''Quan họ'' () singing is a
Vietnamese folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...
style characterized both by its
antiphon
An antiphon ( Greek ἀντίφωνον, ἀντί "opposite" and φωνή "voice") is a short chant in Christian ritual, sung as a refrain. The texts of antiphons are the Psalms. Their form was favored by St Ambrose and they feature prominentl ...
al nature, with alternating groups of female and male singers issuing musical challenges and responses. Quan họ is common in rituals and festivals, and a common theme in many songs is love and sentimentality as experienced by young adults.
[
] Quan họ was recognised as a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
Intanginble Cultural Heritage practice in 2009.
UNESCO Culture Sector - Intangible Heritage - 2003 Convention :
/ref>
The quan họ style originated in what is now Bắc Ninh Province and was first recorded in the 13th century, and has traditionally been associated with the spring festivals that follow the celebration of Tết
Tết (), short for Tết Nguyên Đán ( Chữ Hán: 節元旦), Spring Festival, Lunar New Year, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations in Vietnamese culture. The colloquial term "Tết" is a shortened form of ...
(the Vietnamese New Year). Historically, the singing began on the evening before the festival, but today it is much more common for the singing to occur on the main day of the festival. In general, an initial "challenge phrase" (''câu ra'') from the known body of songs is sung by a pair of female singers, following which a pair of male singers will respond by selecting and singing a "matching phrase" (''câu đối''), which must repeat the melody of the challenge phrase. Once they are finished, the order is reversed, and the men will issue their own challenge phrase with a different melody. While in the past the singing was unaccompanied, it is common today for the singers to be accompanied by instruments, whether traditional Vietnamese instruments or modern ones such as electric keyboards.[
There are a large number of ''quan họ'' melodies, with thousands of different songs having been recorded and written down in score form. A simpler variant of response song, allowing spoken responses and sung by boys and girls at village festivals is trống quân singing.
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References
External links
Quan Ho, folk song
MP3, Video
Quan ho MP3, VideoNhac dan caDan Ca Viet
Vietnamese traditional theatre
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Singing
Folk music genres
Vietnamese music
Bắc Ninh province
Vietnamese folk music
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