26/07/2020 Music of Vietnam - Wikipedia

Music of Vietnam
Traditional Vietnamese music encompasses a large umbrella
of Vietnamese music from antiquity to present times, and can
also encompass multiple groups, such as those from Vietnam's
ethnic minority tribes.[1] Throughout its history, Vietnam has
been most heavily influenced by traditional Chinese music,
alongside with Korea, Mongolia and Japan.[2]

Contents Performance of ca trù, an ancient

genre of chamber music from
History northern Vietnam, inscribed by
Imperial court music UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural
Heritage in 2009
Dilettante music
Folk music
Chèo
Xẩm
Quan họ
Hát chầu văn
Nhạc dân tộc cải biên
Ca trù
Hò
Ritual music
Traditional musical instruments
Classical music
1940s–1980s, singer-songwriters
Modern music
V-pop
Rock and heavy metal
Hip Hop
See also
References
External links
Listening

History
Traditional Vietnamese music has been mainly used for religious activities, in daily life, and in
traditional festivals. Vietnam's ethnic diversity has also made its music scene diverse. Each of
Vietnam's ethnic group owns many unique types of musical instruments. The influence of Chinese
culture on Vietnamese music is also quite prevalent, such as maids, harps and erhu. However,
traditional Vietnamese music, whilst often compared to traditional Chinese music, is not exactly the
same.

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Imperial court music

Nhã nhạc is the most popular form of imperial court music,
specifically referring to the court music played from the Trần
dynasty to the very last Nguyễn dynasty of Vietnam, being
synthesized and developed by the Nguyễn emperors. Along with
nhã nhạc, the imperial court of Vietnam in the 19th century also
had many royal dances which still exist in present times. The
theme of most dances is to wish the emperor or empress longevity
and the country prosperity.
Drum from Sông Đà, Vietnam. Dong
Classical music is also performed in honour of gods and scholars
Son II culture. Mid-1st millennium
such as to Confucius in temples and shrines. These categories are
BCE. Bronze.
defined as Nhã Nhạc ("elegant music" or "ritual and ceremonial"
music), Đại nhạc ("great music"), and Tiểu nhạc ("small music")
are classified as chamber music, often for entertainment for the
ruler.[3][4][5][6][7] In Vietnamese traditional dance, court dances
were encompassed van vu (civil servant dance) and vo vu
(military dance).[8][9][10]

Dilettante music
Dilettante music is a genre of chamber music in the traditional
music of southern Vietnam. Its instrumentation resembles that of Traditional orchestra performing at
the ca Huế style. Sometimes, modified versions of European the Temple of Literature, Hanoi
instruments like the guitar, violin, and the steel guitar are also
included. Vọng cổ ( meaning "Longing for the drum beat") is one
of the more popular tài tử melodies, and was composed in 1919 by songwriter Mr Sáu Lầu, of Bạc
Liêu, in southern Vietnam.[11]

Folk music
Vietnamese folk music is extremely diverse and includes dân ca, quan họ, hát chầu văn, ca trù, hò,
and hát xẩm, among other forms.

Chèo

Chèo is a form of generally satirical musical theatre, often

encompassing dance, traditionally performed by peasants in
northern Vietnam. It is usually performed outdoors by semi-
amateur touring groups, stereotypically in a village square or the
courtyard of a public building, although today it is also
increasingly performed indoors and by professional performers.

Xẩm
Chèo orchestra accompanies the
performance of water puppetry Xẩm or Hát xẩm (Xẩm singing) is a type of Vietnamese folk
music which was popular in the Northern region of Vietnam but
is considered nowadays an endangered form of traditional music
in Vietnam. In the dynastic time, xẩm was performed by blind artists who wandered from town to
town and earned their living by singing in common places.
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Quan họ

Quan họ (alternate singing) is popular in Hà Bắc (divided into

nowadays Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces) and across
Vietnam; numerous variations exist, especially in the Northern
provinces. Sung a cappella, quan họ is improvised and is used in
courtship rituals.

Blind artists performing xẩm

Hát chầu văn

Hát chầu văn or hát văn is a spiritual form of music used to invoke spirits during ceremonies. It is
highly rhythmic and trance-oriented. Before 1986, the Vietnamese government repressed hát chầu
văn and other forms of religious expression. It has since been revived by musicians like Phạm Văn Tỵ.

Nhạc dân tộc cải biên

Nhạc dân tộc cải biên is a modern form of Vietnamese folk music which arose in the 1950s after the
founding of the Hanoi Conservatory of Music in 1956. This development involved writing traditional
music using Western musical notation, while Western elements of harmony and instrumentation
were added. Nhạc dân tộc cải biên is often criticized by purists for its watered-down approach to
traditional sounds.

Ca trù

Ca trù (also hát ả đào) is a popular folk music which is said to have begun with Ả Đào, a female singer
who charmed the enemy with her voice. Most singers remain female, and the genre has been revived
since the Communist government loosened its repression in the 1980s, when it was associated with
prostitution.

Ca trù, which has many forms, is thought to have originated in the imperial palace, eventually moving
predominantly into performances at communal houses for scholars and other members of the elite
(this is the type of ca trù most widely known). It can be referred to as a geisha-type of entertainment
where women, trained in music and poetry, entertained rich and powerful men.

Hò

"Hò" can be thought of as the southern style of Quan họ. It is improvisational and is typically sung as
dialogue between a man and woman. Common themes include love, courtship, the countryside, etc.
"Hò" is popular in Cần Thơ - Vietnam.

Ritual music
Nhạc lễ - court music

Traditional musical instruments

Đàn bầu (monochord zither)
Đàn gáo (two-stringed fiddle with coconut body)
Đàn nguyệt (two-stringed fretted moon lute)
Đàn nhị (two-stringed fiddle with hardwood body)
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Đàn sến (two-string fretted lute)

Đàn tam (fretless lute with snakeskin-covered body and three strings)
Đàn tam thập lục (hammered dulcimer)
Đàn tranh (long zither)
Đàn tỳ bà (pear-shaped four-stringed fretted lute)
Kèn bầu (oboe)
T'rưng (bamboo xylophone)
K'ni (also spelled k'ny or k'ný) - one-string vertical fiddle with a resonating disc that is held in the
player’s mouth; played by the Jarai people of the Central Highlands

Classical music
Vietnamese composers also followed western forms of music, such as Cô Sao by Đỗ Nhuận,
considered as the first Vietnamese opera. Nguyễn Văn Quỳ also wrote 9 sonatas for violin and piano,
following his French music studies and Vietnamese traditions.[12]

1940s–1980s, singer-songwriters
The Vietnam War, the consequent Fall of Saigon, and the plight of
Vietnamese refugees gave rise to a collection of musical pieces that
have become "classical" anthems for Vietnamese people both in
Vietnam and abroad. Notable writers include Phạm Duy and Trịnh
Công Sơn. Singers include Thái Thanh, Khánh Ly and Lệ
Thu.[13][14][15][16]

Many of these composers, in the North, also contributed Vietnamese

revolutionary songs, known as nhạc đỏ "Red Music".
Songwriter Phạm Duy (1920–
2013)
Modern music

V-pop

The embrace of modern pop music culture has increased, as each new generation of people in
Vietnam has become more exposed to and influenced by westernized music along with the fashion
styles of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. Musical production has improved and
expanded over the years as visiting performers and organizers from other countries have helped to
stimulate the Vietnamese entertainment industry. Such performances include international stages
like the Asia Music Festival in South Korea where popular Vietnamese singers such as Hồ Quỳnh
Hương, Mỹ Tâm, Hồ Ngọc Hà, Lam Trường, Sơn Tùng M-TP and others have performed along with
other singers from different Asian countries. During the recent years such as 2006 and beyond,
Vietnamese pop music has tremendously improved from years past. Vietnamese music has been able
to widen its reach to audiences nationally and also overseas. There are many famous underground
artists such as Andree Right Hand, Big Daddy, Shadow P (all featured in a popular song called Để anh
được yêu) or Lil' Knight and countless others who have risen to fame through the Internet. In
addition, there are also other singers that have gone mainstream such as M4U, Hồ Ngọc Hà, Bảo Thy,
Wanbi Tuấn Anh, Khổng Tú Quỳnh, Radio Band, etc. There are also amateur singers whose songs
have been hits in Vietnam such as Thùy Chi. These singers tend to view singing as a hobby, therefore
not being labeled as mainstream artists. Overall, the quality of recording and the style of music videos
in Vietnam has improved a lot compared to the past years due to many private productions and also
overseas Vietnamese coming back to produce a combination of Western and Vietnamese music.

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Rock and heavy metal

Introduced by American soldiers, rock and roll was popular in

Saigon during the Vietnam War. This genre has developed
strongly in the South and has spread out over the North region
after the rise of Bức Tường in the 90s. For the last 10 years, metal
has become more mainstream in Vietnam. Ngũ Cung and
Microwave are the current top Vietnamese metal bands in the
21st century.

Hip Hop

Derez is a Vietnamese and Black hip hop artist and URL battle
rap emcee.

See also
Sơn Tùng M-TP singer
V-pop representative of music V-pop
Popular music of Vietnam
Ca trù
Quan họ
Nhã nhạc
Nhạc tài tử
Traditional Vietnamese dance
Traditional Vietnamese musical instruments
Vietnamese theatre

References
1. Ó Briain, Lonán (2018). Musical minorities : the sounds of Hmong ethnicity in Northern Vietnam.
New York, NY. ISBN 9780190626976. OCLC 994287647 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/99428764
7).
2. "Southeast Asian arts Vietnam" (http://original.britannica.com/eb/article-29500/Southeast-Asian-ar
ts). Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica. 23 July 2008. p. 36.
3. Vietnam - Page 95 Audrey Seah, Charissa M. Nair - 2004 "There were three categories: dai nhac
(dai nyahk) or great music, chamber music for the entertainment of the king, and ritual music-
accompanying important ceremonies such as the one to ensure a good harvest. The Ly kings, in
particular "
4. International Workshop on Nhã Nhạc of Nguyễn Dynasty: Huế court music - Page 201 Huế
Monuments Conservation Center, Ủy ban quốc gia Unesco của Việt Nam, Viện nghiên cứu âm
nhạc (Vietnam) - 2004 "... by stricter rules. That was the rule in using "Great music" and "Small
music". Great music ..."
5. Tư liệu âm nhạc cung đình Việt Nam - Page 103 Ngọc Thành Tô,ön (Mounting the Esplanade-
simple version), -Dàngdàn kép (Mounting the ..."
6. Asian Pacific quarterly of cultural and social affairs - Volumes 3-4 - Page 67 Cultural and Social
Centre for the Asian and Pacific Region - 1971 "Đại nhạc (literally : great music) or Cd xuy Đại
nhạc iW&^k.1^), composed ... Tiểu nhạc (literally :small music) or // true Tiểu nhạc (UYrB%:) :
small group of silk or stringed instruments and bamboo flute. Ty khanh: ... Traditional Vietnamese
Music 67."

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7. [1] (https://web.archive.org/web/20191225043904/https://lyricsbhandaar.blogspot.com/) Court

Music "He with the profound knowledge about Vietnamese Court Music not only taught the
performance skill of such repertoires as Liên hoàn, Bình bán, Tây mai, Kim tiền, Xuân phong,
Long hổ, Tẩu mã extracted from Ten bản ngự (Small music); Mã vũ, Man (Great music) but
introduced their origin and performance environment."
8. International Workshop on Nhã Nhạc of Nguyễn Dynasty: Huế court music - Page 152 Huế
Monuments Conservation Center, Ủy ban quốc gia Unesco của Việt Nam, Viện nghiên cứu âm
nhạc (Vietnam) - 2004 "What is Dai nhac (great music) and what is Tieu nhac (small music)? On
basis of terminology and canon-like document, there are some notions for our deep concern: -
Nha nhac is a genre of music used by Chinese emperors in sacrifices to ..."
9. Selected musical terms of non-Western cultures: a notebook-glossary - Page 132 Walter
Kaufmann - 1990 "Dai nhac (Vietnam). "Great music." Ceremonial music of Temple and Royal
Palace performed by a large instrumental ensemble. The instruments of a dai nhac ensemble
were: 4 ken, ..."
10. Visiting Arts regional profile: Asia Pacific arts directory - Page 578 Tim Doling - 1996 "Court
orchestras were also organized into nha nhac ('elegant music') and dai nhac ('great music')
ensembles and court dances were defined as either van vu (civil) or vo vu (military). Confucian
music and dance was presented at court until ..."
11. Garland Encyclopedia of World Music South East Asia p.262 Nhạc tài tử
12. Nguyễn, Trâm (7 July 2011). Nguyen Van Quy - A Biography (http://www.notesdevoyage.com/ftp/T
exte/Quy/). Hanoi: Nguyễn Trâm. p. 38. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
13. John Shepherd Continuum encyclopedia of popular music of the world: Volumes 3–7 - 2005
14. Phạm Duy. 1975. Musics of Vietnam
15. Olsen
16. Popular Music of Vietnam (http://leonardo.info/reviews/sept2010/zilberg_olsen.php) 5 Sep 2010 –
Popular Music of Vietnam: The Politics of Remembering, the Economics of Forgetting by Dale
A.Olsen Routledge, New York, London, 2008

External links
BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Tran Quang Hai in Hanoi. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0
05xjph) Accessed November 25, 2010.
BBC Radio 3 Audio (60 minutes): Tran Quang Hai in Saigon. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p
005xjpn) Accessed November 25, 2010.
(in French) Audio clips: Traditional music of Vietnam. (http://www.ville-ge.ch/meg/musinfo_ph.ph
p?what=pays=Viet%20Nam&debut=0&bool=AND) Musée d'ethnographie de Genève. Accessed
November 25, 2010.
Listen to traditional Vietnamese music (https://web.archive.org/web/20090121210122/http://www.v
ietmusicblog.com/)
The traditional music of Vietnam (http://www.istov.de/htmls/vietnam/vietnam_start.html)
Traditional music of Vietnam from Vietnam-Culture.com (http://www.vietnam-culture.com/zones-8-
1/Vietnamese-Traditional-Music.aspx)
International Institute For Vietnamese Performing Art (IIVPA) (https://web.archive.org/web/200705
17041218/http://www.vim-online.net/)
Encyclopedia of Vietnamese music (http://vietmusic.pbwiki.com/)
Prosperity revives a tradition (Vietnam's live music for the dead) (http://articles.latimes.com/2004/
apr/24/entertainment/et-e7filler24) by Ho Binh Minh, Sunday April 18, 04:22 AM
VietnamTourism.com: Traditional Theatre (https://web.archive.org/web/20041209010503/http://ww
w.vietnamtourism.com/e_pages/vietnam/culture/theatre/fr_theatre.htm)
Vietnamese Institute of Musicology (https://web.archive.org/web/20041204144630/http://vn-style.c
om/vim/english/introduction/index.html)

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Việt Nam Cultural Profile (http://www.vietnam.culturalprofiles.net) - detailed overview of different

music genres plus directory of key contacts
Young Vietnamese pop culture music Da Nhat Yen (http://www.dnyinc.com)
Music of the Montagnards of Vietnam, part 1 (https://web.archive.org/web/20080516004312/http://
tranquanghai.info/index.php?p=559) - a panorama of tribal music in Vietnam by Tran Quang Hai
Music of the Montagnards of Vietnam, part 2 (http://tranquanghai.info/index.php?p=560) - a
panorama of tribal music of Vietnam by Tran Quang Hai
Music of the Montagnards of Vietnam, part 3 (https://web.archive.org/web/20080516045412/http://
tranquanghai.info/index.php?p=561) - a panorama of tribal music of Vietnam by Tran Quang Hai

Listening
UbuWeb Ethnopoetics: Ca Dao: Vietnamese Folk Poems (http://www.ubu.com/ethno/soundings/vi
etnam.html)
Recording of Vietnamese folk singer Pham Duy at the 1966 Florida Folk Festival (made available
for public use for the State Archives of Florida) (http://www.floridamemory.com/audio/cd2.php)
Nhạc Truyền Thuyết Về Chú Mèo Ngủ Quên (https://web.archive.org/web/20070311044054/http://
home.scarlet.be/~ping9712/awaken-meo-viet.htm), the legend of the Cat-That-Sleeps.

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