And Nangma for you - Bhuchung K. Tsering (June 1999)

And Nangma for you

Article by Bhuchung K. Tsering (issue June 1999) 

I have always felt that some Tibetan artistes do not recognise their own value. At worst they not only underestimate themselves, but also the art. One former TIPA artiste when asked to do a performance is said to have remarked, ‘I have had enough to do with monkeyacting.’

On the other side there are Tibetans, not professional artistes, who take up Tibetan music for their sheer love of it. The members of the Nangma group in Switzerland falls into this category. Nangma initially began as a section of the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe, but today has an identity of its own. Its members work in banks and airlines during the weekday. They spend their leisure hours immersed in Tibetan music. I have had the occasion to see some of their performances in the early Nineties.

Nangma has come out with a new CD titled ‘Sonam Yangchen’, a conglomeration of classical and popular numbers. Among these are Sonam Yangchen (Nangma), Acho Sotop (Toeshey), Tse Potala (an Amdo number popularised by TIPA), a Namthar and a Chang song titled ‘Arokla Nachung’. My favourite is the collage of instrumental music, which begins the album. Performers play the Flute, Dramnyen, Gyumang, and Piwang, which compose Tibetan music, one after another thus giving us a taste of their individuality.

While I certainly welcome Sonam Yangchen as one more choice of Tibetan music on CD, I wish Tibetan artistes would start coming out with specialised albums, whether on Nangma, Toeshey, Changshey, Gorshey, Namthar, etc. instead of mixing them together. There is a good market, commercially speaking, for such albums if they get the right promotion. Unfortunately, Nangma (the group) has not done much to promote this CD. Unless one accidentally comes across it (as I did) one may not even be aware of its existence. I went to a music store the other day. There were over a dozen Tibetan CDs, mostly religious chants, on the Tibet section in the world music department. Sonam Yangchen (the CD) was nowhere in sight although TIPA’s ‘Dhama Suna’ was there. In this regard artistes like Nawang Khechog and Yungchen Lhamo have learnt the tricks of the trade.

Leave alone promoting the CD; Nangma artistes have not even promoted themselves in the CD. No names are given of the performers of the individual numbers. Since I knew some of the performers like Tsering Topgyal Nelung (‘Acho Tom’) and Tsering Tethong, I could identify their voices. Nangma’s album, ‘Trunglha Yarsoel’, released in 1996, lists its artistes as follows: Lobsang Gangshontsang, Kalsang Dhidugong, Norbu Lhakhang, Kunga Tethong, Tsering Topgyal Nelung and Lhakpa Tsering. The listener is left wondering who among them played some of the instruments.

Anyway, for anyone wishing to get a copy of this CD try contacting Kalsang Dhidugong, Zugerstrasse 24, 8810 Horgen, Switzerland (this address is given on the CD). 

Bhuchung K. Tsering is a commentator based in Washinton, DC. He currently works with the International Campaign for Tibet.