Spring music and singing in folk music of 54 ethnic groups

Singing and dancing are cultural activities of ethnic groups in our country, often held during Tet and festivals.

If the plains are the homeland of the melodies of Ho, Ly, Co la, Trong quan, Quan ho, Cheo, Tuong... then the mountainous and midland regions are the land of the melodies of Thuong, Rang, Bo meng (Muong); Luon, Then (Tay); Sli (Nung); Di ke (Khmer); Khap (Thai)...

If the Dan Bau is one of the typical and symbolic instruments of the Kinh people, the Tinh Tau of the Tay and Thai ethnic groups; the T'rung, Klong put, and the Gongs of the Central Highlands ethnic groups; the Khen of the Mong ethnic group... are typical musical instruments of ethnic minorities.

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Besides the Drum Dance and Bong Dance of the Kinh people with the bustling sounds of drums, gongs, senh tien, and wooden fish, there are also the rhythms of drilling and picking up bamboo tubes and sticks hitting the floor in the Tang Bu Dance and the Stick Dance of the Kho Mu people, the Sap Dance and the Chieng Dance of the Muong and Thai people, and many other magical sounds in the Drum Dance and the Xuc Tom Dance of the Cao Lan people; the Rowing Dance and the Lotus Dance of the Khmer people in the South....

Singing and dancing are cultural activities of ethnic groups in our country, often held during Tet, festivals, housewarming, weddings... The good, the beautiful, the unique of each ethnic group have blended into the common, making Vietnamese folk music very rich, diverse and colorful.

With the Huu May (a bamboo percussion instrument), the Khmu boy pressed it against his stomach, tapped it lightly, and the instrument emitted sounds like the cicadas in the forest, blending with the changing rhythm, making the girl sometimes sad, sometimes happy, sometimes intoxicated by the song. From this side of the hill, the Mong girl heard and immediately understood what her lover's flute wanted to say:

“Since I met you, I have loved you.

Tonight the moon rises, I want to make a date with you".

If answered, the Mong girl will pick a leaf, put it in her mouth and blow:

“You are on the other side of the hill.

I'm on this side of the hill

What do you think?

I think so...”.

And when we meet, the girl will gently vibrate her mouth harp:

“Who are you?

Where are you from?

I don't know the name yet.

I don't talk...”.

Pi Doi, Pi Pap, Pi Thiu, Dan Moi, Khen, Ta Lu, La Khu... are not only musical instruments that produce simple sounds, but also the voice of the heart in all circumstances of life. There is the sound of Pi complaining to the lover's parents that the poor man does not marry, there is the sound of Pi saving a patient from the scythe of death; there is the sound of Khen showing the way for the dead to return to their ancestors, there is the sound of Khen celebrating spring...

When spring comes, there is not only music but also singing. Singing short songs about greetings, love affairs or praising the happiness of couples... The Dao boy asked:

“Early morning I passed many streams

Your footprints are imprinted on the hills

My feet can fit into many pairs of sandals.

How many pairs of leggings do you wear?

The Dao girl replied:

“Early morning I passed a stream

Your footprints are on a hill

My feet can fit into a pair of sandals.

I only have one pair of leggings.

Besides lyrical folk songs, there are also songs praising heroes. Like the lyrics in the song “Hai anh em Duong Duyel” (Ba Na folk song)...

“Oh! Duyen, Duyel, with your hair in a majestic bun

How can your English sound so smooth?

In the afternoon, the villagers happily looked at him.

Like looking at the ancient Dia god

His feet climbed the high mountain, the wind was still

Down to the sea, big waves dare not be aggressive

He went, knife swinging

Music sings the name of the hero

Oh Duong, oh Duyel...”.

Singing is everywhere and at all times: when following the matchmaker to the bride's house to propose marriage (Mong ethnic group), presenting the bride price (Tay Nung ethnic group), or singing on stage (Han Khuong - Thai ethnic group)...

The folk music treasures of ethnic groups are colorful and varied. Melodies are not only monophonic, one-voiced, but also polyphonic, many-voiced. On a bustling market day, Nung ethnic couples sing Sli together. On the festival day of the Muong people, we hear the sound of the Gong orchestra. The Mong people's panpipes, with only 6 tubes of different lengths, create many different sounds...

If in the past, singing, dancing and playing instruments of the people were limited to the end of the village and the beginning of the Muong, gradually over the years, as life changed, it was able to spread far and wide and exert practical effects. Many melodies were collected, edited, improved and enhanced, many unique tones, many powerful, flexible and rhythmic musical features of folk music were seen appearing in many new compositions.

For example, the songs: "Chim poong kle", "Hoa po lang", "Before the shooting festival", "The Tay girl holds the guitar on the mountain top", "Noi drum len rung nui oi"... music in the conical hat dance, umbrella dance, fan dance, Rong gong, Cham rong... From folk songs, individual musical themes, some musicians have worked hard to creatively combine and compose new additions, composing many large-scale works, including choirs, musicals such as "Co Sao", "Nguoi tac tuong"...

The traditional folk music of 54 ethnic groups is like an inexhaustible source of water for composers, an extremely valuable treasure for researchers and those working in culture and arts. Research and extensive introduction of the characteristics and quintessence of folk music have the effect of promoting and contributing to the construction of a national music that is both modern and imbued with national identity. With the sounds of instruments, songs, and dances resounding when Tet comes, we feel even more proud of our homeland./.

According to Kinhtenongthon