9.3 Vietnamese court and folk music

Vietnamese court and folk music showcase the country's rich cultural heritage. Court music, performed in royal settings, adheres to strict conventions and uses elaborate instruments. Folk music, diverse and regionally distinct, reflects the daily lives of various ethnic groups.

These traditions highlight Vietnam's musical complexity within Southeast Asia. Court music demonstrates refined artistic expression, while folk music captures regional identities. Both showcase Vietnam's unique musical landscape, blending indigenous traditions with foreign influences over time.

Court vs Folk Music Traditions

Nhã nhạc: Court Music in Royal Courts

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• Performed in the royal courts and served ceremonial and entertainment purposes for the aristocracy
• Highly refined, adhering to strict rules and conventions
• Performed by professional musicians who underwent extensive training
• Utilized more elaborate and expensive instruments (đàn tranh, đàn nhị)

Diverse Folk Music Traditions

• Encompasses a wide variety of musical traditions that originated among the common people in different regions of Vietnam
• Reflects the daily lives, customs, and cultural identities of various ethnic groups and rural communities
• Typically passed down through oral traditions and performed by amateur musicians within communities
• Utilized simpler, locally-made instruments (đàn bầu, sáo trúc)

Instruments of Vietnamese Court Music

Key Instruments in Court Music Ensembles

• Đàn tranh: 16-string zither with a trapezoidal wooden body, played by plucking the strings with picks worn on the fingers
• Đàn nhị: Two-string fiddle with a small, round body and a long neck, played with a bow
• Đàn tỳ bà: Pear-shaped lute with four strings, used for its delicate and expressive sound
• Sáo (flute) and trống (drums): Provided melodic and rhythmic accompaniment

Musical Forms and Compositions

• Compositions based on a system of modes known as điệu, each associated with specific emotional qualities and used for particular occasions or ceremonies
• Nhã nhạc repertoire included both instrumental pieces and vocal works
  • Đại nhạc (great music) suite: Performed at important court ceremonies
  • Tiểu nhạc (small music) pieces: Used for more intimate settings

Folk Music and Regional Identity

Northern Vietnamese Folk Music

• Reflects unique histories, customs, and values of the region
• Quan họ (Bắc Ninh province): Features call-and-response singing, intricate vocal ornamentation, and lyrics expressing joys and sorrows of rural life; performed by alternating male and female singers during village festivals and gatherings
• Xẩm: Tradition of blind street musicians singing about historical events, moral lessons, and social commentary while accompanying themselves on the đàn bầu (monochord) or đàn nhị (two-string fiddle)

Central Vietnamese Folk Music

• Showcases the region's history of cultural exchange and refinement
• Ca huế (Huế): Known for its poetic lyrics, complex rhythms, and use of the đàn nguyệt (moon-shaped lute)
• Ca trù (Red River Delta): Features female vocalists accompanied by a small ensemble, singing verses that blend poetry, music, and dance

Southern Vietnamese Folk Music

• Reflects the region's diverse cultural influences and lively spirit
• Cải lương: Modern folk opera that combines traditional music with Western instruments and theatrical elements to tell stories of love, loss, and social issues
• Đờn ca tài tử: Improvisational chamber music tradition emphasizing expressive interplay between vocalists and instrumentalists, often featuring the đàn kìm (moon-shaped lute) and đàn cò (two-string fiddle)

Influences on Vietnamese Music

Historical Foreign Influences

• Chinese domination (over 1000 years): Introduced instruments (đàn tranh, đàn nhị), contributed to the development of Vietnamese court music based on Chinese models
• Spread of Buddhism and Confucianism from China: Shaped Vietnamese musical aesthetics and the use of music in religious and ceremonial contexts
• Contact with other Southeast Asian cultures (Champa, Khmer): Led to the incorporation of new instruments, scales, and musical styles into Vietnamese folk music

Modern and Contemporary Influences

• French colonization (19th and early 20th centuries): Brought exposure to Western classical music, influencing the development of modern Vietnamese composers and the adaptation of traditional music for Western instruments
• Division of Vietnam into North and South (mid-20th century): Led to distinct musical developments in each region (revolutionary and propaganda music in the North, Western popular music influences in the South)
• Vietnamese diaspora (post-1975): Contributed to the global spread and evolution of Vietnamese music as artists adapt traditional forms to new contexts and audiences