Article 103: Music from the love of coffee

Coffee and the awakening effects of coffee have become a source of inspiration and a subject for the composition of musical masterpieces, which embody the aspirations towards the values of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

Coffee – Inspiration for Timeless Musical Works

When coffee first appeared in Europe in the 17th century, it faced much skepticism about its health benefits for humans. However, with its stimulating and creativity-enhancing properties, coffee was quickly embraced and popularized within European social and intellectual circles. Especially in the realm of music, coffee became an indispensable energy source for composers, serving as a source of inspiration and a subject for composition for many renowned musicians.

The cantata “Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht“, also known as the Coffee Cantata (BWV 211), composed by the great musician Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750), is one of the most unique musical works about coffee. The Coffee Cantata was written between 1732 and 1735 and is one of the few of Bach’s compositions that reflects secular life. The work is imbued with artistic beauty and intellectual depth, profoundly reflecting the social realities of that time period.

The Coffee Cantata is a story about a young woman’s struggle for her love of coffee. With her ardent passion for this special beverage, the daughter endeavors to persuade her father and fiancé, who oppose her coffee drinking, to allow her to enjoy it. The beautiful lyrics sung by the daughter, such as “Ah! how sweet coffee tastes! Lovelier than a thousand kisses, smoother than muscatel wine!” may well be Bach’s own words of praise. At the end of the work, the father relents and accepts his daughter’s love of coffee, consenting to the marriage. All three characters then sing in unison the message to drink coffee is but natural. This is a surprising conclusion, given the prevalent negative perceptions of coffee at the time.

Through its magnificent music and witty lyrics, the Coffee Cantata not only brings joy to the audience, but also offers a distinctive perspective that reflects the love of coffee in the society of Leipzig at the time, while also challenging the belief that drinking coffee was a bad habit that needed to be eradicated. The Coffee Cantata also demonstrates how music in particular, and art in general, can be a powerful voice that contributes to the establishment of new social norms oriented towards the True, the Good, and the Beautiful.

In the 20th century, the rapid development of science and technology has led to continuous innovation in coffee preparation and appreciation, driving the growth and globalization of coffee culture. Coffee can now be found everywhere, from home kitchens to office workplaces. Particularly, the cognitive-boosting properties of coffee, as well as its association with an active, creative, and constantly evolving lifestyle, have been celebrated and further promoted. Coffee has become a cultural symbol that inspires aspirations towards new and better value systems and ways of living.

In this process, with a new spirit of freedom and a relentless exploration of new musical styles and genres that challenge established norms, 20th century artists have continued to express their love for coffee. Coffee has also become a subject of inspiration for many music genres, conveying personal aspirations and promoting a joyful, happy way of life.

Francis Albert Sinatra (1915 – 1998), one of the best-selling music artists in the world, released the song “The Coffee Song” in 1946, which is considered one of the most important works of mainstream American music. With its lively music and smooth lyrics, The Coffee Song vividly describes the “domination” of coffee in Brazil, to the point that it is impossible to find any other beverage in this country.

One of the most influential American artists of the 20th century, Johnny Cash (1932 – 2003), also released the classic country song “A Cup of Coffee“. The song is a story about a man’s encounter with his friends during a work break. He orders a cup of coffee and joins them in casual conversation, sharing about his work and personal life. Through the brilliant storytelling in the lyrics, “A Cup of Coffee” reflects the widespread popularity and significance of the “coffee break” culture in Western social life.

In addition, there are several other notable songs about coffee, such as “One More Cup of Coffee” (1976) by Bob Dylan, which belongs to the folk rock genre; “Coffee Blues” (1996) by Mississippi John Hurt, and “Black Coffee” (1948) by Peggy Lee, both belonging to the blues genre… “Black Coffee” was also used as the theme music for the 1960 Columbia Pictures film Let No Man Write My Epitaph.

Coffee Music – Elevating the Cultural Value of Vietnamese Coffee 

Through journeys of pilgrimage, exploration, and international trade routes during the Middle Ages, coffee made its way to the Eastern regions, bringing certain changes to various fields, including music. In Vietnam, the homeland of the world’s finest Robusta coffee beans, coffee is a beloved beverage among artists, and a source of creative inspiration that has given rise to many deeply resonant musical works, cherished for decades.

Not only do established artists feature coffee-related themes in their compositions, but many young artists also find inspiration in coffee shops and cafes, creating diverse narratives and emotional landscapes around them. Some representative musical works include: Ly cà phê Ban Mê (A Cup of Ban Me Coffee) by Nguyen Cuong, Hà Nội Cafe Oi (Hi Hanoi Café) by Dinh Van, Cafe một mình (Cafe Alone) by Phuong Thao, Ngoc Le, Sài Gòn Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Saigon Condensed Milk Coffee) by Ha Okio, Cà phê (Coffee) by Khac Hung, Café Đắng Và Mưa (Bitter Coffee and Rain) by Nguyen Van Chung, Nỗi Buồn Rơi Dưới Gót Giày (The Sorrow That Falls Under the Heel) by Hakoota, and “Em Oi” (Hi There) by Vu Cat Tuong, among others.

With a deep love for coffee, viewing it as a special energy for awakening and creativity, the number one coffee corporation Trung Nguyen Legend has continuously researched the history of coffee worldwide, striving to elevate the value of coffee to the realms of coffee culture, coffee art, coffee spirituality, and even coffee philosophy. Trung Nguyen Legend has inspired leading Vietnamese artists such as composers Duong Thu, Nguyen Cuong, and Vo Thien Thanh, as well as singer Ha Anh Tuan, to create exceptional musical works that celebrate the awakening value of coffee, elevating the coffee culture of Vietnam, while also transmitting positive energy and fostering creative thinking, contributing to the formation of an awakening lifestyle.

Over a decade ago, Trung Nguyen Legend launched the “Trung Nguyen Lounge Music” project, creating a specialized genre of music in an effort to artistically elevate coffee and cater to a new lifestyle. Accompanying “Trung Nguyen Lounge Music”, composer Vo Thien Thanh invested in research and creativity to produce unique musical works and projects, raising the values of music in everyday life. The dual CD set “Rừng xưa đã khép” (The Old Forest has Closed) and “Hòa âm của đại ngàn” (The Harmony of the Great Forest), released in 2014, features compositions by the late composer Trinh Cong Son and instrumental pieces with the melodies of the Central Highlands, evoking harmonious emotions and abundant positive energy. The vinyl record “Thanh âm tỉnh thức” (The Sounds of Awakening) released in 2022 helps listeners perceive reality, reconnect with their true nature, and focus on the balance and harmony of Body-Mind-Spirit. Upcoming is the Thiền Cà phê (Coffee Meditation) album, which will be released in the New Age genre, combining Vietnamese-rooted music with elements of Middle Eastern music, providing healing energy and happiness.

Alongside the “Trung Nguyen Lounge Music” project, Trung Nguyen Legend has also inspired artists to develop music projects that spread the aspiration to change, to act, and to create value for the community. In 2008, composer Nguyen Cuong launched the symphonic choral work “Đại bàng và giọt đắng” (The Eagle and the Bitter Drop), Vietnam’s first coffee-themed choral piece. Although it does not contain the word “coffee” explicitly, the work is deeply rooted in the cultural imprint of the coffee homeland of Buon Ma Thuot, embodying the creative spirit and the distinctive aspirations of coffee. Rapper Wowy’s song “Hướng Dương” (Sunflower) (2021) with its powerful lyrics has motivated the youth to live more positively and meaningfully: “Together we Venture – Aspire – Transform our lives.” The “RAP Cà phê Trung Nguyên” (Trung Nguyen RAP Coffee) by the Underground community brings cheerful melodies, overflowing with enthusiastic and positive energy for new beginnings. Notably, the song Passiona by composer Vo Thien Thanh and singer Ha Anh Tuan, inspired by Trung Nguyen Legend’s exceptional coffee blend dedicated to women, conveys a deep, warm, and alluring melody that celebrates the beauty of passionate and aspiring women.

Composer Duong Thu, a “grand master” in the contemporary music scene of Vietnam, has collaborated with Trung Nguyen Legend to establish the Saturday Coffee Cultural Salon, a place that honors and spreads cultural and artistic values, and serves the community. For more than 13 years, with numerous creative artistic exchange activities, the Saturday Coffee Salon has become a meeting point, nurturing and inspiring many talented artists. In 2019, the Saturday Coffee Salon was recognized by the British Council as a creative cultural space. Most recently, in April 2024, the Trung Nguyen Legend space hosted the launch of the album “Dương Thụ – 80 năm, một giấc mơ” (Duong Thu – 80 Years, One Dream.) After more than 50 years of dedication to the nation’s art, this is the first album bearing the name of composer Duong Thu, featuring 16 familiar songs beloved by music enthusiasts.

 

In 2022, Trung Nguyen Legend together with artists introduced the dance drama titled “The Story of 3 Coffee Civilizations” – The Beginning of the Tao of Coffee. Since Johann Sebastian Bach’s Coffee Cantata, this is the first artistic program about coffee to be premiered. The dance drama takes the audience on a journey to experience the three coffee civilizations of the Ottoman, Roman, and Thiền (Meditation), allowing them to clearly see the perennial value of coffee in human life for centuries. From the Ottoman coffee civilization that reveres coffee as a spiritual drink, to the Roman coffee civilization that sees coffee as the energy that enlightens the mind, and finally converging on the Thiền coffee civilization, where the awakening coffee droplet carries the philosophy of stepping back, coffee is likened to a beacon of light that guides people to reflect on their own true nature and find awakening.

The coffee-inspired music products and projects created over many centuries reflect the resonance between the awakening and creative energy of coffee, and the values of music that continuously drive and spread the aspiration for happiness, contributing to the cultural and civilizational life of humanity.

Readers are cordially invited to watch the series of The Tao of Coffee videos posted on https://bit.ly/caphetrietdao

Coming up: Frédéric Chopin and the timeless creative process of music.