Published:  00:00 Monday - November 17, 2008

Hue scholars have listed many instruments used by the royal orchestra during the 18th and 19th centuries during the time of the Nguyen dynasty but that have subsequently become extinct.

Research conducted by the Hue Relics Preservation Centre and the Hue Traditional Royal Art Theatre has cast light on them as well as the use of other musical instruments by the orchestra.

The study, titled Restoration of Court Music Instruments during the Nguyen Dynasty, also depicts the composition and structure of musical scales, and features involving the timbre of each musical instrument.

It makes a visual re-creation of each instrument to serve as a basis to carry out restoration and display activities.

The research has identified various instruments played during the court ceremonies like the bass drum, gong, cymbal, buffalo horn, bell, Chinese four-chord lute, two-chord fiddle, and two-chord guitar, among others.

Meritorious Artist Tran Dai Dung, deputy director of the Hue Traditional Royal Art Theatre, said the results are surprising because many of the instruments were no longer used by the court orchestra.

“It is interesting to know there used to be such instruments as the ông địch and the sea snail horn in the court music system.”