Viétri (Việt Trì) On nous écrit (1902)

La musique du 18e Colonial est muette depuis longtemps déjà, en raison des nombreux musiciens rapatriés. Fort heureusement, quelques élèves ont été formés, et la musique, la fanfare plutôt, reprendra prochainement ses concerts du jeudi et du dimanche.

Le Lieutenant-Colonel Pourrat, qui parait être un bon chef et un excellent homme, demande l'indulgence pour les musiciens. Il peut être certain que tous ici seront trop heureux de cet agrément pour critiquer ceux qui leur procurent un instant de plaisir.

Toute la population civile se plait d'ailleurs à remercier le Lieutenant-Colonel de son amabilité, n'ayant pas été gàtée sous ce rapport par les chefs de jadis, ceux qui commandèrent avant l'arrivée du 10e.

Việt Trì. Somebody has written to us:

The band of the 18th Colonial [Battalion] has been silent for a long time, due to the large number of musicians who have been repatriated. It's very fortunate that a few students have been trained, and the enemble, or rather the brass band, will soon resume its Thursday and Sunday concerts.

Lieutenant-Colonel Pourrat, who appears to be a good leader and an excellent man, asks us to be indulgent with the musicians. He's perhaps certain that everyone here will be too pleased with this entertainment to criticize those who give them these pleasurable moments.

The entire civilian population is moreover pleased to thank the Lieutenant-Colonel for his kindness, having not been spoiled by their relationship to previous commanders, those who led the regiment before the arrival of the 10th (battalion).

Ban nhạc Trung đoàn Thuộc địa18 đã im một thời gian khá lâu, bởi vì một lớn các nhạc công được hồi hương. Rất may mắn là một vài người học được đào tạo, và ban nhạc, hay đúng hơn là ban nhạc kèn đồng, sẽ sớm tiếp tục các buổi hòa nhạc vào thứ Năm và Chủ nhật.

Trung tá Pourrat, dường như là một nhà lãnh đạo rất tốt và một người đàn ông xuất sắc, xin quí thính giả thông cảm. Ông chắc chắn rằng mọi người ở đây sẽ quá vui mừng với món giải trí này đến nỗi không có ý kiến ​​gì chỉ trích những người đã đem cho họ niềm vui này.

Toàn thể dân cũng vui mừng cảm ơn Trung tá vì lòng tốt của ông, bởi vì họ đã không được đối xử tử tế như vậy bởi các chỉ huy trước đây, những người đã lãnh đạo trung đoàn trước khi Trung đoàn số 10 đến.

source: Courrier d'Haiphong 25 octobre 1902.

In 1902, Việt Trì might not have been much more than a French commercial and military outpost. It benefitted from a clear river route to Hà Nội and the Tonkin Gulf. The 18th Colonial Battalion stationed there must have numbered around 500 soldiers, perhaps as few as 300 - I couldn't say for sure how many. There were also French civilians living there, probably engaged in commerce. But there may have been spouses and children as well. Vietnamese families had to be nearby -- minimally the French would have had the need for interpreters and laborers. Vietnamese and Chinese merchants had to be present along with rice farmers and fishermen.

It was normal for a colonial military unit to have a "musique" or a "fanfare." A fanfare denote a brass band - an ensemble of brass instruments and likely some percussion. Brass instruments work best because they are loud and they are less susceptible to damage in a tropical environment. Wooden instruments like woodwinds and strings expand and contract according to the temperature and humidity. Additionally, wind instruments have pads and springs that could be damaged in inclement weather.

The sturdiness and loud volume of these instruments help to project the power of empire. It was a form of cultural conquest at the bell of a trumpet, so to speak. The music may have been incomprehensible to local residents, but it had to get their attention, even if it were resented as a manifestation of unwanted invaders. The melodic motifs of fanfare music eventually inspired Vietnamese patriotic marches in the 1940s.

The mystery in this piece is who the "students" are? They are most likely members of the battalion without previous musical experience. But could musicians have been recruited from within the community?

It might be difficult to detect the urgency behind recruiting a full complement of musicians. In 1902 there was no radio and sound recordings had yet to be introduced to French Indochina. If you wanted to hear music, somebody had to perform music. In Việt Trì, a European would be largely cut off from the elements of a normal life, including music. The twice weekly military band performances would be a welcome musical taste of home.