Customer Reviews

Music from Lost Kingdom: Hue Vietnam

5 star:		(3)
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This Vietnamese classical court ensemble plays in a style which dates from the 11th Century. For a while during the Vietnam War, the city of Hue retained its sacrosanct hands-off status, but eventually got engulfed by the conflict. The ensemble, meanwhile, became cultural ambassadors -- a position they continue to fill. The striking thing about the repertoire is how closely it resembles classical Chinese and Japanese music, with koto-like lutes and languid vocals, rather than the quirky and hypnotic folk styles of various Vietnamese provinces. Meditative, stately music... definitely worth checking out!

A top quality production and an excellent blend of voice and instruments, especially track 9 (title: A Thousand Miles From Home).

My adopted, vietnamese born daughter listens to this every night to fall asleep. We pre-listened to many available CDs but this is the one she picked for her christmas list. It's easier on western ears than some of the others out there.