Hello and welcome to VOV’s Letter Box, a weekly feature dedicated to our listeners throughout the world. We are Mai Phuong and Phuong Khanh.
A: This week we received a postal entry to VOV’s contest “What do you know about Vietnam?” from SB Sharma of India. It is beautifully illustrated with photos that support his answers to our questions.
B: In the preface, he wrote: “First of all, I’m thankful to God for giving me such a great opportunity in my life to be associated with shortwave broadcasters and listening to them. It was a very good opportunity and experience for me to be fully connected with the Overseas Service of Vietnam and listen to the Voice of Vietnam’s English Service. It’s also a great pleasure to be connected with the nation of dragon and fairy”.
A: We appreciate your entry. VOV’s contest “What do you know about Vietnam?” has received numerous positive responses from listeners around the world. Contest rules and suggestions for creating a good entry are broadcast weekly on VOV. Information provided about the contest is supplemented by lots of information about Vietnam’s land and people and the Voice of Vietnam.
VOV Contest "What do you know about Vietnam?" will close on June 30th, 2015 |
B: Pakistani listener Amir Jameel said: “The contest is a wonderful event for VOV listeners around the world. Members of our DXing club have taken part with great enthusiasm. I have introduced the contest to many Pakistani listeners. I believe that the English section will receive the most entries from listeners”.
A: Listener Nikolai Loginov of Russia commented on Russian language website that the contest is interesting attracts more listeners, and helps them learn more about VOV.
B: Dear listeners, the contest “What do you know about Vietnam?” will close in one month’s time. We will accept your entries until June 30th, 2015. Please send your entries to the Voice of Vietnam or to the Vietnamese embassy in your country as soon as possible to get an opportunity to win a free trip to Vietnam.
A: Sending a beautiful postcard to VOV this week, Roger Roussel of Canada wrote that Canada is now having a cold raining spring and they are waiting for a nice summer.
B: Roger reported listening to VOV broadcast on April 28 from 01:00 to 01:27 UTC on the frequency of 12005 Khz with SINPO of all 5s. Thank you, Roger. We’ll send you a QSL card to confirm your report.
A: We’d like to welcome Peter Ng of Malaysia back to our show. It has such a long time since we last received his reception report.
B: Listening to our program on May 3, 2015 at 2330 UTC on the frequency of 12020 Mhz with a story about traditional Vietnamese musical instrument in the Sunday Show segment, Peter Ng suggested that we should print new QSL cards featuring Vietnamese musical instruments which he said he believes would be welcomed by listeners.
A: Thank you for your suggestion. We’re glad you’re interested in Vietnam’s traditional musical instruments. In a Sunday Show segment earlier this month, we introduced the Dan Tranh- a zither with 16 strings and sometimes 17 or 20 strings. Vietnam has a multi-ethnic culture with 54 ethnic groups, and the variety of musical instruments is abundant. One of the best-known musical instruments is the Dan Bau or monochord.
A: Vietnamese people have a saying “A woman shouldn’t listen to the monochord” because the instrument produces a sad sound which echoes the sadness of a woman’s fate. But attitudes are changing and now people say the monochord inspires love for their homeland.
B: Modern music encompasses a wide range of musical genres and instruments, but the sound of the monochord is always recognized as typically Vietnamese. The sound of the monochord is produced by its sound box, over which a single string is stretched. The string is fixed at both ends and a movable bridge adjusts the pitch. Although it has only one string, it can produce the notes of a pentatonic scale.
A: A monochord consists of an oblong box-shaped sound board, slightly narrower at one end. The instrument is about 1 meter long. The shape of the monochord has remained unchanged- a calabash shape. To ensure that the instrument produces a beautiful sound, it’s necessary to select the right materials. There is a formula for the construction: the surface of the sound box is made of wootung wood and the sides are of rosewood. These are very good woods. Wootung wood is soft and light making the sound softer.
B: With a few other musical instruments including the flute and the two-stringed zither, the monochord plays an important role in Vietnamese music. It is an important instrument in the orchestra of Cheo (traditional opera threater), Cai Luong (reformed opera) and Quan Ho (folk-duet singing). The monochord is also played in contemporary music. The monochord is closely associated with folk tunes. The tunes that the instrument plays are more important that the technique used. The monochord can express the soul of the nation through songs and melodies in praise of the homeland”.
A: The monochord is an essential part of the traditional Vietnamese orchestra along with two stringers, sixteen stringers, 36 stringers, and bamboo flutes. It can also harmoniously accompany more modern instruments.
A: An artist who plays the monochord always dresses in traditional costume. The image of an artist in traditional dress playing the monochord touches the hearts of the audience, especially Vietnamese people living far from home. Monochord music inspires their love for the homeland and reminds them of rural Vietnam’s banyan trees, wells, bamboo groves, rivers and bamboo boats.
B: Peter, we’ll consider picturing Vietnamese musical instruments on our QSL cards. In the meantime, we’ll you a QSL card to confirm your report.
A: Here’s a letter from Grant Skinner of the UK. Using a Grundig YB-400 with extendable rod, Grant listened to our program on April 30th on the frequency of 9625 with SINPO at all 5s.
B: Grant wrote: “Voice of Vietnam provides the world with one of the most efficient and convenient ways of learning about Vietnam. It’s easy to thank you but it’s hard to find a way to express the warmth that lies beneath these words. I hope that this message will help to convey the gratitude that I hold deep in my heart”.
A: Thank you, Grant, for your comments. Such comments have become a great source of encouragement for us. We hope to receive more feedback from you, our dear listeners around the world.
B: Once again, thanks to all you listeners for listening to VOV and sending us your feedback. We welcome your comments at: English section, Overseas Service, Radio the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. Tune in to our English program on the Internet at www.vovworld.vn. Good bye. See you next time