From Rice Paddies and Temple Yards:

Traditional Music of Vietnam

From Rice Paddies and Temple Yards:

Traditional Music of Vietnam

Phong Thuyet Nguyen Patricia Shehan Campbe11

World Music Press

From Rice Paddies and Temple Yards: Tkaditional Music of Vietnam

by Phong Thuyet Nguyen

Patricia Shehan Campbell

All Photographs by Phong Nguyen Q 1989 except for: pages 21.24.49.59.8 1989 Pham Ngoc Lanh. used by permission:

17.23 (bottom). 77. Q 1989 Timothy Tucker, used by permission; and 47 Q 1989 Ken Krenick, used by permission

Cover Illustration and pages 15.25.39 O 1990 Thi Hop Nguyen

Copyright 8 1990,1991 Phong Thuyet Nguyen and Patricia Shehan Campbell

ISBN 0-937203-32-7 Paperback ISBN 0-937203-33-5 Audio cassette

ISBN 0-937203-34-3 Book and Tape SET

All Rights Reserved

N o part of this hook or tape may be reproduced in any form or by any means except for short excerpts in reviews, the map, or selected individual pages for use by students within a classroom, without permission in writing from the publisher.

World Music Press Multicultural Materials for Educators

Judith Cook Tucker, Publisher; Editor-in-Chief PO Box 2565 Danbury CT 068 13

(203) 748- 1 13 1

Original Paperback Edition Printed in the United States of America

Muric engraved by Judith Cook Tucbr wing Professional ComposerQD version 2.2 Typeset using a Macintoshrn Plus, Pagemaker@ and Laserwriter@ Plus

Printed by the Princeton Univerdy Press on Acid-pee p q e r .

First printing 1990 Second printing with corrections. 1992; Third printing. 1994

Library of Congrcss Catalog Card Number 89-52161

Phong Thupet Nguyen,Ph.D. WEE raised in Can Tho provlnce in the Mekong dclta of South Vicmm, in a village calledTam Ngw. Hcwm km into a musical family tha playd a r ~ music. music for fe4vals. rituals, cewmonies, Buddhisr c h a n ~ c h m k music and ahcarrical music. At thc age of five, he k g m his musical train~ng w ih his f ~ h e r . concenmting fimt on singing and pra_qessing b instrumental in~luuchmn at age 10. Hic formal t e a c h formany y r m WAS a w e l l - h u n music rnastpr m South Vietnam. Mr. Tram V w Kim (hquoi Kien). who taught him vocal and instrumental: c h a m k * ritual and thearcr music. rind Rud&irr chant- Even as a child Dr. Nguycn p ~ f w m e d m many provinces of South Vietnam as a singer md insnstrumcntallsl. Over tk y m he mcentnt ted pwticulmly on the &n banh zither.

ngu-dtlute. and din tdumnnochd. %'hen he was rm he moved ta a town taIEd Tra On. w d w e d years lata rerettlod in Saigon. where he studied Western music. earned a degree in Iiteratm and phllosghy fmm the University nT Saipon and taught high school litmame wd privarc music studm&. Hc w*.as app~inwd pmcipal of the h ~ g h schwl and Imm 1970-74 mimduced and taught classes in Viemarnew mdirional music, not p-cviousty urughl in schools. and only rermrly offered for cradit. He left Saigon m 1974.

Dr. Nguycn earned his I%. D, in Ethnomrrsicology at h e Sorborme University in Paris. Fwnce. a d m c d he National Center for Scientific Researfh t h a p h h e mid-1 9 S h . His mearch c e n t d m d various q x c t s of Viehmese music. including 'baditjonal song, modal systems, w d thc m i x m of Wcstcm and V i e m e w tlemen~t in Zhe music oican~emporary Yiemam d Vtctnmese-Americmcmnmunitics. He ~ s m w considered to he one or 2he two recognized explnents of Vietname.~ music on the in~crnationa! scene. A wcll- h o m r and widely ttspxred teacher and schelar. he bas 'trained a n m k of snldenls (some of who have gone on to reach traditional Vietnamese mmlc in Viebmr), pcrlmedonnmmmusrewdingson rhe Lyrichod and othcr labefs, directed and pjn?icipated in inicmaljonal mncets in Asia E u m p md America. and has Furthermtributcd to the ficId of Ethnomu~icwlogy through his books and d c l a . Me has k e n h e rccipim~ of a numbcr of pmrs hy fie Unired Stntes and French g o v m r n m u to aid in the collechn and p c w w a t i o n nf Viemamme music<. Dr. Nguyen is currently on the laculcy of K r n ~ S t a c Vnivwsity m Ohio.

-.- - - Patricia Shehan Campbell, Ph.D. is gsracialc profesm of music ecfuc~irm at thc University of Washington. She receivcd her Ph. D. rn music education ur~th a concenuadon in cthmmusimlogy Imm Ken1 Srate Univmity. whew she s M ~ c d Sou& lndian rnridangam m d Kamalic vocal t e c h n 1 ~ 4 w i h R m n d V. Raghavm pTaycd in theThai Exwmhlc and snrdied

I Laotian koPn with Teny MiIlm 4 Jaremchw Chonpawt Wcr m r m s t in world mum hzts taken her as sruden5, rrrusarther. anti clinician to Rulgzri4 Hungan., Iqm India a d Australia. Dr.

Lows md Rutlcr Univmtty in Lndimapli~, u+~cre she wat chair of the d c p m e n t of music wlucarion.Wh~Pe in St. huk. she tmk p m

mf ~ m h ~ - h m a d p j m m I ~ i n g i n Z t S w o ~ n n d C i ~ 5 1 r ~ ~ 1 ~ . astu+olLaotiw~.~ettlement in rhcU.5. Sheisamsulrm~on music inearTy and middle chi ld~.rnutt icuItwal musiceducstion. and the use of movement as a piagopical twl. A pmlific writer. she has published &cla+ an Ihc issuesofcmcrcultmal music Ieammg. muslc prcfrrencc. and methods for childrm in numerous journals. She is ~ ~ t h o ~ ~ f s ~ u n d r u f ~ h p H7wld.Mw&OJSowkrznAL~i~and withSam- Ang Sam. S i h t Tempk~. Son,qful Hems: Trmii t im! ,Munc qf

& m ! l f i ~ i : t ~ 7 and cn-rq iitnr ~ ~ ! + f i h ~ ~ : f ~ 1 ! ~ ? 0 ~ Persp~rtivev in.biu.sic i!k!ucmh (wltkh William M. hderson). 6hc is an active member of the Xlwic E d u c m ~ s N3timal Confcrcnce, Smicry for Ethnarnuricology, Cotlcpe Music Society. fntmat~cmal Saciety lor %fu<rt Educatia Cbganizationof Kddy Educaton. and rhe Dalcroze Society.

Foreword

During the past ten years we have witnessed an increasingly serious courtship between the formerly discrete fields of music education and ethnomusicology. Practitioners of music education - especially classroom teachers - have developed a heightened curiosity about musical traditions beyond those traditionally taught and at the same time recognized the increasingly diverse cultural backgrounds of their students. The practical limitations of time and place have prevented most teachers from conducting their own primary research into these "non-Western" traditions, as diverse as African, East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American. At the same time, practitioners of ethnomusicology have become aware of the need to transmit their findings to a constituency broader than fellow scholars.

The ideal solution has been to bring together someone having expertise in a specific musical tradition with someone having expertise in methodology (and not a little knowledge of the specific tradition as well). From Rice Paddies and Temple Yardr: Traditional Music of Vietnam will surely serve as a model for further publi- cations in a field some call "applied ethnomusicology."

Dr. Phong Nguyen is the ultimate "insider," mined in the tradition from childhood and one of the world's greatest exponents of traditional Vietnamese music. His training in scholarship at the Sorbonne has also made him an articulate spokes- man for this little-known but exquisite tradition. In this work Dr. Patricia Shehan Campbell combines her expertise in music education methodology, her experience in the classroom, and her enthusiasm for Vietnamese music with Dr. Nguyen's profound knowledge to offer teachers at various levels practical material for the teaching of Vietnamese music. This work is representative of an important new trend in the way music is taught in the United States.

This work appears at an auspicious moment in history, as a new world order emerges after the long and dark years of the "cold war." The unthinkable dream becomes reality, almost on a daily basis. Vietnam has been a part of America's recent past but not the one that most wish to remember and celebrate. For Vietnamese- Americans, time has begun to heal the trauma which brought them to America, and as they have become established members of American society, they can allow themselves to remember again their Vietnamese culture as a positive attribute. As such, an interest in teaching the music of a people who have until now symbolized to us more agony than ecstasy is surely a step in the healing process.

Terry E. Miller Professor of Ethnomusicology Center for the Study of World Musics Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

about th A U ~ ~ L X S , 5 yorwarrd, 7 List af Iflustratiom, 10 List of M u s i c a L T a c p t 10 List of Tfwtographsl 11 Tronunciation G u h l 12

*fue, 13 Map, 16

Chapter 1: H ~ t o r i c a l and CuCturafBachround.- 15-24 Climate-Riceather Foods-Earl y History-A.D.-French Rule-U.S. Involvement- Customs and Traditions-Festivals-Tradi tional Clothing-Ethnic Make-up

Chapter 2: V i t n a m e Musical Fmn and Imtruments: 25-38 Language-General Characteristics4enres of Music- Melody-Dynamics-Rhythm- Tonality-Vietnamese Musical InstrumentsStrings-Percussion-Winds-Vietnamese Music in the United States-Common Musical Genres in the United States

Chapter3: A G u h to ttb Music ofVfittutm: 39-77 Using the lessons-Performance style-Follow-up Lesson I: Hit Du'm (Group song), 42 Lesson 11: Clim Num Cim Niu (Closing the Hands), 44 Lesson In: Xiy K h h (Turning the Handkerchief), 46 Lesson IV: C6 Lii (Flying Egret), 48 Lesson V: Ly' Qlim Quyen (Song of the Nightingale), 52 Lesson VI: Qua C ~ U Gib Bay (The Wind on the Bridge), 56 Lesson VII: D6 Dgc D6 Ngang (Boat Song), 59 Lesson VIII: Ly' ~h Tang (Song with "Ting Tang" Endings), 63 Lesson IX: Kim ~ i i n (Golden Coin or Golden Fairy), 66 Lesson X: Lf Ngua 6 (Song of the Black Horse), 70 Lesson XI: Voice of the ~r6ng The Drumming Tradition, 72 Lesson XII: Chinh Phu Ngim Khu'c (The Song of the Soldier's Wife), 75

~ b s s r u y , 79 Guide to tfie Companion Tape, 8 1 Bi61wgaphjl 83 Inde;r, 87

Mwical Transcriptions Chapter 2: Cfuzpter 3: Lesson I:

Lesson 11:

Lesson III: Lesson IV:

Lesson V:

Lesson VI:

Lesson VII:

Lesson VIII:

Lesson IX:

Lesson XI:

Typical Pentatonic Scales, 30

Hit Dlim (Group song), 42 Exercise 1,43

CLim Num Clim Nju (Closing the Hands), 44 Exercise 2,45

Xiiy K h h (Turning the Handkerchief), 46 C6 La" (Flying Egret), 50

Exercise 3,51 Ly' Chim QuyEn (Song of the Nightingale): scale, 52

Pitches of the DAn Tranh Zither Saings, 53 Ly' Chim QucyEn (Song of the Nightingale), 54 Exercise 4,55

Qua C ~ U Gib Bay (The Wind on the Bridge), 56 Exercise 5,58

DL? DQC D6 Ngmg (Boat Song), 60 Exercise 6,62

Ly' T& Tang (Song with "Ting Tang" Endings), 64 Exercise 7,65

Kim Ti& (Golden Coin or Golden Fairy): Rao, 67 Kim ~i6n (Golden Coin or Golden Fairy), 68

Voice of the ~ r 6 n ~ Drumming: percussion syrnbols/mnemonics, 73 Voice of the ~ r 6 n ~ Drumming, 73

Flute player with sleeping water buffalo by Hop Thi Nguyen, cover Festival Parade by Hop Thi Nguyen, 15 Flure player with sleeping water buffalo by Hop Thi Nguyen, 25 Children with birds by Hop Thi Nguyen, 59

Photograph

Central highlands, Pleiku Province , 17. Viewing the rice paddies, 2 1. Ethnic minority members in traditional clothing, 23. Montagnard village, central highlands, 23. At the open air fruit market, 24. The yard of a Buddhist temple, 24. A bronze drum (on top) and a set of lithophone (stone) chimes, 26. D2.n t ' m g xylophone slung like a hammock in a frame, 26, Din tranh, a seventeen-stringed zither, 30. Ddn tam th:p luc, hammered dulcimer, played by Doan Trang Dieu Nguyen, 30. Phong Nguyen helping a student try the d h biu, 3 1 . Phong Nguyen playing the d h franh and d h ba"; ,31. A young student of the dib tranh zither, 32. D& biu or d h d& huy6n, a monochord, 32. D2n da'y, a trapezoidal back-less lute, 32. Diin doh, a short-necked, moon-shaped lute, 32. Drin gio, a two-stringed coconut shell fiddle, 33. Din nguyet, a long necked moon-shaped lute, 32. Din tam, a three-stringed fretless lute, 32. Diin t i bli, a pear-shaped lute, 32. D2.n xin, an octagonal lute,32. The din nhj played by Tam Tri, 33. Song lung, foot clapper, 34. A very old dai c6' (big temple drum), 34. Drum dance, 34. Dinh Nguyen playing the sa'o, 35. Hit boi classical theater performance, 37. Vietnamese performers in the United States, 38. Vietnamese children playing in the United States, 41. Water buffalo threshing rice near Cam Ranh, 47. Paddling a typical long boat in South Vietnam, 49. Transporting goods to market in South Vietnam via d6,59. Than Quang Tu, a Buddhist temple in Thai Binh province in North Vietnam, 70. A festival in a temple yard, 71. Kontum or Pleiku, 1 969, Pleiku Province, 77.

Pronunciation Guide Cl/ietnamese: orr responding Common Enghh Pronunciation: Vowels:

ah (like "r") ah (with rising-up) er (with rising-up) air ay (like "day") ee or oh er oo (like "too") ew (like "new")

Y ee (Nd: Pronuncialion is also uflected by marks over vowels indicating gliding tones. These are explained

in Chupter 2 , page 27.)

Consonants: (North)

b k ts (strong) z d zee hor k 1 rn n ='ya f kw z S

t (weak) th (strong) v S

(Central & South)

ts (weak)

n (prefix), ng (ending)

nya f W

r sh t (weak) th (strong) b(ee) or y (like "yes") S

Preface

This book-and-tape set represents the first complete resource for the introduction of Vietnamese traditional music and culture in the English language. The book unfolds in several sections. The first part consists of a thumbnail sketch of the Vietnamese people, their land, their history, and their customs, including music, so that the reader may become familiar with this people whose joys and sorrows are expressed in their songs and instrumental music. The second section presents an introduction to Vietnamese language, a description of Viet- namese traditional musical forms and instruments, and an account of changing traditions in Vietnamese-American communities within the United States. A series of twelve lessons comprise the third section, designed for the teaching of Vietnamese music, and Vietnamese culture through music. The progression of experiences suggested in each lesson will enable young people and adults, Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese, to understand the beauty and logic of Vietnamese musical traditions.

The accompanying tape provides examples of several important musical genres, in- cluding children's songs, folk songs that blend language and literature with music in their image-laden poetic verse, instrumental solo and ensemble works, and poetry that is more music than it is speech in its elaborate recitation. While the book offers an intellectual understanding of Vietnamese traditions, the heart of the culture is found in the music. The performers are all Vietnamese refugees living in the United States. Some are professional musicians, some enjoy making music in their leisure time. All sing and play in a manner that clearly reveals both the beauty inherent in this tradition and their reverence and love for it. We are deeply grateful to them forjoining with US on this project. We suggest that you listen to the tape first, without explanation, and absorb the sound, texture and mood of the music. Allow the book to enhance and guide you to further understanding after you have been exposed to the music. The nuances of pronunciation, gliding tones and microtones, so hard to notate accurately, will become far clearer and well within reach through aural learning.

We feel this project was inevitable. Vietnamese people, many of them refugees resettled in California, Washington and Texas, and in smaller communities such as those in Ohio, Wyoming, Massachusetts and Connecticut, are looking for a guide to help retain and transmit traditional Vietnamese music and culture to Vietnamese children in community centers and Saturday morning schools. Likewise, teachers of music, the arts, history and social studies in elementary and secondary schools desperately need a resource that reveals the beauty and vitality of the music and culture of some of the newest members of their classrooms. All too often Vietnamesepeople have been viewedentirely through the harsh and distorted filter of the war experience. It is rare that the fundamental gentleness of the Vietnamese character is explored. People of all ages living side by side in communities of ethnic diversity need accurate information, free of stereotypes and misconceptions, to help them celebrate that diversity, rather than be suspicious of it. We both share a sense of zeal for bringing understanding of and appreciation for Vietnamese music and culture, and music in culture to interested students on all levels. It is our hope that From Rice Paddies and Temple Yarak: Traditional Music of Vietnam will refresh and enrich all of our readers and listeners.

1 uCrmk90ur whip wt2.h roars t L autumn wind''

Historical and Cultural %ac@round

Vietnam and Neighboring Countries in Southeast Asia

I I

Q 1990 World Music Presr This map may bc photo-copied.

1 ~ m r t y o u r w~ip w~ mrs th autumn wind.

In the region referred to by geographers as Southeast Asia lies the elongated '5"- shaped country of Viemam. Occupying an area of about 1 28, 408 square miles, it is dkc t l y south of China, bodered by Cambo- dia and h a s an the west, the Gulf of Tonkin to the northeast, the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest and the South China S e a to the east. Vietnam's strategic Iwation has resulted in a number of international confluences though the ages.

"Two baskets of rice slung on a pole" is a dehpt ion the Vietnamese offer of their county. The baskets are the deltas of the Red E v e r in the north and the Mekong i n the south, and the carrying pole of those rice baskets is a series of mountain chains along the western brder, known as the Annamite Cordillera (Tmhg Sun. "Long Mountains"'). The whole i s about f OOO miles Iong-similar to California. Vietnam can be further divided into eight natural regions: three low-1 ying plains (including the two major rives deltas), three mountain mas, a northem midland region of terraced hills, and a large southern mountain plateau. There is Iinle geopphic unity thughout the country, but since the buIk of the 52,750,000 Vietnamese people cultivate rice, most of them are concentrated in the tiny, humid fowland pockets and along the seacoast.

One half of the country is covered by jungle-like rain forests, and nearly four-fifths of the land is covered by trees and tropical vegetation. There is diversity in the lay of the land, however, from mountains and plains to lush green valleys. carefully manicured rmces,

picturesque sandy beaches, flat grassy prairies, swamps, and even small pockets of desert. Vietnam is also home to many animals that roam the lush forests and swim in the full rivers and delta streams, including elephants, wild boar, oxen and deer, water buffalo, tigers, leopards, pythons, crocodiles, and great numbers of monkeys and wild birds.

Vietnam is warm and humid, and the rainy monsoon season extends from June to November. Blowing southwest from the Indian Ocean, the Climate monsoon brings intense heat and typhoons along with heavy rains. The average yearly rainfall is fifty-nine inches -more than Miami, Florida- while Hanoi receives seventy-two inches annually. Houses of the Red and Mekong deltas are elevated on poles as an adaptation to thwart the powerful rivers that regularly overflow their banks. Networks of canals have helped to lessen the floods, and are used for irrigation in the highlands where rainfall is rare in the winter months.

Vietnam is one of the world's leading producers of rice, along with Rice other countries of Southeast Asia. Rice fields extend over more than 12 million acres today, and have been a central part of life in Vietnam for many centuries. While the kernals provide food, the rest of the plant is utilized for making beer, wine and flour, and for providing fuel and fertilizer, and the raw materials with which to make straw mats, and garments. "A Farmer's Calendar" is a traditional Vietnamese poem that presents the phases of work and philosophy of a rice farmer:

The twelfth moon for potato growing, the first for beans, the second for eggplant.

In the third, we break the land to plant rice in the fourth while the rains are strong.

The man plows, the woman plants, and in the fifth: the harvest, and the gods are goad- an acre yields five full baskets this year.

I grind and pound the paddy, strew husks to cover the manure, and feed the hogs with bran.

Next year, if the land is extravagant, I shall pay the taxes for you.

In plenty or in want, there will still be you and me, always the two of us.

Isn't that better than always prospering, alone?

Vietnamese cuisine consists of rice and fish as the main ingredients, 0th reflecting the agricultural and maritime culture. Fish and shellfish, including shrimp, lobster, and crab are common sea- and river-foods. "Oryza fatua" the first strain of rice known throughout much of the world, was found in Vietnam in the Early Stone Age (5,000 years ago). Various wild and cultivated spices from trees and bushes were traded to the Middle East as early as the first century A.D., others such as curries and hot red and black peppers were introduced by traders en route to and from India, Indonesia and China. In more modern times, French-style coffee and baked goods have been popular. Tropical fruits inlcuding melons, coconut, mango, lime and orange are cultivated, and ginger, mint, sesame, peanuts, sweet potatoes, sugar cane, basil and lemon grass are also abundant.

Much of Vietnam's earliest history is shrouded in folklore and legend. According to one mythical tale, the history of the Vietnamese Early Hiitmy people began with King De Minh who was descended from Chen Nong, a divine Chinese sovereign honored as the father of Chinese agriculture. De Minh traveled to the southern part of his kingdom, in present-day Vietnam, where he met an immortal woman from the mountains. De Minh married her, and they had a son named Loc Tuc who became the king of Xich-Quy, the land of the Red Devils. Loc Tuc married a sea goddess, and they had a son named Lac Long Quan, or the Dragon Lord. The reign of the Dragon Lord was a golden age, and poets through the ages referred to the Vietnamese as the "grandchildren of Lac."

The Vietnamese legends became associated with historical fact as they continued. Lac Long Quan married Au Co, the daughter of a Chinese emperor. Au Co laid 100 eggs and hatched 100 sons. The king recognized their incompatibility, and said to his wife: "I am a dragon, and you are a fairy. We cannot remain together. I will rule the lowlands with fifty sons, and you will take fifty sons into the highlands with you." Lac Long Quan's eldest son inherited his throne, founding the first Vietnamese dynasty-the Hong Bang. His kingdom was Van Lang, established in 2879 B.C.

Archeological evidence and references in later literature offer a description of a flourishing Bronze Age Culture under the Hung kings (2879-258 B.C.) when bronze drums, engraved with scenes of dance and drum ensembles, were played. A kingdom known briefly as Au Lac covered China's southernmost Kwangtung Province and northern Vietnam between 257 and 1 11 B.C. Chinese generals who had broken with the Chinemperorsof China conquered the region, naming the area "Nam-Viet," (Southern Country of the Viet People). With the rise to power of the Han dynasty in China, the Nam-Viet were pushed slowly south into the area of present-day Vietnam. In 11 1 B.C., the Han dynasty succeeded in crushing the small Vietnamese state.

Although they accepted Chinese civilization, including its philosophy, character script, social customs and art of planting rice in artificially irrigated 9 . ~ ~ areas, the Vietnamese preserved their identity and resisted assimilation as Chinese. A series of revolts over the centuries were unsuccessful until 939 A.D., when, during the waning days of China's Tang dynasty, the Vietnamese overthrew Chinese rule. Still, China's "Smaller Dragon" was sinicized with the characteristic stamp of the mandarin way. In addition to Chinese cultural influences, Indian beliefs and culture were deeply implanted in Vietnam at the very roots of the culture-the folk level- as early as the first century B.C. Buddhism, as practiced by the traders and merchants who plied the trade routes and stopped in the villages along the coast, was especially embraced.

Vietnam, also called Dai Viet (Great Viet Country) and Annarn (a Chinese-imposed name signifying Pacified South) matured and maintained a national identity. During the Dinh, Le, Ly and Tran dynasties, known collectively as the Buddhist-influenced Golden Period of Vietnameseculture of the tenth through fourteenth centuries A.D., music and dance flourished at the royal courts. Indigenous and foreign instruments combined to form orchestras, partly to serve as accompaniment for the newly developed theater forms,

including opera. Many historical and literary works of poetry were composed then and are still sung today, a testimony to the great era of nationalism which had evolved following Vietnam's independence from China.

The Vietnamese pushed further south into the Indianized state of Charnpa, which had been founded in 192 A.D. and extended from north of the Mekong delta to the 18th parallel, claiming the land for their teeming population. Champa's capital was the homeport for a flourishing seaborne trade, and for longstanding cultural exchanges with India, The Chams first accepted their northern neighbor's agricultural skills, but then waged and lost territorial battles with them, until in 1471 Charnpa was decisively defeated. By the 1600s the Chams were conquered and the boundaries of Champa disappeared as Vietnam grew into its present area. The Vietnamese continued their colonization process into Cambodia, but with the 1863 establishment of a French protectorate in Indochina (Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam), Vietnam returned to the s-shaped country of its fifteenth century boundaries.

Despite a long-established Vietnamese culture, early contact with other French world cultures was common. European culture was introduced into Vietnam by French, Portuguese and Spanish missionaries beginning in the late 1500s.

Kule (Today, about 10% of the population practices Roman Catholicism, others Taoism, Confu- cianism and the majority, Buddhism.) French military advisors aided Vietnam in several re- bellions in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and through a jigsaw puzzle of isolated and contradictory moves, French colonial rule was firmly established at the turn of the twentieth century.

French administration of Vietnam for fifty years caused rapid westernization of the society. Many Vietnamese received French-styled schooling, learned French as well as their mother tongue, and were introduced to the literature, music and arts of the West through the French occupation. The Vietnamese emperors continued to exist, surrounded by the tradi- tional court ceremonies, but their ruling power was drastically decreased and all major acts required the signature of the resident superieur.

Confrontations with French political powers occurred, especially in the north. In 1930 a nationalist movement, inspired no doubt by Sun Yat-sen's success in China, staged an uprising against the French and Ho Chi Minh organized the Indochinese Communist party. After the World War I1 occupation of Vietnam by Japan ended, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was declared by a communist-led revolt in Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh then led the communists in a guerilla war against the French, culminating in the defeat of the French after the siege of a major French fortress in 1954. Vietnam was then divided at the 17th parallel into two separate countries, the Communists retaining control of the north. In a pattern reminiscent of the gradual takeover of their southern Champa neighbors by the Vietnamese in the fifteenth century, northern communist forces pursued the eradication of French and foreign influences in their cities.

The United States viewed with concern the aggression of the 'Us northern region in the south, supported by Russia and China, and in 1961

~ ~ ~ ~ f . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ began a period of sustained aid. Ultimately, intervention begun as military advising escalated to air strikes (begun in 1964) and ground battles until United States troop deployment increased to the tune of 550,000 personnel and enormous financial involvement for the preservation of a non-communist South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam).

A strong division of public opinion a b u t American involvement in Vietmam Ted to the _gradual wi thdmwal of trmps beginning in 1969. Despite the involvement of the United States and a cease fire signed in Paris in 1973, South Vietnam and Saigon fell to the communists in 1975, The political upheavals caused more than one million to flee Vieham on foot, in shaky vessels, and by air, and to seek asylum In Western countries, especially France, Australia, and the United Stares. The points of mnsit for these "boat people" are Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hongkong and the Phillpines.

'Soday, 'little Saigans" (large communities of msplmzed Vietnamese) are found in the United States in Orange Countv, Los %%tnmm~e Angeles, San Francisco, S tockton, Merced, and Fresno. California; in ~ ~ m m n i t i ~ Gulf Coast communities of Texas and Louisiana, and in Washington in the US* stare. SmaIIer communities may be found in a dozen other locations including Jamaica Plain and Northampton, Massachusetts; Houston, Beaumont, and Corpus Cristi, Texas; Wanbury, Bridgeport, and Hartford, Connecticut; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Chicago, Illinois; and Se- attle, Washington. Their flight and resettlement. although painful, has offered hope for a ren- aissance of Vietnamese cultural uaditions. Music, theater, dance, the visual arts pway and lireratuse are rich repositories of the history of a longenduring people. A p a t variety of folk and festival customs, styles of casual md formal dress and the distinctive cuisine also provide a bond between those who had to leave and their hen tage, Some of these culrural features can still lx observed i n Vietnam, while others are preserved in Vietnamese communities throughout the world. Some traditions are changing, of coutse. with Western influences quite naturally shaping them, but for many, the mditional songs and insmmental music are n particularly powerfulIy spiritual link to their ancient and brilliant paqt.

Phong Ngyen's sister. wearing typical contemporary clothing. viewing zhc family "s rice paddies.

- 21 -

At least three times a year, traditional festivals take place in the villages of Vietnam. D& (common house) and chfia (Buddhist temple) are Festivd where ritual ceremonies, music festivals and competitive games take place. Among the most ancient of Vietnamese holidays is the lunar New Year, marked by the T& festival. T& is a time for Vietnamese people to return to the& birth place, to visit the tombs of their ancestors, and to reestablish ties with the extended family. Vietnamese visit temples, pay their debts, acknowledge their errors, and offer prayers for their future during the T& festival. Other important festivals are associated with the seasonal activities of planting and harvesting of rice and other crops.

Music heralds the start of festivals, competitions and ceremonies. Folk songs and theater music are sometimes performed in the yard of a home, with both adults and children attending. The audience may stand or sit on the ~ o u n d , making a circle at the center of which actors and actresses perform historical, legendary or love plays on straw mats. In earlier times, traditional theater used no scenery or props, so that the performers were faced with conveying their message solely through song, instrumental music, miming, and dance. Contemporary Vietnamese theater now permits the limited use of props.

Customs are interpreted in various ways, depending upon region and whether the performers are professionals or amateurs. Respect for elders, parents, and ancestors is an important Vietnamese value expressed in ways unique to different regions. Birthdays are seldom celebrated, although a milestone birthday such as sixty, seventy or eighty may be cause for festivities. One typical customis the h~iquanhpfolk tradition of Bac Ninh province, in which antiphonal singing between the people of two villages represents the friendship that they hold. Songs are associated with various village customs, including "head-covering," "remembering parents and ancestors," "praying," and "boating" songs. Funerals and cornmemoration days of the dead are ritualized with music and songs, representing gratitude of the living toward the dead. Musical ensembles and individuals perform a great deal of the ritual music repertoire on these occasions.

Because of Vietnam's warm climate, most clothing is thin and light. The traditional formal dress of Vietnam is called l o dii meaning % d t ~ n a C the "long dress" of both men and women. The i o dii dresses have chthittB distinctive shapes and designs for men and for women. There is also the women's folk costume called go tathiin or "four piece dress," worn when girls sing folk songs in Bac Ninh province, in North Vietnam, or during village festivals. On special occasions, people wear hats called khan dong, made of silk cloth. For work in fields or market, the conical woven grass hat serves well to shed sun or rain. Minority people typically wear bright colored clothes that distinguish them from ethnic Vietnamese. For most activities, Western styles suffice.

In spite of diverse racial origins. the Vietnamese t d a y are largely an ~ t h ~ i ~ ethnically and culturally homogeneous people. The f i t senlen of the area ~~k~~~ may have been Mongoloid Vietnamese, called "Vie t," or possibly Indone- sian. Micronesian. or Polynesian peoples. The Mongoloid Vietnamese settled on the coast and in the rivet valleys to fish and raise crops, while most of the other, smaIEer groups cawed out a more precarious existence in the mountains, hiIls and tropical. forests. The mountain people, (called Monragnards by the French) spring from the various Austro-Indonesian groups. The Vietnamese possessed their own language and culture Fmm the earliest times, and they retained their own identity even when conquered and governed by the Chinese and French. Many Vietnamese resemble their northern Chinese neighbrs in physical appear- ance. having probably descended from them or a common ancestor. Today, the ethnic minority that comprises the mountain people consists of fifty-three p u p s , or 13.5% oaf the population. They share the spirit of nationalism and honor i n their claim to Vietnamese citizenry. . .

m u rc r w - --

I '7

1 - rn

- @ rd -5 L-2 WCLr I 9 r. L, 1

PU PEU LC1 CHI i n H A f & L A I

E t h i c minmitv p u p rnemkrs in mditimal clothing. {left TO right) h l o . P u p . Lachi, Ma, Folao.

Fruit vendors at an open air market in the subwh outside of Saigon.

A ttmple yard in North Viemm.

- 24 -

Vietnamese Mwicd Form and instruments

D2n I'mg bamboo xylophone of he R a h a r . an e h i e pwple of the C e n d Highlands. It is slung like a hammock on a rrame. ThE bamboo tubes have holes in the bottom of v e n g lengths.

A hrontc drum (top background) and a set of lirhophmc (stone) chimes.

- 26 -

2 ~ m m ~ p e e c ~ ccd~ong:

Vietnamese MusicdFom & Instruments

Traditional Vietnamese culture includes the use of a spoken and a formal, literate language. The spoken Vietnamese language is linked to the Language Austro-Asiatic family. It fuses Cambodian, Thai and Chinese elements, reflecting the mixed background of the Vietnamese people. There are six tones placed within equal, high and low levels, making the language rich with varied pitches. A classic example is the word ma, of which there are six forms with various tones and meanings:

Phonetic Chart: "$idin- Tones " Tonality is indicakd in written Vietnamese by diacritical marks. This chart shows how the word ma

changes in meaning as a rcsult of changing tonality.

/ m i (mother, cheek)

m i (horse)

m i (grave) ma (ghost)

m i (but)

1 ma (rice seedling)

Spoken Vietnamese sounds much like a melody with its many intoned syllables. The loud recitation of a poem can easily generate a song. In this way, long poems consisting of hundreds or thousands of phrases that are read may appear to be sung. These poems and stories are performed in various styles for entertainment. One such poem, "A Soldier's Wife," is included in this book and on the accompanying recording (see lesson 12).

Vietnamese literature'rnay be found in both oral and written forms. The written literature is cast in three kinds of languages: chii'hihor Chinese characters, ch17 n6m or Sino- Vietnamese characters, and chdgu&ngi7 or ~omanized characters. Ch3hrin was the language of higher education and the government for nearly two thousand years, while chi7 n6m was invented during the Ly dynasty (1009-1225 A.D.) for use in vernacular literature. ~ h 1 7 ~ u & ngi? which is now the official written language of Vietnam, is an exceptional case in Asia. Roman characters, first introduced to Vietnam by European Catholic missionaries in the seventeenth century were combined with Portuguese, Italian and Greek elements, making a perfect adaptation for the diacritical marks and the spelling of the language.

The nature of speech has remained an important factor in Vietnamese traditional music. The linguistic inflection which subtlely rises and falls in pitch has given way to vocal music that is decorative and melismatic, while instrumental performance hints at language patterns through its modal ornamentations. Song plays aprincipal role in Vietnamese culture, and everyone is encouraged to sing. Instrumental music is usually reserved for professionally trained musicians, to be performed on special rather than daily occasions.

Children's songs, folk songs, and theater and instrumental G e t l e d music derived from a sophisticated system of pitch and rhythmic ChPaCte+tics components are all part of Vietnamese musical expression. Rhythm and melody are based on the principle called hoa I& or "adding flowers and leaves." This means arealization of variation and improvisation from a schematic structure- a skeleton that may be fleshed out with various embellishments by the performer. Some genres of Vietnamese music date back to a thousand years ago. Traditional songs, inskumental music for entertainment, theater forms, ritual music, Buddhist chant, and water puppet plays and dance forms are a part of the oldest layer of Vietnamese music. Songs sung during or after work in the ricefields, mountains, rivers and seacoasts contain texts which reflect the natural surroundings of farmers and fishermen that have remained unchanged through the centuries.

In earlier times, the elite classes of Vietnamese people, including the rulers, scholars and nobility, expected music and dance to adhere to clearly-defined practices, theoretical concepts, formal classification of instruments, and theatrical codifications. Because the great majority of Vietnamese citizens have worked as farmers, however, the music has come to bear certain "folk" characteristics. Vietnamese folk music has influenced art styles, and art music has had a clear impact on folk genres. While folk song is closely linked to agricultural life, expressing local customs and occupational skills, art music includes an elaborate system of modes and requires high performance skills. Today, the most appropriate description of Vietnamese music is the term "traditional," which implies the convergence of art music with folk characteristics.

There are numerous genres and sub-genres of music. They have appeared in the stream of historical and geographical development, and

Genres of relate to particular social stratifications. The best known are: Music

Comma M u i d Genres Din Ca Hiit A Dio Ca H U ~ X Nhac TAi Td Ha't Ch2o Hi t BOj Hiit C& Llldng L$ ~ h a c Phat Gia'o Tin Nhac

Folk Songs Northern Chamber Music Central Chamber Music Southern Chamber Music Northern Folk Theater Classical Theater Southern Reformed Theater Buddhist Liturgy Modernized vocal music

L (see below)

d

Since the middle of the twentieth century, the modernized kind of vocal music called tin nhac has been performed in urban areas with strong European influence. Musical instruments and theory are borrowed from Western traditions, while the sung language remains Vietnamese. In general, the natural quality of the voice is preferred for folk songs. Certain characters of the classical theater (hit @I) sing in a falsetto voice that is carefully studied and practiced for many years.

Vietnamese music may be monophonic (having a single line of melody without harmony or other accompanying melodies, even if accompanied Mebdy simply as long as the melody is self-sufficient) or heterophonic (a melody performed simultaneously by more than one individual each adding their own modifica- tions). In fact, a single piece may intersperse examples of both types of texture. A melody may be sung or played as a delicate solo that requires the listener's careful attention so that subtly- ornamented pitches can be fully appreciated, unlike the experience derived from music employing "block-chord prob~essions." Instrumental music is usually heterophonic, while songs are more frequently sung in monophonic style. Percussion instruments, led by drums, are frequently played together to create apolyrhyth (rhythm patterns that are superimposed on each other). Stringed instruments may also be played either with a basic melody or in a more developed way that includes improvisational variations. Understandably, it is not easy for a new listener to distinguish a basic melody from a developed melody of a piece until familiarity with the melody and style is established. In some pieces, the melodic texture can become quite complex as several instruments are played together at one time.

The dynamics depend upon the genre, the ensemble and the charac- ter of the individual piece. Chamber music is performed at a moderate level flvka of dynamics, due to the predominance of stringed instruments in most ensembles and also because small audiences usually prevail at these performances. Theat- rical and ritual music performances are likely to be of greater intensity, due partly to the use of percussion instruments in these orchestras and perhaps also to larger crowds.

The rhythm of Vietnamese music is most often set within the frame of duple meter; performers often improvise over a basic cyclical structure of 2, Rhythm 4 or 8 beats. Children's songs, song games, and folk dances are metrically fixed, while instrumental music often proceeds from a free and improvisatory section to regular temporal measurement at a later time. Traditional instrumental music often begins slowly and increases in speed to the end.

Tonally, Vietnamese traditional music is based on one of a variety of scales that range from two to seven pitches. Many of the scales bear traces %mfig of a particular region. Once having listened topitches and intervals, it is often possible to identify the origin of a song. At the very least, a trained listener will know the music as "Northern," "Central" or "Southern." The ornamentation or intonational patterns of Vietnamese music can be quite intricate. Certain ornaments are associated with scale

de_mes or particulx songs. The pentatonic scale is the most pmvalent, with its five pitches comprising such scales as these:

D2n hm rhsp luc, hhtmunered dulcima. played by Ms. b a n Tmg Dieu Npyen.

Fhmg Kguycn playing h e din m h zither /leR), &n ngu.vt3 lute. (right). d B n &u or &n d& huytfn monochord./bclow). Bottom Ripht Phong Nguyen intrducing chlldrcn tn the dsn ~ ~ ~ d i l t i n ~ a visit to an element- school.

fnhnve) fldn tarn. a three-shged tropj D h KLI or hV2n. a monochord. labow) Din ngu-v$. a long-nccksd fretless lute. (aboveJ O h di-v, a trapemidd back-leu lute. mmn-shsped lute.

t L.

m.

I

I - - --- A young smdm! o l the & hanh zither. (ahovc)

Din ddn. a short-ncck& moon-shspcd lutc. @low)

+

pi>\ % - -- /"j 1E *:- -2'' * j

Din ~ hi , a par-shaped lurc.

OY'n xkn. an octagonal lutc.

C 4 !'dB:!:!!! -a

I

-

The aesthetic of the music concerns itself with timbre as well aspitch, and some music may require perfomance on specific instruments. While vwa? types are important, the numerous insmments and their genses we also quite intriguing to students of Vietnamese music, The two major groups of insmments are sn in~s and percr~~.~ion. Wind instaumen ts, dthough fewer, add an interesting timbre to the others.

Srrin~ed inrtnunents include plucked lutes. zithers, 'bowed fiddles and hamrnereddulcimers. The stringsthemelvcsmcomonly madeofsilkor S~nfl5 metal. W d and coconut shells are used to make the body of fiddles, lutes and zithem. The pegs and decorative trEmmings may consist of ivory, b a m b , buffalo horn, shell, animal bone or skin, and horsetail hair. Most of these instruments are inlaid with mother-of-pearl, a sign of the proximity of much of Vieham to the sea.

-tringcd Smtmments (see photm) din b& a monochord (one-stsinged) zither

d h nguyet a moon-shaped westringed plucked lute d;n tranh a 16- or 17-sningd zither resembling the

Chinese zheng or Japanese koto din nhi a twu-stringed fiddle din pi0 a two-stringed coconut shell fiddle din tarnthJpluc ahmereddulc imer

T h e dinnhfa a two-stringed fiddle. played by Mr.TamTri (h VanThanh).

- 33 -

A An ~ i o , a two-suingcd coconut shell fiddle.

Percussion instruments include drums, gongs, cymbals, xylo- per m5h phones, w d e n clappers, wooden or b a m h "belIs," and bronze beIls. They function as so10 insmrnenrs, as accompaniment to vocal music, win ensemble arrangements. Materids such as wood, COW or buffalo skins, b a m b , stone and bronze offer various tones and tone colors.

&mmun Terclcrsion Inrtmmetlts ' pdng drum mo" w d e n or bamboo bell tZlmg bamboo xylophone chap ch6a pair of cymbals chjeng Eong sinh ti& coin ct apper song Ian8 foot clapper (see photo)

t

hum dance.

I A very old da' cd (big tcrnplc &urn) presentmi hy rhc *'guyen dynasty

of Vlemam ta h c French government in Puis in the 1 HROs.

Sonq lang. foot c l a w ,

W i d imfiwnenrs include the b a m b flute, which can k blown veni- tally or transversely. Flutes have holes, rather than keys, that are open, covered. Wink or partial1 y covered by the fingers. Double-red oboes and conch shells are used in performance by 1 owland people, and mouth argans by the highland minority people called r h Udng

/ Common Widinstmmnts

s60 transverse flute ti& vercical flute k6n double-reed o b e rn'hlrar mouth organ hai' 1oa conch shell

1

4'9h13 Dlnh U r t ~ y c n p l n y ~ n g the .r:in. B:tmhw flute< arc made In wveral S I J C ~ .

Vietnamese music is srernendously varied, and the Iistenet is unlikely to find ir uniform. From piece to piece, and from performance ao performance, the characteristics of spontaneity, vxiation, improvisation, and coIlective composition abund. me companion tape to this volume offers ample opportunities to kcorne immersed in the sound of tmditiond Vietnamese vocal and instrumental music and recited poetry. Thewetical details ofthe music are found written in scholar1 y sources, but a me understanding of the deep emotions of love, joy and sormw exptessed through this music will arise from exposure to the music itself, through listening and petfomance.

Vietnumese Music in the UnitedStates In 1989, there were 800,000 Vietnamese immigrants living in the United States. This

immigrant population, formerly called "refugees," is now well-integrated into American society. Most have become American citizens or are in the process of becoming naturalized. Among these is found a significant number of musicians, singers, actors and actresses who embody a distinctive musical culture in California, Texas, Washington, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, and in several other communities throughout the United States.

Common Musical Fnres in the 'Unitedstates dZn ca nhac f% td

ritual music cii 1Lfmg

chilli vZn

tiln nhac

folk song chamber music, resewed largely for

connoisseurs of music of the Buddhist liturgy reformed theater, performed for large

audiences of several thousand people music for sacred text singing and

dancing in shamanist temples "modem" Westernized music

These six genres are showing great vitality throughout the United States. Dik ca, originally peasants' folksongs, thrive in many urban communal events. They are short

occupational or entertainment songs that are easily accessible because of their vernacular language and sweet and simple melodies. Lullabies, boat songs, antiphonal boy-girl songs, and metaphorical songs are particularly popular sub-types of the din ca.

The instrumental and vocal entertainment music called nhgc trii td survives among selected immigrant groups in their private homes. The d;in lranh zither, d2n b& monochord, and dhnguyet lute are featured in this art music genre. Nhac ta'itd is organized within a modal framework. Traditional melodies are maintained as the core of a piece, but improvisation within the principles of the mode allows for a highly expressive and personalized music.

The chanting of Buddhist sutra is commonly practiced in about sixty Vietnamese temples from the east to west coasts of the United States. Buddhist priests and monks are often supported and sheltered by a particularcommunity, in a house which serves as a temple for all except the larger celebrations or rituals. In ceremonies requiring amounts of food and flowers, all pitch in to provide the necessities. A Buddhist liturgical ceremony, such as the Anniversary of Buddha's Birthday may attract thousands of participants. On this occasion, music festivals are often organized in the temple yard or in a public auditorium (perhaps in a school or lodge) nearby. Chanted texts in romanized characters have been reprinted in fairly extensive quantities for services. Because Buddhism has had a 2,000-year history in Vietnam, it serves as a cultural shelter for many immigrants.

While there are several classical and folk theater foms in Vietnam, only the d f Itrdnp of southern Vietnam is @armed in the United States. &i Irlcmg is extremely popular, and has fashioned its plots from Vietnamese legends, history, conhrnpotasy politics, and reli_eious beliefs. Instrumental music, singing and dancing are key to the theatrical perfomance, and contemporary staging includes xenwy, lighting, and amplification through stated-the-ast sound systems. Much of the music of c& l~mg derives from nhe nhac di t3 (see previous page) which was the original inspiration for the theater form in 1919- 1920, The favorite song of Vietnamese immigrants, "Von,g ~ 6 ' " ( b n g i n g for the Past) is usually includedin theca'i?#dng. ~ o r n a n ~ ~iemarnese,"~png~$'& ca'iI~(mg-andviceversa. New plays are currently k i n g written and pduced, audio and video tapes are available for purchase. and the training of actors and actresses continues in many Vietnamese immigrant communities.

HA Si classical lhcatn jmhrmance, dramatizing the smry of h e Sistea Tnmg.

chdu vSn, shamanist chanting and dancing. ase infrequentIy found in several West Coast temples, and in Texas. ~ha'sr vZn is oriented toward the achievement of mce-l ike states, and is accompanied by live or recorded music. The practice originated in certain rri- bal ri tuds of the Hmong and Tai mountain people.

'Fhe Westernized music called thnhac originated during the French colonid perid. T h nh3e uses Western insburnentation and Vietnamese 1-vrjcs, and often utilizes Vietnam- ese folk melodies as well. Once an easy-listening music, it is now the rage for young people in its adaptation as "'new wave" Vieiemarnese rock. Vietnamese songs as well as translated versions of American, French, Chinese and Japanese songs are available on audio and video cassette tapes.

The music of pre-I975 Viemam continues to be performed, and forms the basis for new compositions in Vietnamese communities in the Unired States. Life in exile and Iove of the native land ate recursent sung themes, as are new songs dealing with social, political, revolutionary (anti-communist), and educational matters. While the new wid context may eventual] y impact upon the course of Vietnmtse traditional music in the U.S., Vietnamese- Americans hold great regard for the songs and instrumental music of their motha country in the Tint fifteen years of their exile.'

1. For a mwe comprehensive examination of the f m of rmnic in he principal Vietnamese mrnuniliw h the United State3 s e Music in Exile: Music of he Vicmamese Immigrants in h e Unired Stam by Phong Nguyen (see bibtiapphyl.

Viemamcse p?rforrning arfists in the Unired Sures. From left to right: Tam Tn', Thu Van, Phong Nguycn (author), Kim Tuycn, Kim Oanh and H m g Oanh.

3 'Who 6rough.t the 6hk6ird to the other side oftlie river?"

A Guide to the MUS& of Vietnam

3 9440 6 r q l i t the 6fack6ird ta the &r side qf the riuer?"

A Guide to the Music of Vietnam

The lessons which follow are designed for use by groups with the Using the guidance of a teacher or by individuals working independently with the tape and book. They may be used equally effectively within a music

Lessons curriculum or in other disciplines, and by Vietnamese as well as non-Vietnamese readers. This set introduces clearly, concisely yet comprehensively varied aspects of Vietnamese music, geography, language and literature, folklore, customs and culture. The lessons are experience-oriented, and will help todevelop listening skills, rhythmicresponses, the singing voice, and critical thinking about Vietnamese music, the related arts, and their context within the culture. The cultural treasures of Vietnam are awaiting discovery in these experiences with folk songs, instrumental pieces and stories.

The lessons provide a logical sequence for teaching and learning. Each corresponds to a recorded selection, found in the same order on the companion tape. Songs are notated, and each is presented with its text, pronunciation, and translation. Background information included sets each piece in its cultural context. Thus the music is not a collection of abstract and unrelated sound artifacts, but reflections of the environment and the traditional ceremonies, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and daily living patterns of the Vietnamese.

We offer step-by-step procedures, to enable the user to clearly see the nature of a lesson directed toward developing musical skills and cultural understanding. Use the lessons as a starting point, and tailor them to suit classroom or community or personal needs. Each may be presented as a self-contained unit, expanded or shortened as needed. We have suggested age and grade levels, but these are flexible and may be adjusted when there is a specific agenda in mind for a given lesson. You will also find ideas for generating discussion, and for further musical experiences that include listening, singing, movement and instrumen- tal performance.

Vietnamese performance style is quite delicate-soft and rather e$ormance transparent. The singing of students of this music should be reflective of this style. "Street voices" are left behind; rather the light "head voice" Style is far more characteristic in performance. Listening is central to the experiences these lessons provide. Careful and concentrated listening will reveal the nuances of the language, vocal techniques and instrumental performance that are impossible to write down accurately. Because the music is likely to be unfamiliar to American users of the set, preliminary and then repeated listening will be critical to appreciation and understanding. Warm-up exercises are recommended to ease the way for the eventual singing of songs that are based on these uncommon scales, modes and tunings. Vocal exercises along these lines and frequent exposure to the companion tape will better prepare students for performing in a manner characteristic of the style.

Those who are using this set with a class are well advised to listen to the tape far in advance of a class presentation. Play the tape in the car, at meals, while conducting routine tasks-the greater the familiarity with the songs, the greater the ease and enthusiasm for the music. Guided listening as well as informat "sound bazhs" s m e to acquaint newcomers to the style. Autal immersion gradually leads to the ability to sing with and respond rhythmically to the music. The resuIt ofthis refreshing ear opening experience is not on1 y an enjoyment of the music but also sensitive insight into the Vietnamese people and their cul- ture and perhaps even the willingness to listen to other musics of the world with increased openness and perception.

Finally, there are many ways to enhance the overall learning experience: by showing photographs of Vietnam and Vietnamese people, F0f.w-UP telling Vietnamese folk tales, playing films and videotapes on historical and contemporary Vietnam, eating Vietnamese ffcrod, and listening informally an other recordings during unrelated activities. Invite Vietnamese residents of your community to visit your group, and encourage discussions and intetviews with them or others who have lived or uavelled anywhere in Viernarn or elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Check the bibliog- raphy for written or recorded resources for further involvement.

Vfctnmesc children playing in he United States.

"Now everybody feels relaxed after work" "I learned this from a North Vietnamese woman, a refugee living in .Yaigon when I lived there. Those who are

born in north, cerral or southern parts of Vietnam do not have contact with people of other regionr. because of transportation diffiulties, so the southerners seldom know northern songs. Folk songs like this are sung in the villages, in the countryside. This one is quite interesting and rare because it only uses two tones. Vietnamese language hav six tone.^. The aclual structure of the piece uses only the two tones, but the gliding tones are necessary for people to understand the words."

During severdl days of village festivals in North Vietnam, groups of boys and girls meet in the temple's yard and sing songs, one after another, expressing love, the joys of meeting, or wishes for better friendship. "Hdt & " is found among these antiphonal folk song styles. "Hdt" means "singing" and "dm" is a "crowd" or "group"; thus, the translation is "singing in (or by) a group." Most of these songs are made from folk poems with couplets of six and eight syllables, or seven-, seven-, six- and eight-syllable verses.

The recording features a girls' version of "Hdt olim," originating from Hai Duong Province. The song generally precedes a game of any sort, serving as an introduction, or preparation for players who might take part in games, jokes and song contests that may follow. The song has only two tones at the interval of a fifth, making it an appropriate introduction to Vietnamese language and melody for any age.

NgAy ham nay thanh n h h thong thd

(Ngie home nahze thahn nyang thawng thah Chi cm m d n la clllra qucn

Tsl dm tah corn lah tsecah kwen

Kh6ng chdi hi' b h &ng hEn Chdi ra chhg bra chE khcn rhi! .u

nao

Kowng tse~ee thee bao zahng h a k n Tser-ee zah tsosng barn tsay koenthay nah-or) V

n: Now everybody feels relaxed after their work. We are not yet well-acquainted, but games should be fun to play together. If I don't join the games, I may be thought of as unskilled. I don't want my friends to judge me.

WordS and Tronunciation: NgAy h8m nay thanh n h h thong thi

(Ngie home nah-ee thahn nyang thawng thah) Chi em ta c6n la chua quen

(Tsi aim tah korn lah tsew-ah kwen) Kh6ng chdi thi' bib r h g h5n

(Kowng tser-ee thee hao zaang hair-en) Chdi ra c h k g ban ch& khen th6 nio

(Tser-ee zah tsoo-ng harn tsay kaen thay nah-or)

TeachindLearning Sequence Level: early childhood, K-2

1. Describe the circumstances of the song using the following questions as a guide: What does "hit dcm" mean? (Singing in or by a group.) Where is this song style found? (In Hai Duong Province, between Hanoi and

the Gulf of Tonkin.) Where is the song usually sung? (In the yard of a Buddhist temple.) What is the occasion and purpose of the song? (As a preparation for games

that follow.) 2. Listen to the recording:

How many pitches does the melody contain? (2) Tap the repeated ostinato-like rhythm: d J

3. Prepare to sing the song: Sing exercise #I . The teacher presents each two-measure phrase, then the students

imitate. Once these patterns are familiar, eliminate the echoing and sing the short melodic phrases together once, twice, or three times; try different tempi.

Do Sol Sol Sol Re La La La Mi Ti Ti Ti Fa Do

Do Do Sol Re Re Re La Mi Mi Mi La Mi La

Exercise 1

Pronounce each phrase in its melodic rhythm, while conducting the pulse. How many syllables are there in each phrase? (7,7,6,8) This is the characteristic form of hit dim songs.

4. Sing the song: Sing "la" or the words while tapping the melodic rhythm. Sing while patting the lap (putsch) on each low pitch and clapping each high pitch. Sing antiphonally in two groups. Group I sings phrases 1 and 3, Group I1 sings

phrases 2 and 4. Reverse roles. Sing antiphonally, but this time step the melodic rhythm when singing, and

remain still when not singing.

I learned this game song by ear from myfriends when I wmfive or six, living in TamNgai in the Mekong Deka. I remember playing it in the front yard of my house, or in the temple yard. The words in this song are not relafed to each other except by sound - they were put together because ofthe sound ofthe rhyme, no1 because of any par~icdurmeaning. (The rhyme at fhe end of each line rhymes with another word in the middle of the nextphrase.) They serve to distracl everybody, to confwe thejists!

As in the West, children in Vietnam play a game of hide-and-seek. In choosing a person to be "it" to seek the others, they sing a counting-out rhyme. All of the participating children close their hands into a fist, and put one fist on top of another in a long and high vertical column. One child counts the hands by touching them with an index finger, first up and then down the column of fists, touching one fist for each pulse. On the last wordbeat, the owner of the last fist touched is "it." The seeker covers hisher eyes and counts to ten while the other children run to hiding places. This particular counting-out rhyme is played by children in South Vietnam.

The song contains only four pitches. While you are listening note that the "en" and "an" endings are prolonged and sound like "en-ng" and "an-ng." The "ch" sound is softer and lighter than in a North Vietnamese song like "HA1 m'rn."

m nty d m niu b y 6 my ti& d6ng li&~ chi$= dila he1 lira h &g h

(Koom noom koom new tah-ee teetah-ee tiendong tientsiek dm-& hoht loo-oh bah boh-ng ahng

-- A

I I i f - . . - -

- .. ; :--IT+ J-+ *

lrpm Xn dp 1-g gh KI xa hl xkh con r b m rit LI ra tny 2

nay.

troh-m ahng kahp trew-ng gah boo sah boo sik kawn rahng kawn rit thee rah tah-se nay-ee)

Tiranslution: Close your hands! Close your hands! Pretty hands, fairy's hands. Golden coins, chop-stick. A grain of rice making three flowers. The thief steals eggs. Beetles and insects. Snakes and centipedes. It's this hand!

Words and Pronunciation= CGm nyrn c h niu, tay 6, tay tiZn

(koom noom koom new, tuh-ee tee tah-ee tee-en) D ~ I I ~ tibn chi& diia, hGt lh ba bang

(dong tee-en tsee-ek doo-ah, hoh(t) loo-ah bah hoh-ng) i n trem 8r1 c$, trimg g l

(ahng troh-m ahng kahp, trew-ng gah) BG xa bii xich

(boo sah boo sik) con r h con At, thl ra tay n$.

(korn rahng korn reet, thee rah tah-ee nay-ee) - 44 -

Studu Guzde TeachingILearnin Sequence Level: early childhood, K-4

1. Describe the function of the song. (It is a counting-out rhyme.) Find or recall counting-out rhymes common in the United States, such as those offered below. Encourage students to demonstrate others from their own cultural backgrounds.

"One potato, two potato, three potato, four Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more."

"Engine, engine, number nine, Going down Chicago Line, If the train should jump the track, Do you want your money back? [Child answers "yes" or "no"] Y-E-S spells yes, and you are not it."

2. Listen to the recording: Does this song have a steady pulse? (Yes; most counting-out rhymes do.) What is the meter of the song? (Duple.) Keep the duple meter by tapping closed fists on the lap (beat 1) and clapping

(beat 2). 3. Prepare to sing the song:

Sing exercise #2. The teacher sings suggested tonal patterns, followed by student imitation. Teacher and students may improvise other patterns that utilize twq three and four pitches of the song, with or without solfege syllables.

-Review the pitch components of the song by singing suggested tonal patterns, then challenge students to sing the entire song with solfege syllables and hand signals, if appropriate, slowly at first and then with increasing speed.

Exercise 2 4. Sing the song:

Sing together while keeping the duple meter as in (2) above or by pounding the left closed fist with the right and vice versa.

Divide the group into units of four or five participants, and choose one person in each group to count stacked fists while the others sing the song.

Emphasize the pulse with a muted drum beat while the group sings and pounds their own fists or steps the rhythm.

'7 am shaking the handzerchief up and down"

I learned this also when I was five or six. We played it as a kind of trial or test of our sensitivi-e believed thal even if you do not see you have to feel, to sense. Iflhe child infront oilhe handkerchief did not realize the handketchief war behind him, the child who was "it" would grab the cloth andpretend to "beat" him with it. The others would laugh and tease him. Even so, the child who had been singled out would become the next "it."

This is a game song popular with Vietnamese children that tests their awareness and concentration. Participants sit cross-legged in a circle on the floor. One child is selected to hold a handkerchief and walk around the circle, behind the participants. As the group sings " X i y KhZn," the child drops the handkerchief secretly behind one of the other children. As the song finishes, the child behind whom the handkerchief is lying must be aware that it has been dropped there. He identifies himself, and then takes his turn as the game starts again. If he does not, he is teased by the others! The presence of the water buffalo in the words indicates this is a game of the countryside. Even though it is an extremely common animal

-

in the country, so many Vietnamese are living their entire lives in urban surroundings that many have never seen and do not know what a water buffalo is.

- ., -- * - j . - 71%- .::-.jV]

4- .::- P--. -- . . -- --" - - - .-

-. .. . ..

.- -. - . . . . - -

-- -2

XEy khin khin ndi khEn chim Ra bCn bin pl~ihin di dm cii khzn

(Say28 k'ahng k'ahng noh-ee k'ahng tseem Bah bayng bohn feezh dee teem k a 5 0 k'ahng

- ..

-

Thang chIn b$n in rich vai KhGng a i may vi h2nR cl~Bn hsn hn.4 i . Thahng tsahng bahng ao raLak yah-ee Kohng a b e mah-ee yah thang tsahng bahng- hwaii)

V V

TransGatw n: .. --

I am shaking the handkerchief which is flowing up and down. People on three sides and four corners will go find it. Hey! Look over there: the water buffalo keeper is wearing a torn shirt that shows his shoulder! Nobody patches it for him, so he must wear it forever.

Words and Pronunciation: xny khjn khiin n6i k h h inhim

(Say-ee k'ahng k'ahng noh-ee k'ahng tseem) Ba bEn b6n phis di tirn chi k h k

(Buh bayng boh-n fee-ah dee teem kah-ee k'ahng) ~ h i n ~ c h h bijn Ao r h h vai

(thahng tsahng bahng ao rah-ak yah-ee) Kh8ng ai may v6 thhg chiin b& hoii

(K'uh-ng ah-ee mah-ee ya thahnx tsahng bahnx hwa-ee)

Stu@ Guide

Teach in~kearn ing Seazlence Level: early childhood, K-3

Does rhe game appear similar in any W Q , ~ to ather game songs srtdenrs may know? Circle games are commonly played by children in many cultures. and m often associated with a particular song. Examples of circle game songs include "'Blue bid," "Little SaIly Walker,*"*'Li ttle Johnny Brown" (which aIsa uses a handkerchief), "Looby LBO," "Hokey Pokey," "Kagome" from Japan, and "Oboo Asi Me N s ~ " from Ghana. Choose some of these circle game songs and compare their functions and the "object of the game."'

2. Listen to f he recording: How many phrases ore there? (4)

*Show the phrases by drawing curved Iines in spaoe [ nnnn i7 Tap rhe pulse. Are there any r h y r h m that are fnster than the pulse? (Yes J )

*Are [here any rhor ore slower? (Yes,

3, Prepare to sing the song: While tapping ~e pulse, pranounce each phrase in rhythm,

4. Sing the song: Sing the song together while tapping the rhythm of the melody, including a11

J-3 and d * Sing together and step the rhythm of the melody.

Play the game, encowaging children to continue singing so that the child with the handkerchief can step ~hythrnically around the circle.

Watm buffalo threshing rice near Cam Ranh

"The egret is flying, flying"

I learned this while taking part in various activitk.~ in high school and college in Saigon. Many people in Saigon know this song even though it is a very typical, popular song and melody ofNorth Vietnam, particularly in the area of the northern delta of the Red River. It wa~played on the radio throughout Vietnam when I was a teenager. Ajier I learned it I later taught it to my own class.

"Ci, La"' is one of the most beautiful folk songs of North Vietnam. It is sung by peasants in rural areas and by professionals in stage performances in the cities, although the words vary. There are also numerous versions of the melody. Variants are due to language intonations of the six- and eight-syllable verses, a standard rule of Vietnamese poetry. However the melodic pattern of the cd lii style within the refrain remains the same.

The egret, the bird sung about in this song, is a type of heron with a long neck and spearlike legs. A large wading bird, it enjoys marshes and coastal tidal flats and is found in Vietnam as well as in Florida and the coastal states of the United States. In this song, theegret symbolizes a friend or loved one who has gone away, and the singer asks of him or her, "Do you remember me?"

In Vietnam, the refrain is sung by a group of people, while the lead singer must be skillful in poetic and melodic improvisation within fixed rhythm patterns. The dialect is North Vietnamese. The recording features accompaniment by the din ba"; , a Vietnamese monochord, and the din tranh, a metal string zither. (seephotos) These instruments play the introduction, interludes, and also accompany the singers, occasionally using minor vari- ations of the melody to enrich and embellish the vocal line while it is being sung.

Transhtiort: 1. The egret is flying, flying, flying from the City Hall Back to Dong Dang. (The name of a village.)

Refrain: Ting ting tang, tang ting ting Oh, my beloved, my beloved Do you remember me? Do you miss me?

2. Dong Dang has the Ky Lua street area (Where specialized goods are sold.) There is Miss To Thi, there is the temple Tam Thanh.

3. Somebody is going to Lang province ("Somebody" in this case is an indirect address of the particular person "you," which would not be u delicate enough form of address fi~r the beloved.)

Please remember, tell people I always feel grateful to your parents, who gave birth and raised you.

1. Con cd crj bay 15 13 bay la, Bay qua qua cha phG { b r n Xrtrw k m bay-ee lah /ah hay-ee lah, hq-ee Xwa hwa kew-all fool

Bay V$ V$ ~ 5 g (Bay-ee v q * vay h n ~ duhng)

Refrain: ~ i n h th tang, tang 6ng 6nh (Ting ting tohng, s a h n ~ ting ring)

Duy&n dnh ring, duyPn tlnh di (Ziyen tin8 zahnc ziyen ring er-ee)

R & I ~ cb biet I; bif t hay c h b g (2x1 (Zohng kos bee-ehr lah bee-ehr hay-ee rsahng)

2. D ~ T Q Ding @Zning) c6 ph6 (ph6) Kg Lda (Doltng Dahng (Dohng) b r foh Voh) Kee Lew-ah)

C6 ning (nhg] T6 Thi, c6 chca (chiia) Tam Thmh (knr nahng (nahngj Toh Thee, kor tsoo-ah {tsoo-ah) Talrm Thnhnh)

3. Ai 11% (FEn) x3 I q g ( L y g ] cling anh (ah-ee i q n e (layne) seeyoa k h n ~ (Lahng) h - n g ohnh)

~ i 6 c cBng (cBng) b k me, sinh thikh (tthhh) ra em (Tee-ehk b h n g (kohng) bark mae, sing rlurhng (shahnh) za aem)

*Notated without embellishments hcard on tape. = sounds sligh~ly lower

Con GI ca bay I% 1H bay la nay qua

(Korn kaw kaw bah-ee lah - lah bahLee lah - bah-ee kwah

qua c8a Bay vd v6 &ng Dk3 ~ i n h 4nh mng kwah kew- ah foo bahee vay vaydohng - dahng - Ting tinh tahng -

tang 6nh t h DuyEn Gnh dng, d u y h 6nh di R ~ I ~ c6

tahng - ting - ting zi- yen ting zahng zi- yen ting er- ee zahng kor

biit Ei biit hay chhg ~ i n g c6 bi6t hi& hay chbng.

biet lah bi- et hay-ee tsahng zahng kor- biet lah biet - hay-ee tsahng

kg Ding cb ( p h 6 ) K $ Lita Cti ning

Dohng- Dahng Dahng - kor - foh foh kee lew-ah kor - nahng

(nand Tii Thi - - C6 chile (chila) Tam I'hanh Ai

nahng toh - thee - - - kor - tsoo-ah tsoo-ah tahm - thanh) Ah-ee

1tn (En) xii tang (brig) cing anh ~ i & ciinp, (c8ng) hic

layne layne sew - Lahng lahng koong ahnh tie- k koh- ng kohng\ bark-

mF me Sinh thinh (11) thbh ra em.

may - may - sing - thahn lah thahn za - aim)

Studu Guide TeachingILearning Sequence Level: Grade 2 - adult

(The song may be Pansposed to suit the group's cornfurlable voice range.) 1. Discuss:

Discuss the matter of fmed and improvised music, and the importance of variation and personal interpretation in folk and traditional music of Vietnam and other parts of the world.

Discuss the poetic text, including the symbolism of the flying bird. (The Puerto Rican song "La Paloma se FuP also uses the image of a bird that has flown away, never to return. The Appalachian song "The Cuckoo" has a similar feeling.)

2. Listen to the recording: What is the organization of the song? Are there digerent sections? (Yes, solo

and refrain.) *What American folk songs are organized in a similar way? ("Oh, Susanna," "Old Joe Clark" and others). Sing them.

Conduct the meter during the solo section, and clap (with two fingers) and snap for the refrain. What is the meter? (Duple)

Note the slight tremolo in the voice and monochord (indicated in the score by -). Name and describe the type of instruments that accompany the singers. (Dh tranh

and d h b&; stringed, plucked zithers.) Do these instruments play together with the voice?(With the singers and also as

introduction and for interludes.) 3. Prepare to sing the song:

Pronounce each phrase in its melodic rhythm, continuing to clap and snap the meter pulses.

4. Sing the song: Sing the refrain together. Sing exercise #3, noting the difference between a plain and an ornamented melody.

Sing with solfege and/or neutral syllables (la, ah etc.).

I - Du Sol Ivh Mi Sol Do Re lk DD Re Do Re ...

V &I Re Sol Mi Re Mi Re Re Sol ~e hli& 6 ~e hG Re 130.

Sing the song together. Conduct and stand still for the solo. Walk the pulse, clap and snap the meter pulses, and sing the refrain.

Lg Chim Quyln " Song of the Nightingale"

My family, although musicians, have long been farmers of rice and also fruit tree* orange, tangerine, ba- nana, mango and others. Ourlruit orchard stretched over several acres. Sometimes in the afternoon people of allages wouldget together in the yardofour brickhouse andsing. When I w m very young my tnother sometimes sang this to me while she did needlework. I remember thinking that she and my father must have learned the lesson in the sung, becaue they never divorced and had a solid marriage and strong family.

The reference to the fighting fmh ir an interesting one. Usually rhese beaut$ully coloredfi.rh live in up&, river or lake. We u~ed to catch them. and raise them in glass cotalainers- one to a bowl. If they were placed together in one, they wouldfight like mortal enemies, even to death. After school, we wouldplace the bowls near each other with a sheet ofpaper between the bowls so the fish could not see each other and get aghated. Then we would put diflerent ones together. and watch the fighting to see which was the be.~t. Ifthe fight became too violent, we might separate them so they would not kill each other. They would calm down quickly when placed again in their own glass pot.

"Lf Chim QuyEn" is a folk song sung by farmers during their leisure time. This song of comparison (see the text) originates from popular verse, which stressses the importance of love through familiarity and understanding, rather than the idea of romantically falling into love or love at first sight, common themes in American songs. The nightingale is aprominent bird featured in Vietnamese literature, from folk tales to classical poetry. Its song is rumored to be among the most beautiful of birdsongs in the world. The poem compares the familiarity of the nightingale with its favorite yellow berry, with the deep-rooted familiarity between a husband and wife. The suggestion (and the honored value inherent) is that we feel comfortable with people, places, and objects that we know and understand, and find fundamental sustenance and security in these people and things. Even the fierce fighting fish returns to the safe haven of its holding tank when the battle is over.

The rhymed words at the sixth syllable of a pair of six-and eight-syllable phrases are chxriacteristic of certain Vietnamese poems:

Chim quyEn in trhi nhZn I6ng 1 2 3 4 5 Lia thia quen chsu vd ch6np quen hdi 1 2 3 4 5 7 8

The scale used is specific to the Southern region of Vietnam.

The d h t d zither is used to accompany the song. Its sixteen strings are tuned as

follows:

Pi t ch of the DIZn Tranli Zither Strin~s

String number: I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 l o l 1 l 3 l4 ' l5 16

J. * + - - 0 (*) 0 = o . e - - - -

-- - - - - 0 - -- -- .-

---x,-- a- LWJ--- . -- -- - -- - - - . -. - -- -- - -- Pitch: -- &-*' - - -- -- --

m u - t--J u u J I

This is a non-tempered scale. The pitches B- and E- are tuned about 30 Ellis cents lower than B and E. To obtain the pitch E- as heard on the recording, the din tranh player pushes on the D string and quickly bends it to Em. Such a bending offers a graceful flavor to the song. The strings of the din t m h are plucked with finger nails or metal picks worn on the thumb (T), index (I) and middle (M) fingers of the right hand.

Transhtion: The nightingale eats the yellow bemes.

Oh, my dear friend. Oh, my dear friend. The fighting fish knows its pot. The husband and wife know each other's scent.

Oh, my dear friend.

Word; and pronunciation Soloist: Chim quyEn qu6y, h trii quzy,

(Tseem weeng way-ee, ahng try-ee way-ee) nh5n n h k lhng, n h b nh2n 16ng

(nyang nyang lohng, nyang nyang lohng)

Chonrs, Refmin: 0 con ban mkh ddi. 0 con bw d n h di. (er kom bahng ming oy, er korn bahng ming oy)

Soloist: Lia thia qu& , Quen chgu qu5y (lee-ya thee-ya way-ee, weng tser-oo way-ee)

Vd vd ch6ng Vd vd ch6ng (Yah-er ah-yer tsohng-ah, yah-er ah-yer tsohng )

Chorus, Refrain: 0 con ban quen hdi. 0 con b y rnkh hdi. (er korn bahng weng oy, er korn bahng weng oy)

(Lee tseem kwu-eeng) = sounds sligh~ly higher: k = sounds slightly lower

& i c f ~ 1. Soloist

(Tseem weeng way-ee ahng tryee way-ee U w * *

nyang nyang

4.

T =Thumb T T T T I T T T T T M T I = Index finger M = Middle finger

Chorus:

I T T T

ui 0 con b

lohng -00 nyang nyang lohng- oo Er korn bahng ming oy Er korn bahng ming

v - - T I I T T T I T T I T 1 1 1 T T T I T I 1 1

2. Soloist L

Lia thia quen chGu qu5y vd vo ch6ng weng tser-oo wayee yak- oo ah- yer tsohng-gah

U

T T T T T I hi T T T T T M T I T T T T I

Chorus:

11 yah-oo ah- yer tsohng-ah Er kom bshng weng - oy Er kom bahng weng -

I T T T I T T I T I I 1 T T T I T I 1 1 T

Study Guide TcachingILearning Sequence Level: Grade 4 to Adult

1. Describe the text, its meaning and its rhyming scheme. How do the ideas expressed in the poem relate to our own lives? You might consider

things that are familiar and therefore liked or seen in a positive light, and the possibility that we might be somewhat suspicious of things we do not know well. How does this relate to our taste in music? Our feelings about people? If the group includes teenage or adult members, discuss courtship and marriage in various cultures, the idea of romantic love and "love at first sight" in contrast to the custom of arranged marriages. 2. Listen to the recording:

Conduct the meter. What is the meter of the song? (Duple.) What is the form or structure of the song? (Solo and refrain; two verses and refrain

repeat twice) * What other songs have a similar structure? ("Cd La'," "Old Joe Clark,"

"Oh Susanna") Describe the accompaniment. (The diin tranh zither is playing a slightly different

melody from the voice-a simultaneous variation.) Describe the manner of playing and tuning the din tranh.

* Demonstrate the voice and d h tranh relaaonship by singing while playing the zither part on the piano or another instrument. This is an example of heterophonic texture, common to many Vietnamese instrumental pieces.

3. Play and sing the G natural minor scale (below). Note that the tuning of this piece is not quite "minor", but leaning in that direction:

.., -. .

G Natural Minor Scale

4. Prepare to sing the song: Sing exercise #4. The scale and patterns will reinforce the song's mode.

While keeping or conducting the pulse, pronounce the phrases in rhythm. 5. Sing the song:

Sing the refrain of the song together listening carefully to the d h tranh accompa- niment during the solo sections.

%!I. Qua C&u Gib Bay " The Wind on the Blidge"

People all over Saigon sang this song, and 1 heard it in about 1966 when I lived there. It wm such a lovely song that I learned it, then later taught it to my students. I also enjoy the sentiment expressed by the wort&, that when we are in love, we do not any longer care what our parenu think ...we can be "liars" when we love, to cover up for the generous gestures we make to the loved one. In this care. the singer has given away his shirt, his pyramid or cone-shaped hat, and a ring to his beloved. I f all has to be kept a secret, because the parents might say it is too direct, or not proper to give these things m gif~r. Parenrs will say that we have to obey rules and propriely, but when in love we don't care!

Ha Bac province is the cradle of Vietnamese culture. The first capital city of Vietnam was located there in thefirst century. Many poem were written by dignitaries of the court, and the wordr were very polished and refined. Some found their way into quan ho songs.

"Qua C ~ U Gib Bay" is one of the best known of a genre of songs that involve antiphonal group singing. Called h6t quan ho or quan ho of Ha Bac (formerly Bac Ninh) Province near Hanoi, this is one of the most important and respected folk traditions in Vietnam. Quan ho singing typically takes place during spring and autumn festivals centered around the agrarian themes of planting and harvesting. During these festivals groups of young people gather in a house, on a hill, by a lake, in a rice field, or in the Buddhist temple yard. Over the course of several days, girls may sing songs answered by the boys who may sing the same song with opposing, responding or parallel meanings given to partially improvised verses. All work on their poems in advance, but still sing them rather spontaneously at com- petitions scheduled during the festivals. Quan ho participants dress in their finest and most traditional costumes representing their villages, and throughout the days of preparation and lively competition seize the opportunity to build friendships with singers from near and far.

"Qua C ~ L I Gib Bay" is well known because it is a popular piece for live stage performances as well as recorded and broadcast versions. Each song presentation varies depending upon the context of the performance. The antiphonal (call-and-response) style, however, remains intact. The singers identify by turns a different piece of wearing apparel that has been blown away by the wind (shoes, scarf, gloves, shirt, hat, ring etc.).

Transcripriun: Thanh-Tuyen Ton-Nu

I . YEu nhau cdi go 9 a cho nhau. V& nhi d6i r h g clia d6i

(Ee-ew nya-oo ker- ee ao ee ah tsaw nya- 00 Vay nyah zoh- ee zang tsahzoh- ee

Chorus:

a a a qua g a 9 a qua

mae ah ee ah Zang ah ee ah kwa kah-wZang ah ee ah kwa kaao Ting

tinh tinhgi6 hay ~ i n h tinh t h h gii, bay. ting ting zaw - - - bay-ee Ting ting ting xaw - - - bay-ee)

1. Loving you I give you my coat. (lit.: shirt) 3. Loving you I give you my ring. Corning back home I lie to father and mother: Coming back home Ilie to father and mother: On the hridge, the wind has taken it away. On the bridge, because of the wind, it has

dropped into the river. 2. Loving you I give you my hat. Coming back home I lie to father and mother: On the hridge, the wind has taken it away.

Words and fionunciatwn: 1. YEu nhau cdi 60 Ij a cho nhau.

(Ee-ew nya-oo ker-ee ao ee ah tsaw nya-00.) X . S vd nhl do1 rang cha d6i rnq a 9 a.

(Vay nyah zoh-ee zang tsah zoh-ee mae ah ee ah.) ~ ? m ~ a 4- a qua ciu. R & ~ a 9 a qua c h .

(Zang ah ee ah kwa ka-00.)

Chorus: Tinh tinh 6nh gib bay. (Tint ting ting zaw bay-ee.)

~ i n h tinh tinh gi6 bay.

2. YEu nhau cbi n6n 9 a cho nhau. (Ee-ew nya-oo ker-ee nawn ee ah tsaw nya-00.)

~6 nhh d6i ring cha d6i me a 9 a (Vay nyah zoh-ee zang tsah zoh-ee m e ah ee ah.)

~ ? m ~ a 4- a qua ciu. ~h~ a 9 a qua ciu. (Zang ah ee ah kwa ka-00.)

Chorus.

3. YEu nhau chi n h h 9 a cho nhau. (Ee-ew nya-oo ker-ee nyern ee ah tsaw nya-00.)

~6 nhl d6i ring cha d6i me a 9 a (Vay nyah zoh-ee zang tsah zoh-ee m e ah ee ah.)

a 9 a qua ciu. a 9 a qua c&. (Zang ah ee ah kwa ka-00.)

Final Chorus: ~ i n h tinh t k h hi6 bay. (Ting ting ting zaw bay-ee.)

Tinh dnh tinh d b h rdi. (Ting ting ting dah-n zer-ee.)

TeachingILearning Sequence Level: Grade 4 to Adult

1. Discuss the custom of quan ho singing. Focus particularly on the musical and social importance of this tradition. Why might

it be important for young people of different villages to get together in this way? Singing and music competitions occur in many cultures, including those in the West. Compare the gum ho singing contests to others your group might be familiar with, for example, school music festivals, battles of the bands (marching bands, rocklpop, Dixieland, bag-pipes, steel drum or "pan" ensembles, blue grass etc.), "name that tune" games in the classroom or on television, or international piano competitions.

Do the words indicate anything about the relationship of young people to each other andlor to their parents in traditional Vietnamese society? Why do you think the singer feels the need to "lie to father and mother" about what happened to the apparel? 2. Listen to the recording:

Are there any repetitions in this music? (Yes: the text is the same in all verses except for one word, and the last two phrases repeat in each verse.)

At the entrunce of the chorus on the lust phrase ( " ~ i n h 6nhw), clap the rhythm :

Step the pulse. Change directions on the last phrase, while also clapping the rhythm.

3. Prepare to sing the song: Sing exercise #5 the natural minor scale, moving upward and downward, in dyads,

and at different tempi. Use solfege or "la:'

La 'li Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Sol Fa Mi Re Do li La

La 'li li Do Do Ke Re Mi Mi Fa Fa Sol Sol Ir La Sol

Sol Fa Fa Mi Mi Rc Ke Do Do Ti li La

Exercise 5 Rhythmically pronounce the words of the phrases. Say the last phrase twice, while clapping its rhythm.

4. Sing the song: Sing the last phrase twice, while clapping its rhythm. Sing thefirst phrases, and add the last for the complete song. Choose a small group to sing the first section, while a larger group sings the last

phrase. 5. Compose a dance:

Create a gentle wind-song dance to reflect the mood and the text of the song, and the changing and repeated phrases. Like the music, the last two phrases that repeat themselves should be reflected in the movement.

%!IL 506 Doc 506 5 l f ~ an^ ' T h e Roaf Song"

There are h u ~ kknd~ of hats commonly u~ed on rivers in S o ~ h Vietnam where I lived. One g o e ~ from one ciry ro annrherplace-that isthe currenrfl~wing boat-andon tlrt same body qfwarerpou willfind another kind ~har ~ a h s people from [his side to rlre other .ride of! hc river - that is e cros.cinp h a t . Many arc wry long and narrow in design to m k i l eurier roflnw quickly along w i ~ h the cwrenr. They arc srrerchcd out so !here i s plenty qf room ro carry many rhings. This sans 1s Irktr many qf rhe boat ,rOnRs, in I I ~ I i l descrihm a kind of d~ralism: o m a n m d a woman. this ~ p e of her and rhoi. difirent ways of rowing ond dflercnr dr rections. But they sing ahor41 union, or un(tificnrian, nnd ask m.I:v can'i their wixh of being united come me? I n a way l r pre.wnu a gpnlle plea to look pasf difrerences and see the w n y we can he joined 1 nstend.

South of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), the Mekong River delta of South Vietnam is washed by a system of rivets, h t h large and small. The Mekong and numetousotherhivers make for a fertile agriculrural region. River fishing and the cultivation of rice paddies ate i m p a n t economic mainstays for the people of this region. People use small h a t s called d6 as their main mans ofwansportation in the region, for these rivers are their roads. Songs sung on boats are composed or improvised by the peasants. and am based In large past on their folk pwtry. These traditional poems contain riddles, comparison statements, and descriptions of nature.

As the boatmen and batwomen row their boats dong with the curent, they sing to each other, teasing, developing friendships, and singing songs that test the h a t e r ' s knowl- edge. Some of the son_gs fwus on the topic of making friends along the river, and ask the way to a vil !age or a particular home. And as with workers accompanied by sea shan ties or African or Arnesjcan Indian paddling chants, field hollers, chain gang cham ts or a drill cadences. or the rhythmic rhymes of the coxswain on a crew team, the rowers may dso find their songs help them work more efficiently and with less fatigue during a long hip. The words "'Khoan hr'ri hb Moan "' sung at the endings of "D6 Dgc D6 Npmg"symboli ze the sound of the water whirling a b u t the paddle,

Tranrporring g d s to market on the Ngoc Sk, r i v a where i t parres m front of Phong Nguym's hause in Sourh Y~cmam. T h e rivctboai is calIcd dfi.

- 59 -

B6 Doc B b gun^ (daw yawk daw ngahng)

Refrain: Chorus: Soloisl:

(kLvang haw* haw k'wang k'wang k'wang haw* haw kWang.) Aem lah- ee kawng daw --T*r*dv -- - ---

ngang, anh h 1 con dd - d e em md con dd - ngahng ahn shahng kawng daw yawk ahn lah- ee kawng claw yswk awn tr-er kawng daw

Chorus: Vcrrs: Soloisf:

''F'ng- ngahng (KLvang haw+e haw k'wang k'wang haw-ee haw k'wang Mah-ee tah moh

Chorus: Soloirl:

dhg. (Khoan hdi hb k h d Sao yawng k'wang haw-ee haw k'wang shah* k'ohng dohng larmg mahng tee-eng hwai-ee trohng)

Transhhn: RefrainIChorus: (The sound of water whirling about the paddle.)

Verse 1: Girl: I row rhe crossing boat. Boy: You row the current-flowing boat. Boy: You row the current-flowing b a t . Girl: I row the crossing boat.

Verse 2: Tomorrow we will get together in the same stream. Why shouldn't our wish come true?

Verse 3: Listen to me this time: Tomorrow we will be dressed in pink. (Literally: "Tied in pink thread\'.")

Why shouldn't we be married? Verse 4: We will be husband and wife.

We will have many children and grandchildren.

W o r h and Pronunciation: RefraidChorus: moan hdi hb khoan (2x)

(Kivang haw-ee haw k'wang)

Verse 1: Soloist: Em 1% con db ngang, anh sang con db ~ Q C .

(Aem lah-ee kawng daw ngahng ahn shahng kawng daw yawk) Anh 1% con db ~ Q C

(Ahn lah-ee kawng daw yawk) Em trd con db ngang. (aem tr-er kawng daw ngahn)

Verse 2 : Soloist: Mai ta mat dhng. (mah-ee tah moh ya wng) Chorus: Khoan hdi h6 khoan

(k'wang haw-ee haw k'wang) Soloist: Sao kh6ng d6ng l h g , mang ti6ng hoii tr6ng

(shah-oh kbhng dohng la wng, mahng tee-eng h wai-ee trohng)

Verse 3: Soloist: Nghe anh mot l&. (ngae ahn moht learng) Chorus: Khoan hdi hb khoan

Soloist: Ta xe cG h6nng. ~ e * t nghia dm chLg? (tah sue tsee hohng kay(t) ngee-ah dew(k) tsahng) Chorus: Khoan hdi h6 khoan, Khoan khoan hdi hb khoan (k'wang haw-ee haw k'wang, k'wang k'wang haw-ee haw k'wang)

Verse 4: Soloist: Ta nEn vd ch6ng. (tah nayng ver tsohng) Chorus: Khoan hdi hb khoan

Soloist: Mai kia dSy d h . Con chhu thiet d6ng. {rnai-ee kee-ah day-ee dahng korn tsah-oo thiet dohng) Chorus: Khoan hdi hb khoan, Khoan khoan hdi hb khoan

Soloist and chorus: Ta nen vd ch6ng. Khoan hdi h6 khoan. (tah nayng ver tsohng, k'wang haw-ee haw k'wang)

Study Guide TeachingILearning Sequence Level: Grade 2 to Adult

1. Locate the Mekong River on a map. Trace its course from the Tibetan highlands to the South China Sea, through the Southeast Asian countries of Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia to Vietnam.

Locate the Mekong River delta and name some of the other rivers that contribute to making this an important agricultural area.

2. Discuss the importance of the song to help alleviate the labor of paddling the boat. Work songs, as mentioned in the introduction, have been popular in many societies. "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" is an example of a nineteenth-century Black American stevedore song. Today, "muzak" is piped into stores, offices and elevators and physical exercise is often accompanied by "work out" music. Talk about the various kinds of chants, hollers and songs used to accompany work in different cultures. Compare the themes found in other work songs to "D6 Doc Dd," for example love, overwork, hardship, the boss, misfortune etc.

3. Listen to the recording: Experiment with paddling movements. Push the water away with the imaginary

paddle. Paddle every four pulses; on the first beat only; every two pulses; alternating hands; with the entire arm; only with the fingers; in the rhythm of the chorus phrase:

Paddle only on the "whirling water" response, "Khoan h& h6 khoan." Remain still as the soloist sings.

While listening to the recording, sing the chorus together each time it occurs.

4. Prepare to sing. Sing exercise #6 . The first half of the song (refrain) is based on a pentatonic scale

(five-pitch), and the second half on a hexatonic scale (six-pitch). The leader sings the suggested tonal patterns, some of which are directly derived from the song, followed by group imitation. Patterns can be sung on "loo" or with solfege syllables.

Leadcr/Group: LIG: LIC: LIG:

- La li Rc Mi Sol La Rc Mi Sol La li RC li Mi Sol La La Sol Mi Sol Mi LIG: LIG: LIC: LIG:

LaTilhRcMiSol RelhhSol la MiSollk Re La'IFDoMiReaD La

Exercise 6 Pronounce the phrases of the soloist in the melodic rhythm.

5. Sing the song: Older groups might have a few singers try the solo part, with the large chorus

singing its prescribed phrase. Assign individual parts in the refrain, with the full ensemble singing the verses. Younger groups sing only the refrain.

VIII. Ly l tnh lang "Song with 'Tlnh Tang' Endings"

I remember being in a certain friend's house in Saigon when I heard this on the radio. It is central Vietnamese, very hard to sing correctly ifyou were not born in the region, becawe of the Hue dialect, which is very particular. Certain gliding tones are very hard to imitate and central Vietnamese songs in general are hard to sing. The person on the tape is from central Vietnam. We sing the same words in the south, but with adrerent melody and scale. The chorusismade upof the names of musicdnotes. To many people these are nonsense syllables, but when you sing there is something very intimate that is felt, because they did originate in the folk traclition. In folksongs all throughout Vietnam you will find these word+-they are very old. Nobody really knows where they came from originally.

"Li T& Tang" is an example of a song style of the Hue area of Central Vietnam. There are different texts possible for the t h tang style. In fact, any poem of six to eight syllables can be sung in this style, using the t h tang refrain. The poem used in this recording, "Lj; Con Sio" ("Song of the Blackbird") is probably the original poem first sung in this genre. Just as there are many poems that have been set in t h fang style, there are also many Vietnamese poems that have the same title, "Ly' Con Sio " ("Song of the Blackbird"), but which may use a different melody and style of singing. All of this may seem confusing, but the exchange of poems, melodies and singing styles typical of Vietnamese traditional music is illustrated through the origin and development of this song.

"Ly' ~i;rh Tang'" was a folk song composed by peasants, simple and straightfoward in its melodic patterns and at one time very quick in tempo. It gradually metamorphosed into art music performed by chamber ensembles of Hue. The listening tape presents the "Song of the Blackbird" as an example of the highly-evolved art song of Vietnam.

Three instruments and a women's chorus accompany this song: the din t m h zither, the d h biu monochord and thesong lang or wood clapper. The sound of the monochord with its harmonics is blended into the music, offering a contrasting tone color to the metallic quality of the zither. It is the monochord which makes possible the delicate gliding tones of the accompaniment. Those not of the tradition who wish to perform this song authentically should attempt the difficult task of adjusting their voices slightly lower than the second and sixth degrees of the scale (i.e. about 20-30 Ellis cents lower than B and F#). Based on a common Vietnamese pentatonic scale, the flattening of notes produces for the informed listener a sweeter melody which consequently inspires arelaxed mood. Gliding tones of the song add to this effect.

Tramhtion: Who brought the blackbird to the other side of the river? She will fly away when given the chance.

The mountain is high-who made it that high? The ocean is so deep-who made it so deep?

L_U ?inh Tan- .!,= sounds slightly lower: T= sounds slightly higher

(lee ting tahng)

2 1. Ai dem con sio sang s6ng & - - - - - cho, d6 cho con

(ah-ee daem kawn shao shahng shong day tsaw day tsaw kawn

siio 0" - tang 8- tang - tjnh tang d ~ i n h - tang d shao Oh tahng oh tahng ting tahng er ting tahng er

tiilh, 6 - ting oh

E r

tang. Xa - hay - xa thh l i - xa bay - xa. - 6 - tahng ting tahig sa h by- ee sah ting lah sah by- ee sah oh

+- rp* -

tang - 6 tang t h h tang d T L ~ - tmg d t.ang. tahng oh tahng ting tahng er ting tahng er ting oh tahng ting tahng) tanr - 6 tanp t h h tam d Tinh - t ~ ~ g d tinh. 6 tang- tiih t.ang.

Words and Pronunciation:

Soloist: Ai dem con s io sang s6ng (Ah-ee daem korn shao shahng shong) ~6 cho, d i cho con s b (Day tsay day tsaw korn shao)

Chorus: 0 tang 6 tang dnh tang d ~ i n h tang d ti&, 8 tang Gnh tang (Oh tahng oh tahng ting tahng er ting tahng er ting oh tahng ring tahng)

Soloist: Xa bay xa tinh l i xa bay xa (Suh ba%ee sah ting lah sah bah-ee sah)

Chorus:- 0 tang 6 tang tinh tang d ~ i n h tang d tinh, 6 tang i;nh tang

Soloist: Non cao ai dip n2n cao (Nawng kah-oh eye dup nayn kah-oh) ~6 ssu, b6 s2u nha bdi (Bay-ee s~hau-oo bay-ee shau-oo nee-er her-ee)

Chorus: 0 tang 6 tang tinh tang Ai ... d b , 6 tang tinh tang (Oh tihng oh tahng ting tahng eye dah-oh oh tahnl: ting tahng)

Soloist: S2u E n s2u tinh l i sgu E n s2u (shau-0% bayn shau-[lo tins lah shau-oo buyn shau-oo)

Chorus:- 0 tang 6 tang Gnh tang. ~ i n h tang... tl'nh, 6 tang Gnh tang

.nu& Guide

TeachingILearning Sequence Leve1:Grade 6 to Adult

1. Share your thoughts on the deeper meaning of the poem.

2. This song style uses various poems for the same melody. This is a common practice the world over. Members of the group might recall other examples from their traditions. For example, in the United States the folk song "Clementine" has been recast as the silly song, "I Found a Peanut;" "Cheerio," "Willowby," and "Zydeo" share some words andmelody; and "On Top of Old Smokey " is parodied by "On Top of Spaghetti."

3. In Vietnam, different melodies are set to the same text. Compare the settings of the "Ave Maria7' by Shubert and by Bach-Gounod. The Hebrew song "Shalom Chaverim" has been set to several melodies. Find others from various traditions.

4. Listen to the recording: The song lang (wood clapper) sounds a pulse every four beats. Clap along with

two fingers as the song lang plays. As one student plays the wood block with the song lang (heat I ) , others patsch

on beats 2 , 3 and 4 . Tap or clap the rhythm of the chorus section, "waving off' the rests.

- 1 - 2 y3

~ ~ I J ~ ~ J ~ ~ ~ J I J J J J ~ ~ ~ U I J J J J I I 5. Prepare to sing the song:

Sing exercise #7. The rhythmic scale-like exercise should be sung slowly on a neutral syllable while keeping the pulse. Sing the tonal patterns derived from the song, group members imitating the leader,

L O O - - - - - etc.

I.cader/Group: LIG : LIG: LIG :

- - eic-

Exercise 7 Pronounce each phrase of the chorus in its melodic rhythm.

6. Sing the song: Divide into two groups. As one group sings the chorus, the other steps the

rhythm of the melody. Sing the chorus together with the recording. Clap on the first beat, and patsch

on beats 2,3 and 4.

"Golden Coin" or "Golden Fairy" This is a piece I learned very quickly when I was ten. I had already heard and sung it, with other

wordr, and therefore got used to the melody. My master asked me to play a t him. He played the first phrase, then I repeated. Then the next, and I repeated that. J u t like that. I liked it, and it was very easy to remember. The title is open for debate. If the words are said with a gliding tone at the end it means "Golden Coin." but the piece doesn't sound like coins at all! I found it in a 130-year- old book, in Sino-Vietnamese characters, and in this case it would not have had a gliding tone. The characters in the book mean "person" and "mountain." A person who lives on a mountain is a fairy. We do not have the original version of the worh of the song - they are lost. Only the title remains. Ifwe had the words we could tell, but there is a strong tradition offairy tales, and I think the atmosphere and feeling in this piece has much more to do with fairies than coins!

"Kim ~ i & meaning Golden Coin or Golden Fairy, is one of the first musical pieces for beginning students of din t m h zither. D;in lranh students usually begin serious study of instrumental music at the age of ten. "Kim ~iin" is a flavorful sixteenth-century melody of the chamber or court music genre, which originated in Central Vietnam. It is rather easy to remember, thanks to its repeated melodic structure utilizing A and B sections in various designs: ABIAB and ABA. This piece offers an experience in the monodic and ornamental character of Vietnamese traditional music.

In Vietnam, the performance of art music typically opens with an improvised prelude called rao or dao. This prelude has many purposes: to ascertain the flexibility of strings, to check the tuning (or in some cases, the singer's voice), to prepare the mind for the mode (set of pitches) to be used, to create a particular mood within the ensemble of musicians, or to wait for the singer of the piece to begin. In an ensemble perfomance, the instruments play individual preludes one after another, followed by the full ensemble which plays the prelude together. The piece unfolds in this manner:

Rao or dqo (prelude) Piece Solo: (Uwne~ered and improvised) (Melered nnd composed)

Ensemble: Instr. I

Instr. 2 - Instr. 3 -

How is an instrumentalpiece learned? Consider the din tranh zither which performs "Kim ~i6n" as a solo. As the featured instrument, the d2n tranh is tuned in a pentatonic arrangement, with three sets of five strings tuned in three successive octaves. The additional string (#16) serves the purpose of covering the whole three octave range. Each of the sixteen strings can be pushed downward with the left hand. This opens the possibility of not only altering a given pitch but of ornamenting it as well. The pitches are tuned to a range that is comfortable for the voice, as many of the pieces are vocal with instrumental accompaniment. The most common fundamental pitch is D above middle C.

The student plucks the strings of the d h tranh with the right hand. Later, the ornamentation techniques are learned with the left hand. Ornamentation is essential to

Vietnamese music, regardless of genre, and is linked closely to the concept of mode. Vibrato (rung), staccato (md), and pushing (nhh ) are delicately applied as principal performance techniques for stringed instruments such as zither and lute, and the voice. Based on specific types of pentatonic, hexatonic, or heptatonic scales, these techniques must be employed in order to give each pitch its characteristic sound quality. Arpeggios and glissandos are also characteristic performance techniques for the d& tranh. Without the ornamentation, a pitch may not be accurate in its sound as designated by the Vietnamese tradition. Ornamentation, as for this piece, is indicated in the score by the following symbols:

\/$ Vibrato is strictly played on pitches 2 and 5

Staccato (i.e. tapping lightly on the string) can be used on any pitch

Pushing (i-e., grace note) is sometimes heard on the 4th pitch

In the Vietnamese tradition, music is performed in a half-improvised, half-composed manner. This means that the conventional notes at the strong beats are constantly maintained as the skeletal framework of the music. In the transcription of the piece, the conventional pitches found at even measures (i.e. 2, 4, 6, S...) are mark& with 'k." These pitches sometimes anticipate the strong beat and are sounded just before it, or hesitate a bit and sound just after it. The syncopation produced by this technique is characteristic of instrumental music from central Vietnam.

( lunirig ofthe 9 d n Tianh for 'Kim in " I

R n !&LID (or Dw) of "Kim %en

Illustrating the Spec$c Ornaments qf the B ~ C Mode

# #

L

Transcription of Din Tranh Pe~ormance by Phong Nguyen

Phrase -1 2 3 I * m * rW 44 r r

TeachingILearning Sequence Level: Grade 4 - adult

Discuss: Discuss the use of the prelude in music. Define its possible functions. Provide

experiences with preludes in other music styles: the overture that precedes operas and musicals, the organ prelude before worship services, the "warm- up band" in a rock conert, the alap section in a performance by an Indian sitarist.

Discuss the significance of ornamentation in music. Find listening examples in the Baroque period of Western art music, Celtic folk songs, Black gospel music, and the blues. Demonstrate ornamentation vocally and on the piano or other instrument, including trills, glissandos, slides and ellisions, sustain- ing and anticipation tones.

Discuss the importance of ornamentation in Vietnamese traditional music, partic- ularly on the d& tranh.

2. Listen to the recording: Keep in mind the development of the piece from the set of pitches to the prelude to the body of the piece.

There are three steps to realizing a piece on the d&n tranh: (Follow them on the tape.)

A. The melody of the first two phrases is played in an unelaborate way. Listen to [0:00-0:09] the pentatonic tuning, and the plucking that is performed by the right hand.

B. An improvisedprelude isplayedwith both hands. Listen for the vibrato, staccato, [O: 10-0:31] and grace notes.

C. Thepiece is played in an elaborate way. All the possible performance techniques [0:32-1:56] of the left and right hands are used for the bic mode, which expresses a

moderate happiness to the informed listener.

3. Listen to the recording: Play the pitches of the rao, and of phrase one and two, on recorder.

*Sing the pitches. Listen for their ornamentation in the prelude.

Follow the transcription on a transparency, or with desk copies. Note the ornamentation of what appears at first to be a rather plain melody line.

x. Ly !~+$Jzzu 0 "Song of the Black Horse5'

I Zeorned thisfrom my father when I war ten and hnd starred studying the strin~ed instrumnu. Because I knew lhow ro sing r he song olrcdv. it was nor dffic ulr io learn [his qu ick l~ . In the folk version rk rhyrhm ss less syncopafed and the melody is less ctd~ellisht-d.

''Lg N ~ u a 0' is an example of chamber music from the south which originated in the folk tradition. The meldy contains much syncopation, metabole (changes of scale within the piece), and decorative ways of playing two instruments in a heterophonic t e x m that features sirnuItaneous variation,

"L-C NN3 8 includes the d h tranh zither and the d h nguyct a moon-shaped long- necked lute. The din ngzlyfl plays a short improvised prelude that introduces its tone color, the pitches of the scale to 'be used thmughout the piece, and the &st's individual embellishment techniques in the bhc mode. The d;En t m h zither enters with a musical question that is followed immediately by the d h nguyet's response. The two instruments then play together in a r h ~ h r n i c and melodic counterpoint. The playing of two or mote instruments stimulates improvisation within the framework of a piece. For listeners, the complex hemphony is quite removed from the monophonic work of "Kim E&." The im- provisation and heraophony are not really very free. however; they are conmlled by the laws of the mode.

Big bell towcrof Buddhist temple Than Quang Tu in 7331 Binh province En norzhem Vietnam. Known commonly as chlja Keo. i t is located in the area where he well known wise man and scholar of h e 1 8 h cen- t ~ . Le Quy Don lived. The complex archirmture is very d i t i o n d . The temple is near the banks of a river, and the building and its gmunds are used as a cultml cenrer for the people. fn addition to payers. other activities including Buddhist chant- ing cornpetiaion,rnusic.arl and even sponhg events wke place here.

TeachinplLearn ing Sequence Level: Grade 4 - adult

1. Demonstrate heternphonic texture: * Sing "Yankee Doodle" whiIe simulraneomly play in8 rr variation of it an the

piano or other inrrrrvnenl. Lead the arorrp in singing a fmiliar son^ ("'He's Got fhe Whole World in His

Had,'"'Home on the Ran~e, " '5unx& Land," ""PolI+y Wolly Doodle" e fc. ) while playing o variation of ir on rhe piano.

2, Listen to the recording. Orrrline and call out these musical events as they occur

[I] Entrance of the djn .np+v& brief imprwvised prelude. [2] Dh t m h musical question, with sonp lang ( w d e n clapper) enuance. [3] Ddn npytt answer. [49 Hererophonic duet of d<h W and d,in ngyvft.

Patsch or rap rhe song Iang part, lisrening corefully for instances of syncopatio~.

- Write a poem or poetic phase inspired by the music, bur rhat relates ro rlta sonp title: "Song of tfte Black Horse."

A festival in a temple yard.

XI. The Voice of the iring The Tradition of Vietnamese Drumming

This is the easiest drum formula or pattern to learn. It is a basic pattern for rituul music ensembles, for the classical theater, for the shaman'sdance, or in the Buddhist temple. I learned it frommy master at the beginning of my percussion training at the age of seven.

" ~ r 6 n f is the generic term for any kind of drum in Vietnamese music. The drumming tradition is exciting and energetic, and there are many different types of drums and drum pieces throughout Vietnam. Some of them play a leading role in ensembles and orchestras. An instrumental piece for the orchestra, for example, may begin and end only if the t&ng "engages" specific rhythmic formulae. A complicated method of elaborating rhythmic contours through improvisation is a remarkable feature of Vietnamese drumming.

Rhythm in Vietnamese music is a rather complex system. The taped example illustrates the basic rhythmic patterns of the two-headed drum or ding of the traditional ensemble used in village festivals. The cowskin surface of this drum measures 17 112 inches in diameter, and the wooden box of its body is 7 1/2 inches high. The &ng stands on a square, foldable wooden stand about twenty inches high. The performer uses sticks to hit the drum on the skin heads and on the wooden body as well, utilizing open and damped strokes and presses. The heads may be hit at the center of the drum skin, or at the margin, which, combined with numerous types of strokes will produce a wide variety of soundqualities. To learn the drumming patterns, students chant mnemonic syllables in imitation of their teacher. This is also a common technique throughout Africa and India, and is used frequently by percussion teachers in the West as well-for students of rock and roll, swing or jazz drum set, high school marching band drum sections and drum corps. The syllables used, of course, vary from culture to culture, but the practice of verbalizing drum strokes fully before attempting to play them on the drums is widely known to be an effective preparatory step. The syllables used in Vietnamese drumming are shown below.

Vktmme Drum Mnemonics 3 notation type of stroke spoken syllable

J at the center of the drum skin toong (taw-ng)

31 at the margin of the drum skin thg (tah-ng)

f on the wooden box ca"c (kak)

? two sticks roll briefly and stop, pressing ryp (roop) at the center of the skin

f- right stick beats the center of the head t&h (tay-k) while whole left stick presses on the skin J

'~utation ofpaussion syrnbol with their mnemrmk'

tic tmng cic ic cmng c&

cdmn)u6ng$ r J 3 $ 1 J 1 @ell) m6 P $ r 1 : r Z r

c5c tmng cic hng c5c tmng cic

v.. . 1 u6ng ng i J J 3 3. J f

""r( r $ E r cic toong ck ~p c& toong c5c

vx tu6ng$ f J f F f J f

$ p r p

cic m n g &c h g k g c& c& mng c k

a I J I $$ P P J k

\ " " t r Z r r

J

%tation ofactua fiound on Tape (Transcription) \

J J'

J J'

J J'

j -

J' 1

~ h e m e : 4 J J

\b

- 4 J, J

d J '\A'

J J '4

1 J \ \J '

-

'.J'

J J \ J ' 'h

r J'\J

LJ' ' ' r

J"J 'J' '.

J n f l

'J' 'b

J J '\J'

r J / \ J

1 J J'

r J / \ J

'\J/

' r J , J ' \ J

'4'

J J7 Jl ' J , J J J J J J J J J J J

J'

J J '.J/

J J J/

J '~JI

- J / \.

J' '

var. 2: 4 ' J \ \

Var. 3: 4

\

' r J / \ J

J /

J n Jl

'J' '

Study Guide

TeachingILearning Sequence Level: Grade 2 - adult

1. Demonstrate the five drum strokes of the Vietnamese drum. Recite the mnemonic, followed by the stroke itself. Increase the number of strokes to eight or more.

Example: Chant: cic c$c cic cac cic ciic cic cac

(on margin of &urn skin)

2. Using classroom drums, suggest the possible ways in which such instruments can be played to create the most variety of sounds. Substitute desks, table tops, plastic garbage pails, oatmeal boxes and pencil drum sticks, if necessary. Encourage group members to experiment.

Choose onomatopoeic syllables, or mnemonics, to represent the sound of the various drum strokes discovered.

3. Listen to the recording: In this drumming illustration, the composition is based on the 4-beat (2 weak, 2

strong) pattern in the first sequence. This is the most common in Vietnam in both folk and art music. The rhythmic cycle is doubled to 8 beats (4 weak, 4 strong) but in equal playing time and tempo in therest of the sequences. Each example is played with only 1 1 strong beats; the first strong beat is omitted, leading to an emphasis on the second strong beat.

Note the additive nature of the piece, as various percussion instruments are played in the sequences.

Follow the notation of these sequences on the next page. The last percussion piece (about one minute in duration) is a full extension of possible rhythmic combinations.

4. Chant the mnemonics of the drum theme and its three variations, as indicated in #3. Following adequate practice, chant rhe mnemonic syllables along with the

recording.

5. As an extension of#2 participants may wish to compose and perform their own drum or percussion pieces.

Choose a percussion instrument and explore its sound possibilities. Assign mnemonic syllables to the suunds. Create a pattern of 8 to 24 beats or more of sound. Pegorm the piece,Jirst chanting the mnemonics then playing it. Combine several instruments together for a polyrhythmic eflect.

" The Song of A Soldier's Wife"

I learned the story in the poem when I was in high school in Saigon. I heard this version on radio and tape, and learned it by listening. There is freedom in improvising melody with apoem. I included this particular poem intentionally. Many Vietnamese people have been cut offrom tradition because of the war and organization of the country now. It is my hope that this collection will reveal and nurture the mild character of the Vietnamese people, especially the young people who have lost our music and many of the traditions to a great extent.

"Chinh Phu N g h Khlic," "The Song of the Soldier's Wife," was composed by Dang Tran Con and Phan Huy Ich. Both were Vietnamese poets and scholars in the eighteenth century. Dang Tran Con, a mandarin nobleman under the Le dynasty, first wrote the legend in classical Chinese, while Phan Huy Ich, a much revered Doctor of Literature, translated the verses into the vernacular Vietnamese language. His 408 verses tell the tale through the voice of a wife, who laments the absence of her husband, who has been called to war for his country. The themes of the story-poem are the search for peace and the longing for a return to the simple joys of life prior to the advent of war.

Vietnamese storytelling is often heightened into a type of chant called n g h (pronounced "nyah-m" and meaning "hymning' "chanting:' or "singing"). Because of a melodious tonal language system, well-known legends and traditional stories are rhymed into poems that resemble songs when recited. A short story may have a hundred verses, while a long one contains more than eight thousand verses! The long stories require several nights of chanting in order to be completed; occasionally, particular sections are extracted from the larger legend for performance, as we have done on the companion tape. These legends may be historical, religious, social, educational, or mythical in nature.

The chant styles, their pitches and rhythms, vary from one region to the next. Traditional art music offers some of these styles, although some chant styles .are specific to story-telling. There are three principal types of storytelling chant: doc thd(reading poems), nbi fbd (speaking poems), and n g h thd(chanting poems). A good storyteller knows his or her expressive art: when and how to coordinate pitches, rhythms, and modes to the developments in the story. Two styles are demonstrated in the taped performance of the first section (twenty-four verse lines) of "The Song of a Soldier's Wife": doc Ihdand n g h tho. Even though Phuong Chi is reading the poem aloud, she is using a stylized elaboration of conversational speech to enhance communication of the mood and structure of the poem. The sung version flows searnlessly from the spoken, as the melody is clearly based on the intonation of speech and is not many steps from Phuong Chi 's fluidly recited version.

Words and Tramlation:

Chi7Hh Classical Chinese Character

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a. Q * ,CL xrliaba.

#T A* &bE&*I. 5 B *&A#. 49% fl&. IM.ti#+ I SL.

c*+#Y** f &. * a *Pa. tB.3-kM.

a. Sk* kA---tkf14. **a** 5 3.

..I4 kJk*&tYI*. ~ ~ x r l n x d . . R A t Z*.JIC.

-#@a<. WHIIOM&&f.

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Chi? N6m Old Vietnamese Character

h

Chi7 Qu6c Ngi7 English Romanized Character

I. Thu& trbl dat ndi cun gi6 bui, When all through eanh and heaven rise dust storms,

KhAch mB hang nhibu n&i truan chuy6n. how hard and rough, the road a woman walks!

Xanh kia tham tham tdng trgn ! 0 thou that rulest in yonder blue abovc, who is the cause and maker of this woe?

V1 ai gay dung cho n8n n6i nAy 7

5. Trdng Trbng thanh lung lay b6ng nguyet, In our Ch'ang-an drums beat and moonlight throbs.

Kh6i Cam tuybn m& mit th3c may, On Mount Kanch'uan first burn and clouds glow rcd.

Chln thng guum b8u trao tay, The Emperor, leaning on his prccious sword,

N3a darn truybn hich djnh ngAy xudt chinh. at midnighl calls for war and sets the day.

Nu& thanh blnh ba tram nam cO, The rcalm has known three hundred years of peace- lo. Ao nhung trao quen v0 tO day, now soldiers don thcir battle dress once more.

53 tr&i si3m giyc du&ng may, At daybreak heralds speed them through the mis t s Ph6p cbng 18 trgng. nibm tay stl do. thc law outweighs what they may fccl inside.

Qu&ng giong rug1 lung deo cung tien Full armed with bows and arrows, ~ c y fare forth. ~ u d i tign Uua.l&ng ban the noa from wivcs and children wrenching their numb hearts.

is. Bdng cb, tigng trdng xa xa, As banners wave and dnuns resound far off. Shu len nggn Al, o h ra ctla phbng. grief spreads from chambcr door to mountain pass.

ChBng tudl tr& vdn glbng hAo kiOt X6p b~ i t nghien the0 viec dao cung, Born to a race of heroes, you my love,

ThAnh lien mong tiBn be Rbng. discard your brush and ink for tools of war.

20. Thudc guom d% quydt chang dung glgc tr&i. You vow to capture citadels for the thronc- your sword will spare no foe d Hcaven's sway.

Chl lAm tral dam nghln da ngva, Giao Thai Sun nhg tva hbng mao. A man will win a horscskin for his shroud-

Gla nhl, deo b3c chien b80, his life he'll drop in battle like goose down.

Thdt roi tau V1, ho Bo gib thu. In war attire you leavc and cross the Wci, cracking your whip while roars the autumn wind.

[fianslaed by Hugnh Sanh 7h6ng, The Song of A Soldier's W.+I (New IIavcn: Yale Center for International and Area Studies. 1986) reprinted by permission]

Teachingkearning Sequence Level: Grade 2 to Adult

1. Read the transtation of the first section of the "Song of the Soldier's Wife.'" * What is the theme of the story-poem?

2. Listen to the recording: * Note rrre diferenr pelformonce versions of the poem.

How are they diflerent? * Listen for tlze connection between rhe spoken and the Sung versions. Does English

ever / m e a tonal qrtaliry? (Think of injlectiomjor questions, children's playground chants, names, streef vendor's cries.)

3, Discrrss the importance OF stories in people's lives, as lessons for learning about the past, ahout people, and their reIationships with others.

Wlren do srories hecome rnoral parables? a Orol!y mmirted stories are an imponant pan of childhood in many culntres.

What stories do the members of the group recall? Who were the story tellers?

* Whor dements contribute to making storytelling en an form?

5. Take turns reading a Vietnamese folktale, for example, ' m e Fisherman and the Goblet" (see bibliography),

Demonsrrare tlte w q s in which the story can come alive through b e art of storytelling, by using vocal inflection, dynamics, and tempo changes to illustrate he text (higMow, loud/soft, fast/slow, gravelly-thmated, etc.).

As a long-term projeer, crmIIen,qe grolyt members ro serecr, read ond re-read o story, and to arrive at a personal bus dramatic way of telling it. The text need not be memorized, but the main characters and themes should come forward though the animation of the storyreller. --- - - 4

mote: for precise pronunciation, check the guide at the beginning of the book, and h e chart of how diacritical marks govern gliding tones. Otherwise, reading the words as lhey appear phonetically, as if Lhcy have no accent marks, results in a good approximation. ]

i o dhi: i o tir thk:

Chiia: l3d c6: Diin Ca: Din biu or din d& DAn diy: O h doh: Din gio: Din nguyet: Din nhj: Din tam: Din tam thap luc: D h t'mg:

Din tranh: Din t? bh: O h x6n: Dao: Diacritical marks: D&:

Db: Hii loa: Hit A Dio: Hiit . t i : Hi t CCli LUdng:

the traditional long dress of men and women fourpiece dress worn when girls sing folk songs in Bac Ninh province, North Vietnam or during village festivals. Central Chamber Music pair of cymbals

gong the oficial written language of Vietnam, incorporating elements of Portuguese, Italian, and Greek elements, and using a system of romanized characters and diacritical markings (accent marks). Buddhist temple big temple drum folk Songs

huy6n: a monochord. a trapezoidal back-less lute. a short-necked, moon-shaped lute. a two-stringed coconut shell fiddle. a long necked moon-shaped lute. a two-stringedfi&ile. a three-stringed fretless lute. hammered dulcimer xylophone, slung like a hammock on a frame. The bamboo tubes have holes in the bottom, some short, some long. a sixteen- or seventeen-stringed zither. a pear-shaped lute. an octagonal lute. improvised prelude; see: Rao accent marks that indicate tonality in spoken Vietnamese. village temple or community center with an altar inside where some ritual ceremonies take place a common type of riverboat, long and narrow conch shell Northern chamber music classical theater pe~orrnance Southern reformed theater

Hit Ch6o: Hit Qua- Ho: Kh5n d6ng: KGn:

Nhac Phgt Giho: M'buat: MG: Nhac Thi T& Rao:

Szio: Sinh ti&: Song lang: T5n Nhac: ~ 6 t :

Ti& Tonality:

Northern folk theater fype of antiphonal group singing found near Hanoi hat made of silk cloth and worn on special occasions. double-reed oboe Buddhist Liturgy mouth organ wooden or bamboo bell Southern chamber Music unrnetered, improvised prelude that typically opens a pei$ormance of art music a transverse bamboo flute. coin clapper foot clapper. modernized vocal music one of the most ancient festivals, taking place during the lunar New Year, when people return to their birthplace and family, visit tombs of ancestors, pay debts, pray. vertical flute the gliding motion upward, dropping downward, or remaining on a certain pitch or tone of the voice when speaking Vietnamese. drum bamboo xylophone, played by the Bahnar, an ethnic people of the Central Highlands. It is slung like a hammock on a frame. The bamboo tubes have holes of varying lengths along the bottom.

Guide - to the Companion Tape

Side a: ~ o q s I: Hit fi'm

Chorus 11: CGm Num CLim Niu

Chorus 111: xaly KhrIn

Chorus IV: CGL2

Phong Nguycn & Chorus V : Ly' Chim Quyen

Thu Van & Chorus VI : Qua C ~ U Gib Bay

Phong Nguycn, Tinh Trang & Chorus

VII: Dh DQC D6 Ngmg Thu Van & Chorus

VIII: L i ~ i h h Tang Tinh Trang & Chorus

Accompaniment none

none

none

zither and monochord Phong Nguyen zither Phong Nguycn zither Phong Nguyen

zither Phong Nguyen zither & monochord Phong Nguyen

Side B: ImtrumntaGSeGectwns

IX: Kim TiEn zither Phong Nguycn

X: L? Ngqa 6 zither & lute Phong Nguyen

XI: Voice of the ~ r 6 . n ~ drum & wooden bell Phong Nguyen & Thu Van

Toetrg

XII: Chinh Phu Ngim Khu'c zither Phuong Chi and Phong Nguyen

?lie Te formers Soloists: Phong Nguyen, Thu Van, Tinh Trang, Phuong Chi Chorus: Huong Lan, Kim Van, Kim Thanh, Mong Tuyet, Thu Van and Tinh Trang

The Instruments Drin b&, monochord; Din N uyet, moon shaped lute; an Tranh, 1 6 or 1 7-stringed B zither; M6, wooden bell; Trong? drum.

(Recorded at Trax Recording, Seattle WA)

(J) = Juvenile Addis, Stephen

"Theatre Music of Vietnam," in Southeast G r i m Journal, Vol. 1 : 1-2, 1 97 1.

Buttinger, Joseph The Smaller Dragon. NY: Praeger FVess, 1958.

Campbell, Patricia Shehan Sounds of the World: Music of Southeast Asia: LAO, Hmng, and Vietnamese. Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference, 1986.

(J) Cole, Joanna Best b v e d Folk Tales. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Anchor Press, 1983.

Crawford, Ann Customs and Culture of Vietnam. Rutland, VT: C. E. Tuttle Co., 1966.

Dang, Tran Con & Huy Ich Phan The Song Of A Soldier's Wife. Trans: Huynh Sanh Thong. New Haven: Yale Southeast Asia Studies, 1986.

Dang, Van Lung, Thao Hong & Linh Quy Tran Quan Ho -- Nguon Goc va Qua Trinh Phat Trien (Quan Ho Folk Songs: Origin and Development). Hanoi: Khoa Hoc Xa HBi, 1978.

Dao, Duy Anh Vier Nam Van Hoa Su Cuong ( A Brief History of Vietnamese Culture). Hanoi: Quan Hai Tung Thu, 1938.

Doyle, Edward, Samuel Lipsman and the editors of Boston Publishing Company The Vietnam Experience (Setting the Stage). Boston: Boston Pub. Co., 1981

Durand, Maurice & Pierre Huard Connaissance du Vietnam (Understanding Vietnarn).Paris:Imprimerie Nationale, 1954.

Groslier, Bernard The Art of Indochina. N Y : Crown Publishers, 1962.

Hammer, Ellen Jay Vietnam, Yesterday and Today. NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1966.

Karnow, Stanley Vietnam: A History. N Y : Penguin, 1984.

Le, Giang, Nhat Vu Lu, Van Hoa Nguyen & Luan Minh Dan Ca Hau Giang (Folk Songs of Mekong Delta). Hau Giang: Ty Van Hoa va Thong Tin. 1986.

Lu, Nhat Vu & Giang Le Dan Ca Ben Tre (Folk Songs of Ben Tre). Ben Tre: Ty Van Hoa va Thong Tin. 198 1.

Ly, Te Xuyen Viet Dien U Linh (ancient book).

Nguyen, Hien Le & Van Chinh Truong Khao Luan Ve Ngu Phap Viet Nam ( A Study of Vietnamese Gramatical Rules). Hue: University of Hue, 1963.

Nguyen, Huu Ba Dan Ca Viet Nam - Folk Songs. Saigon: Ministry of Education, 1970.

Nguyen, Khac Kharn An Introduction to Vietnamese Culture. Tokyo: Center for East-Asian Cultural Studies, 1967.

Nguyen, Ngoc Bich A Thousand Years of Vietnamese Poetry. NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1975.

Nguyen, Thuyet Phong The Gioi Am Thanh Viet Nam (The World of Vietnamese Music). San Jose: Hoa Cau, 1989.

"Dan Ca Viet Nam: Cac The Loai Thong Dung," (Vietnamese Folk Songs:Well- known Styles) in Dat Moi 4/15 (1986): 14 & 30.

"Music in Exile: Music of the Vietnamese Immigrants in the United States." NY: World Music Institute: The New Americans Series, 1989.

"Music of the Vietnamese Immigrants of the United States: An Assessment of Genres and Performers." Social Science Research Council Report, 1989.

"Restructuring the Fixed Pitches of the Vietnamese Dan Nguyet Lute: A Modification Necessitated by the Modal System." in Asian Music 18/1(1986): 56-70.

"Une Esquisse de la Tradition Musicale du Vietnam," (A Sketch of the Musical Tradi- tion of Vietnam), in The Vietnam Forum 1 (1 983): 67-69.

(J) Poole, Frederick Kin Southeast Asia. NY: Franklin Watts, Tnc., 1972.

Pham, Duy Dan Ca / Folk Songs. Saigon: Melody Trails, 1966. Musics of Vietnam. Carbondale, Ill: Southern Illinois University Press, 1975.

Schultz, George F. Vietnamese Legends. Rutland, VT: C.E. Tuttle Co., 1965.

Sadie, Stanley, ed. New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. London: Macmillan, 1980.

Taylor, Keith Weller The Birth of Vietnam. Berkeley-Los Angeles-London: University of California Press, 1983.

(J) Taylor, Mark The Fisherman and the Goblet: A Vietnamese Folk Tale. San Carlos, CA: GoldenGate Junior Books, 1971.

Toan, Anh Hoi He Dinh Dam (Traditional Festivals and Rituals). Saigon: Nam Chi Tung Thu,

1969.

Tran, Huu Phap Dan Ca Dong Bang Bac Bo (Folk Songs of the Northern Plains). Hanoi, 1961.

Tran, Van Khai Nghe Thuat Sun Khau Viet Nam (Theatrical Art of Vietnam). Saigon: Khai Tri, 1970.

Tran, Van Khe Einfuhrung in die Musik Vietnams (An Introduction to Vietnamese Music). Trans. Gisela Kiehl. Wilhelrnshaven: Heinrichshofen, 1982.

Van, Giang The Vietnamese Traditional Music, Saigon: Ministry of Cultural Affaires. sd.

(Rmrh and Cassettes)

Chau Van Possession Chant from Vietnam. World Music Enterprises WMEl12, Kent, Ohio (cassette).

Instrumental Music of Vietnam: Dan Tranh. World Music Enterprises WME1007. Kent, Ohio (cassette).

Music from North and South Vietnam. Folkways AHM 4219, Music of Southeast Asia: LAO. Hmong, and Vietnamese (Sounds of the World series). Music

Educators National Conference, 1986. Three tapes of performances of southeast Asian musicians in the U.S., with interviews. Teaching guide by Patricia Shehan Campbell.

Music of Vietnam. World Music Enterprises WME110, Kent, Ohio (a set of 4 cassettes). Music of Vietnam: The Phnng Nguyen Ensemble. World Music Institute WMI 008, New York,

(cassette). Music of Vietnam. Lyrichord LLST 7337. Musical Theatre of Vietnam: Hat Cheo, Hat Boi, and Cai Luong. World Music Enterprises

WMEl11, Kent, Ohio (cassette). Musique du Vietnam: Tradition du Sud. OCORA OCR68. Paris (disc). Musique Mnong Gar - Vietnam. OCORA OCR 80. Paris (disc). Traditional Music of Vietnam. Lyrichord LLST 7396. New York. Tuong Nho Hon Que (Thinking of the Home Land). Van Hong VHOOl (cassette). Vietnam I: The Tradition of Hue. UNESCO Collection. Musicaphon BM 30L2022. Kassel-

Base1 - Paris (disc). Vietnam II: Southern Tradition. UNESCO Collection. Musicaphon BM 30L2023. Kassel -

Base1 - Paris (disc). Vietnamese Music in France and the United States. World Music Enterprises WME 1008.

Kent, Ohio (cassette).

Lan va Diep (Lan and Diep). THVN 9 / Art Studio. Santa Ana, California (video).

Mebnx. 25 minutes, color. Produced by Shell Oil, 1970. Available AVLS, 3300 University Southeast, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Grades 4-9. Study of the Mekong River that spans Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, and problems related to its course and habits.

Tieng Hac Trong Trang (Song of the Crane in the Moonlight). Hoa Tinh Thuong 2- 1983 (video).

Traditional Instrumental and Vocal Music of Vietnam: Dr. Nguyen Thuyet Phong in Discus- sion and Pe$ormance. Kent State University's Center for the Study of World Musics. CSWM 001. Kent, Ohio (60 min. video).

Africa, 72 Agriculture, 59 Annarn, 19 Art music, 63 AustmAsiatic languages,27

Blackbird, 63 Boat songs, 34,39,49 Buddhism, 19,20,34,72

Buddhist kmplc, 22,24,70,71

Cambodia, 17,20,27 Canals ,19 Central Vietnam, 63 Chamber music, 63,66,70 Champ, 20 a& v&,37 C& llrdng,37 China, 17,19,20,27

Chincsc: written characters, 76 Counting-out hymes,45

~ g i c 4 34 Dai Viet, 19 Dances, 2829,35 Din b&, 32 Din diy, 32 Din doh, 32 Din grio, 33 Din nguyeb 3268 Din tam. 32 D& tf bri, 32 Din tranh, 30,48; 66-E;tuning,53,67,70 Dgng ~ r & ten, 75 Dire, 66 Drumming, 60-63; (see also mnemonics)

Egrct,48 Ethnic minorities,23

Fairy, 66 Festivals,22,56 Fiddlcs, 33 Fishing59 Folk songs,34 Foods,l8

France,20 French involvement,35 Funerals, 12

Game Songs: " C h Npn C h Nju," 44 "Xiy Kh&" 46

Gliding tones, 27,63,66

Heptatonic, 67 Heterophony, 70 Ho Chi Minh, 20 Ho Chi Minh City (see: Saigon) Hue, 63

India, 18 Indonesia, 18 1nslrumcn:ntal pieces: "& Ti& a "Ly'Nm 6 "70 ~ m " n ~ selection72

Japan, 20 Language, (see Vietnamese) Lullabics,34 Lutes, 33

Mckong, 17,18,59 Mncmonics.72.73.74 Mongoloid, 23 Montagnards, 23 Music, Vietnamese:

dynamics. 29 gcneral characteristics, 28 genres28 improvisation in, 66.67 in the United States, 36 insmments, 3 1

lute, 3 1,32,33 monochord, 32,63 percussion. 34 strings33 wind, 35

melody, 29 mctabole in, 66,67,70 modes, 66,67,70 B ~ C mode,66,67,70

rhythm, 60 syncopation in, 67,70,71 vocal, 2829

Musical theater, 25

Ngik , 75 Nightingale, 52

Ornamentation, 29,64,65,67

Performance slyle,40 Phan Huy Ich, 75 Poctry:20,27,38,52,59,63,75 Chinh Phv NgZm Khdc, 75

Rain forcst, 17 Rain fall. 18 Rao, 66.67 Red River Ddta,17,18 Ricc.17,18;

oryza fatua, 18 Rice paddies, 21,59 Rhythm, 29 Russia, 20

Saigon, 21,75 Sio, 35 Scales:

hexatonic, 67; hcptatonic, 67; Pentatonic, 30,63,66 kmpercd, 53

"Smaller Dragon," 19 Song lung, wooden clapper, 63 Songs:

"C6 La",," 48-51 ;50 " Cim N y n Chn Niu," 44 "fi DQc & Ngang," 59 "Hit DIjm."42 " L i Chim QuyEn," 52; "L? ~i;lh Tang," 63 "Qua C& Gib Bay," 56 "X@ Kh&,"4 6

S p h , 18 Storytelling, 75

United Slates: military involvement in Vienarn, 20-21 Victnamesc communities in, 21 Vietnamese music in, 34

Vietnam, Vietnamese: climate, 18 clothing, 21 22 division of, in 1954,20 ethnic make-up, 19,2033 festivals, 22 foods,l8 geography $1 7 Golden Period,l9 history, 19-21, language: spoken, 27 (phonetic chart), gliding

tones.27.63, pronunciation guidc. 12; writ- ten, in old Viclnamese, 77 contemp., 77

literature. 27 map,l6 music (see: Music) religion 34 rice paddies, 17.19

v ~ n g c6: 37

Watcr buffalo,l8 Wildlife, 18

T& nhac, 35 Thai, 27 T& festival, 22 Taoism, 20 Thcater, 19,20,37

classical, 37; folk, 37; reformed, 37

From Rice Paddies and T m p k Yards: 7Faditional Music of ~ i u t n a m

From Rice Paddies and Temple Yards: Tmiiihnal Mu& af Vfcirrarrr presents an in-depth look at the music and culture of V*ktmm, written by one of the foremost scholars and performers M traditional Vie-- ese music in the world today, This is the first time an snwtated collection of Vietnamese musk has been prepad in EngIbh. The team of Phang Nguyen and Patricia Slrehun CampbeU, an &bmuail- and music educator, has produced a truly unique cotlMbutlsn $0 mid- ticulturai education, equaHy useful fur Vietnamese & ntm-vkttmnese readers, music or social studies classes, caurscs in Southeast Asian culture and community outreach prwams.

An extremely varied collection. Prom Rice P d i e s and Temple Yords: Trudifiur~al Music of Vietnam includes game songs, love songs, boating songs, recited and sung poetry and in-tal music. It offers a section on the history and cultwe of Vietnam, r general in- duction to the music and instruments, and twelve vocal and btnrmeW pieces with study guides for group use.

A fluid writing style, in-depth annotation, and personal notes by Phong Nguyen abaut every selection take this out of the realm of dry scholarship and place it h l y wMin reach of 41 those wha want to femcmber and preserve their heritage, as well rts dwrst who an being introduced b these gently flowing rivers of Vietnamese music for the fvgt time.

Wtrflowing with numerous photographs of people, thc countryside and rnuaical iiwm- m t s , with drawings by the much-lwed Vietnamese artist Hop Thi Nguyen, From Rice Paddies and Temple Yards is appropiate and absorbing for readers and listeners of all ages and gcdc levels.

The professional companion tape by a group of Vietnamese musicians c m t l y living in the United States evokes a vivid soundscape filled with impressions of shimmering strings, drums and gentle voices whose spetch is astonishingly close to melody.

"Dr. Phang Nguyen is the ultimate "insider," trained in the traditionfiom child- hood and one of the world's greatest exponents of traditional Vietnamese music .... Dr. Patricia Shehan Campbell combines her expertise in musk educa- tion and her enthusiasm for Vietnamese music with Dr. Nguyen's profound knowledge .... This will surely serve as a model for further publicatiom in afield some called 'applied ethnomusicology '." -Terry E. Miller, Center for the Study of World Musics, Kent State University a!Q

. ', 'C

World Music Press PO BOX 2565. Danbury CT 0681 3 ISBN &937##-34-9 dET -32-7 Paperback

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