng hát Việt nhí (The Voice Kid of Vietnam), Tìm kiếm tài năng (Vietnam’s Got Talents), Gương mặt thân quen (Familiar face)... Local televisions are also animated with Nhịp cầu âm nhạc (Span of music bridge), Sắc màu âm nhạc (Music colors), Tiếng hát truyền hình (Televison singing voice), Giai điệu tình yêu (Love melody), Thế giới V-pop (V-pop world), Solo cùng Bolero (Solo with Bolero)...

Music becomes one of the main theme of television shows and is broadcast at golden hours. However, those are popular music and songs, not the valuable musical genres, such as traditional music, chamber music and symphony. Once television follows the taste of “majority”, it is no more selection of “minority”. Old intellectual circle is more and more allergic to television. Young intellectual circle starts ignoring television. If yes, they only watch foreign channels and they stick with the internet more since they can enjoy the more suitable food for mind. Television, with the bloom of a hundred flowers, is blamed for bad reputation. “Music is televisionalized”, i.e. its values cannot convince young generation, and programs imitate servilely the music playgrounds in accordance with insipid formula to attract audience. People complain that television “orients” the public based on its criticism, however, the jury or appraisal council of a series of music and song programs never shows the voice of a professional music theorist.

Despite strict criticisms, we should not blame television as well as internet and the mass media serving people. We should not stop television shows because of some faults of music and song programs, or should not forbid internet because of the bad effect of online information. The age of television and age of the internet brought an open space to the diverse cultural life of human history. We cannot negate the achievement of civilization, since civilization is a medium to serve the society and the good-bad effect depends on users’ background. Anything, with regard to the solution for the negative effect of market-oriented economy or information technology on the musical life, relates to people’s awareness, knowledge and musical taste.

 Popular taste and musical criticism and theory

Musical culture is partly reflected through the public’s taste and the musical criticism in the period of market-oriented economy.

Popular taste

The musical taste of the public, during wartime and postwar, belonged to a passive community who just consumed the spiritual food of subsidization inclined to propaganda and praise.

The market-oriented economy concentrates on the majority and the music for that majority is mainly for entertainment. The target for profit pushes the majority’s taste to the top position, or even replacing the minority’s taste. In familiar sequence of composition - performance - enjoyment, the first link of a chain (the composers) gives up its seat to the last one (public). The public takes the position of creating music pieces; and the enjoyment demand of customers, i.e. God, decides remaining phases including composition, performance, and musical criticism.

Organizers of performances, program producers and investors for the market-oriented musical products must always listen to the majority’s taste. Popular song is still the “King” who rules for a long time. All types of entertainment music in vogue such as light music, popular music, bolero, children music, sad-love music, teen music, etc change in every season. Thus, those are also called fashionable music with common characteristics, such as simple lyrics, easy to sing and learn by heart, and lyrics is enough to mention about love. That melody and lyrics may be not enough. That is one of the elements of an audiovisual song. The element of “watching” is sometimes much more important than “listening”, since the stage elements, including dance, clothes, light, decoration, screen, must be eye-catching. “Watching” music and song is a habit of the public, as a result, the performance of anniversary programs also needs some “dances”. Some singers who actually cannot dance must be supported by solo dancer, couple dancers, or dance group. The dance sometimes is not compatible with song content and even creates negative impressions.

The role of popular taste is elvated as a result of the market-economy impact, and is multiplied thanks to the support of the press and information technology. For example, music stars stand out quickly thanks to personal news on all newspapers. They show off their clothes, houses, cars and personal activities. They even blow up scandal to attract people. For instance, the votes for winners of musical contests, which are organized by radio, television and magazines, in particular the frequently-broadcast reality television series, are influenced by messages, telephone calls or emails of the audience. The vote of major consumers decides level of works and items. We should not demand audience to represent the whole public, or base on popular taste to define the artistic value of work and performers’ talent, to or totally trust the vote counting system. In the show that young talents compete for prizes,  competitors’ families can spend tens or even hundreds of million buying new contact accounts to vote for their child.

Popular taste and market-oriented magazine brings up a popular music including insipid market -oriented songs. Market-oriented music of common types or supermarket type is still the second-rate quality and always changes according to the consumption demand. Depending on popular taste and leading popular songs (most are instant music and having no sustainable values) into the representing position of Vietnamese music, it raises alarms for not only today musical life but the musical aesthetics of many generations in the future.

Theory and criticism

Theorists have recognized very early and have ever raised voices in a phenomenon that regards music of the majority as common food of all society. The major taste is applied as a model and “reduces number” of audience, which is unimproving the musical life. The public during globalization is a demanding object that has many tastes and diverse “ego”. They are different in ages, backgrounds, environments, classes, occupations, aesthetics, psychology, characteristics, etc. The multi-types of audience demand the diversity in musical activities and impulse prosperous development of contemporary music.

Instead of embracing our own taste and criticing that of the others, or instead of setting the aesthetics standard of our own to judge that of  the others, it will be more comfortable for all kinds of public if we have a broader view, or find a  way to enlarge menu for multi selections of diverse appetites. On the one hand, it should invest nonprofitly and sizably on the non-in vogue musical forms. Therefore, we will not abandon the minority, since the true audience (with civilized taste) is the minority. On the other hand, we cannot be in the name of the minority to despise or deny the role and significance of popular music.

To gain more achievements, the musical circle should not only be subject to popular taste but take initiative to raise the public aesthetics. Musical circle comprises not only musicians, composers, performers but musical managers and advertise men as well. The influence of musical theorists and critics is also very important, then what did they do?

Recently, all academies and conservatories of music and art schools in Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam annually supplement musical theorists. There still remain complaints such as “the musical theory is nearly empty”.

Every year, the Vietnames Musicians’ Association recruits new theorists. The number of more than one hundred theory members is enough to found an association. However, theory in any closing tenure persistently remains the weakest of a tripod (compostion - performance - theory).

There were 170 newspapers before the year of 1945. Nowadays, there are more than 800 newspapers (most of which have corners for music column or culture, art, and entertainment), 200 radios, 200 televisions, 700 online newspapers. Besides, there are thousands of major websites and blogs interested in musical art. Theorists still complain all the time about the lack of musical forum, and accept a bad reputation of non-existence.

Such paradox happens for a reason and it has not been solved. When will
it finish?

Paradox will no longer exist after we do the things as follows:

1/ rubbing out the huge gap between learning and practice, between theory training at conservatories and practical demand of music industry:

2/ musical theory activities need to be “socialized”, take full advantages of investment and support from culture and art managing organizations and the local and central major associations;

3/ always have close connection between musical theorists and magazines and the mass media.

As regards to the training and social demand, despite a fact that the musical theorists have proposed the Ministry of Education and Trainging for the inclusion of musical criticism and training code in schools in Vietnam in but the proposal hasn’t been accepted. Students of Theory Department must self-study to improve their necessary skills before practicing the criticism profession. For that reason, very few people give whole mind to this “difficult” and “controversial easy-to-conflict” profession. As a result, the Theory Department has trained a great number for recent ten years, and just provided for teaching and researches. The criticism major is still number zero.

With reference to the socialization of criticism activities: main activities of musical theory are the scientific researches and teaching syllabus. The source of textbook is limited, and in the period that the reading culture is downgraded, thus most musical theory projects cannot avoid the fate of storage. Theory books are published in limited number and paid little effort to popularize, as a result, they have few conditions to fall in line with the public. However, those are the grey matter and historical documents that musical circle leaves for future generations.

The theoretical property left for future generations comprises precious books such as:

- Vietnamese new music - progression and achievements (Tú Ngọc, Nguyễn Thị Nhung, Vũ Tự Lân, Nguyễn Ngọc Oánh, Thái Phiên; Vietnamese Institute for Musicology, 2000; 1000 pages): summarizing and evaluating the musical activities in such fields as composition, performance, training and theory since the 20th century.

- Hanoi new music - from the beginning of 20th century to 1945 - The Formation and development (Hoàng Dương, Phạm Tuyên, Hồ Quang Bình, Vũ Tự Lân, Nguyễn Ngọc Oánh; Hanoi Music Association, 2002; 294 pages): study an important period in Vietnamese music history; outline the first phase of Vietnamese new music development.

- Anthology of Vietnamese music researches - theory - criticism in the 20th century (Vietnamese Institute for Musicology, 2003) has been awarded the special prize of the Vietnamese Musicians Association in 2004. This is a grand scientific project that selects musical papers on the magazines of the previous centuries, in particular allegations in the beginning of each volume present a systematic overview of each field of Vietnamese music. The set includes five volumes divided into seven books as below:

Volume I (Dương Viết Á) - Part 1: The interpretation of musical culture 
                                                  (1192 pages)

Volume II (Tô Ngọc Thanh) - Part 2: Traditional vocal music (1300 pages)

                                          Part 3: Traditional instrumental music
                                                      (1040 pages)

Volume III (Vũ Nhật Thăng) - Part 4: Musical instruments (704 pages)

Volume IV (Bùi Trọng Hiền) - Part 5: Traditional stage music (1370 pages)

Volume V (Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu) - Part 6: New vocal music (1132 pages)

                                                  Part 7: New instrumental music
                                                             (600 pages)

- Vietnamese music - composition and composers (editor-in-chief by Trọng Bằng; Vietnamese Institute for Musicology, 2006-2009): brief the life and analyze musical works of 54 composers who were awarded Hồ Chí Minh prize and Governmental prize on Literature and Arts. The set includes five volumes:

Volume 1 (Nguyễn Thị Nhung): portrait of 11 composers (284 pages)

Volume 2 (Lê Văn Toàn): portrait of 12 composers (324 pages)

Volume 3 (Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu): portrait of 12 composers (484 pages)

Volume 4 (Phạm Tú Hương): portrait of 12 composers (448 pages)

Volume 5 (Vũ Tự Lân): portrait of 12 composers (296 pages)

The five books above were revised and reprinted in a great-sized Volume. In 2012, the great volume was awarded the special prize of the Vietnamese Musicians’ Association and A prize given by the central Council for Literature and Arts Theory and Criticism.

- 1000 years of Thăng Long - Hà Nội music (Music Publishing House, 2010) comprises five books: traditional music (first three volumes) of co-authors, namely Vũ Nhật Thăng, Bùi Trọng Hiền, Phạm Minh Hương, Nguyễn Thủy Tiên, Hồ Hồng Dung and Kim Anh; and new music part (the last two volumes) of co-authors, namely Dương Viết Á, Nguyễn Thụy Kha and Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu. This set of books was awarded the special prize of Vietnamese Musicians Association in 2010.

- Hanoi songs in the 20th century and the early years of the 21st century by co-authors, namely Hoàng Dương, Hồ Quang Bình, Vũ Tự Lân, Nguyễn Thụy Kha and Nguyễn Thị Minh Châu (766 pages, Hanoi Publisher, 2010). The “sound annals” of Hanoi was awarded the first prize of the Vietnamese Musicians Association in 2010.

Besides, there are many research books in traditional music, composers’ portrait, musical work analysis; and many books of criticism about musical activities. There are many timely papers about the status quo of musical activities. However, those are published on major forums, such as magazine Musicology and website of the Vietnamese Musicians’ Association, Bulletin of the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology, intramural magazines of the Vietnam National Academy of Music, Hồ Chí Minh city Conservatory of Music and Huế Conservatory of Music; or conference proceedings of the Vietnamese Musicians’ Association, the local music assocations and the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology. The theory circle always recognize a function of summarization and assessment of composition achievements, analyse all raising phenomena in performance and trends of taste, and pay special attention to musical aesthetics education.

In recent three decades, especially in the 21st century, many books of musical theory have been published. It should acknowledge the publication efforts of the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology, which remains the major forum to build “considerable property” for musical theory and criticism. Regretfully, that effort is just the publication of books without populazing them. Therefore, the efforts to socialize professional music are only performed in writing style, and publication of criticism have no chance to become popular and produce social effect as it could do. Books are published with small number and without sale. Some people who are offered books freely are not probably the object of necessity. Most of the mentioned set of books and many musical criticism and research books published by the Vietnamese Institute for Musicology are not available in places of necessity, such as the Central Theory and Criticism Council of Arts and Literature, the Theory and Criticism Council of Arts and Literature under the Union of Vietnamese Arts and the Literature Associations, the National Archive Center, etc.

It is unfair to musical criticism in general and authors in particular. They are not acknowledged in spite of having published many books. Writers have no chance to get readers’ responses to adjust their works, and receiving few feedbacks is reducing enthusiasm of the writers.

In the situation that “nobody knows the good things you have done”, people always complain theorists as those standing out of the present situation, since the press has an exclusive right to criticize popular music and songs on the mass media. Once the press covers, its product implicitly becomes the only representative of musical criticism.

The press writes musical criticism timely, quickly, and attracts audience. Because of the purpose to inform news and being improfessional musical circle, their papers always attach special importance to updating information, phenomenon and outer matters. Whereas, they vaguely praise the art quality like advertisement.

As for the role of musical comment, it is both the strong and weak point of journalists to timely inform news. When standing at the right place, nobody can replace the pioneer role of quick and courageous writers. Only when journalist playing the role of a professional musical critic, there raises shortcomings of major skills, as a result, his role becomes unconvincing.

Journalists who always follow closely to market-oriented music are easily ruled by popular taste. Their musical comment has no music content and just present shocking news to attract readers. When necessary, journalists also know to exploit theorists such as quick interview through telephone calls. Next, they copy papers of composers and paste in their comments. Sometimes, they receive papers from theorists and do not publish, changing some information and putting their name as the author. For that plagiarism, not all non-professional musical critics are lucky to use correctly the musical terms.

Today the press seriously lacks profession due to a great number of non-professional musical writers. This is the biggest weakness of the authors (not specializing in musical theory), then the main weakness of the experts is the inadequacy and lack of socialization. The trend to popularize critics is much more than the sense to “socialize” the professional criticism.

The above-mentioned points show the relation between theory and newspapers. How about radio and television? The main land of musical criticism is books and newspapers. Theorists just practise writing, not to improve speaking. Although theorists have taken part in musical forum on the radio and television, in the period that people enjoy “watching more than listening”, criticism need to involve directly in the musical activities through performances on stages and music and song programs on television. There is not any allegation of theorists in the performances especially instrumental music concerts. Master of ceremonies is the role for fashionable young people who know how to talk the hind legs off a donkey irrespective of musical knowledge.

In the transitional period that even many values, which were supposed to be immutable, change, it will not be a surprise if musical criticism is not stable, and sometimes hasty. Theorists are still confused about the harmony between books and the social life, which is in disorder with many standards, whereas journalists are too self-confident and willingly take in charge of “covering”. Actually this is not alarming, since through overhaste and embarrassment, we can see the aspiration and potentiality of the writers.

It should worry about providing favorable conditions for those who create and show the potentiality and aspiration of change. The aspiration and effort of each person is necessary but not enough. Musical development career based on what have been done in integration period even demands the involvement of many fields, as namely composition - performance, enjoyment - criticism; in such professions as training education, program production, publication, advertisement and communication; in particular managers who control that coordinative work.

People in Vietnam avoid opposing against the authorities because they don’t want to get in trouble. As a result, the authorities are accustomed not to accepting criticism. A developed society always needs criticism. Annually, many musical conferences have been organized, reflecting status quo and suggesting solutions. However, it is within the framework of “the scientist says and listens to himself only”. Those conferences are not attended by the authorities who have the practical rights to give orders. Accordingly, the problems remain unsolved.

In Vietnam, experts are usually promoted to become managers provided that they have enough academic titles. If he is a pure professional, that field will lose a qualified expert and be implemented with a may-not-so-good manager. Management must be a professional career. From good and bad lessons of market-oriented economy, we can see clearly that all methods will not be applied effectively if there still remains the gap between management ability and social demand, the gap between favour for governmental official and purely professionals, and the gap between mechanism “bestowing favours” and the understanding and confidence.

A talented and devoted art administrator always has to put his trust in the composers and know how to create the best environment for them so that the Vietnamese music can integrate into the global musical community with the most favourable conditions.