Ca trù - Intangible cultural heritage

Ca trù is shaped as a type of music with its own characteristics and style around the 15th century. Depending on the locality, each stage of singing and singing Ca trù is also called ả đào singing, singing the door of the house, singing the right door, singing her head, singing the song, singing the house or singing the song

Ca trù - World intangible cultural heritage in Vietnam

1. History

Ca trù is derived from folk songs and folk music along with some folk performances and dance. Therefore, Ca Tru is a general art with a unique combination of diversity, sophistication and cleverness between poetry and music, sometimes dance.

Early in the beginning of the 11th century, it started to be popular in the country since the 15th century but by the second half of the 20th century, Ca tru was known to the world for the first time through the singing of artist Quach Thi Ho (1909 - 2001). Gradually after that, Ca Tru was also attended by many foreign musicians and musicians, studying, researching and introducing at many famous universities in the world. Through the process of developing ups and downs along with the events of history, up to now, Ca trù has reached a high aesthetic level, affirming an important position not only of Vietnam but also of humanity. .

Ca trù is available in 14 provinces and cities nationwide: the North (Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc); Central region (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh); South (Ho Chi Minh City).

In addition, many places where Ca Tru ward in the Northern Delta has formerly existed Ca Tru temple such as Lo Khe village (Lien Ha commune, Dong Anh district, Hanoi) has communal chant; Co Dam village (Nghi Xuan district, Ha Tinh province) has the Tooi temple or Bach Hoa princess temple; Phuong Cach village (Phuong Cach commune, Quoc Oai district, Hanoi) also has temple ruins of Ca Tru.

2. Artistic characteristics of Ca trù

Ca trù singing has 5 main performing spaces : singing the door of the family (church singing), singing the right song (singing the royal court or singing the blessing song), singing at home (singing the house of silk), singing and singing singing songs (singing and playing ). Each space has its own style of singing and performance. Ca trù is held in a strict manner as ward, ward, ward, ward and ward. Ca trù has regulations on vocational training, how to learn how to sing, and to allow for training in the field (opening ceremony of the dress), choosing to go to the pagoda to sing .

Participate in performances Ca trù has at least 3 people: a singer called ' dug up' or ' ca nuong ' sings in a spoken manner and knocks out the beat (beat is a wood or bamboo instrument, knocked 2 sticks); a male musician called the "double" paddock accompaniment for the singers (the flock is an ancient, long herd, has 3 silk strings and 10 frets); a person with a vacant point is called an 'officer'. In particular, shifting is one of three important components. In order to become a singer who is recognized by the people, the artist must go through the process of learning, practicing, cultivating and overcoming many challenges.

In Ca trù, there are ways of singing tunes, forms of dancing, performances, rituals, and examinations in Ca trù. When the way is the melody, the 'way' completely coincides with the 'melody' (eg Singing, the North, etc.).A tune can be a song but can also include many songs ; Each song always has only one lyrics with its own name. It also refers to a dance or performance, even a ritual in performing Ca tru, a technical demonstration of the use of drums or instruments. In the performing arts Ca tru, the number of ways to have the addition and reduction into variations, enrich the Ca Tru way. Han Nom material has now recorded 99 bodies of Ca trù; can be divided into 3 groups: pure singing group consisting of 66 melodies, including 5 small groups of singing, reading, speaking, immersion, and singing; the group combines singing - dancing - performance with 19 ways; group of rituals and professional performances in the examination include 14 ways.

In Ca trù, poetry holds a very important position. Many music researchers believe that singing Ca Tru is singing poems with a rich set of songs prescribed for each singing style . The words, lyrics of Ca Tru are intellectual, few words, many meanings, rich in poetry, with many emotions, deep and deep. The singing technique is very sophisticated and elaborate, requiring straightening and elaborating each word. When singing and digging, there is no need to open your mouth, do not push strongly from the lungs, but slightly in the neck, but the words are still clear, round and clear.

Ca trù has many melodies, can sing using familiar and pure Vietnamese poems such as: hexagonal (North-antiquity, Since, Bắc Bắc, Northern Bow, Rhombus, Brazen, Red, Non-Apricot, Room, Muu, Soak, Tung .); Continental bowl. In addition, there are 7-letter poems and 1 last verse, 7-letter poetry and 1 verse of the end of the poem, Duong Law, The Phu, and Duong Duong Truong Thien poems. In particular, vocal singing (8-letter poetry) is a poem for Ca trù. Singing can be considered a unique creation of Ca Tru because in Vietnamese folk songs, only Ca trù forms this form of poetry. Singing uses a unique poetic body not only in content and form but also in a song of Ca trù and a literary genre. Singing voice has a complete, stable and specific structure, distinct from other poems. In vocal singing, the elements of the framework, the ending sentence, the way of organizing the law . are strictly regulated. A song says it does not depend on certain music. Singers say, when performing, are completely under the control of the poem.

Along with poetry, dance is also one of the important factors contributing to the unique and distinctive characteristics of Ca trù singing . Many dances are used in Ca trù such as Bài Bông dance (often performed in the theater theater), Đại Thạch dance (often performed in church songs and singing contests), Quế Bộ dance and Tu Linh dance ( only in church songs . .

3. Outstanding value of Ca trù

Ca tru has been assessed by the UNESCO Heritage Assessment Council as follows:

1. Ca trù has undergone a process of development at least from the 15th century to the present, performed in a diverse cultural space attached, at many different historical periods. Ca tru represents a sense of identity and continuity in performing arts, which is creative, transferred from generation to generation through guild organizations. These guilds have maintained communities that are closely related, creating characteristics for Ca trù. Despite many historical and social changes, Ca Tru still has its own vitality because of its unique artistic value to Vietnamese culture.
2. Unique ca tru in a separate artistic space, musical instruments and poems separately. According to folk artisans, Ca trù has a lot of different forms or melodies, each of which is called a way. The singing technique is very sophisticated and sophisticated. From Ca Tru, a unique poetic form was born and has a bright position in the Nôm literature line of the nation, which is a singing song with thousands of Nôm poems containing many moods and metamorphosis. sacrifice of Vietnamese soul over the centuries. In terms of music, three types of musical instruments are the flute, beat and drum, which have undergone a long process of use, which has become the characteristic instrument of Ca trù, contributing to the Ca trù becoming a classic vocal genre. of Vietnam. In the world, there is little art, but only three people with musical instruments of the bottom, the beat, and the drums that combine to become both poetry, music, rhythm, rhythm . mesmerizing people like Ca tru.
3. Although Vietnam has made great efforts and supported by a number of international organizations in the protection of Ca tru, Ca trù's vitality is still not high and still needs to be protected more. to increase survival and development. Maintaining regular Ca trù shows at clubs and improving the artistic quality of this type is a problem for Ca tru protection work. Besides, it is necessary to raise awareness about Ca Tru to have more public to enjoy, affirming its position in modern society; At the same time, it is necessary to support the old artists and encourage the shifting songs, the two young men learn and participate in teaching Ca tru for the next generations.

With the consensus, willingness and full understanding of Ca trù singing communities in Vietnam, together with the state agencies' action plans, responsibilities, commitments, support and support for the Ca tru protection, October 1 , 2009 , in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, Ca tru of Vietnam was officially enrolled in the list of intangible cultural heritage to be protected Emergency defense of humanity.

4. Ca tru in the present life

According to the researchers, in 2010, there were about 63 Ca trù clubs in the country with about 769 people (including 513 peach trees, 256 dual herds and people beating drums) in 14 provinces and cities. Street: Hanoi, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and TP. Ho Chi Minh. These clubs operate relatively continuously and have plans to practice and transfer jobs for the next generations, however, here, the number of artists who can sing 10 or more tunes is very rare.

Currently, at the Vietnam National Institute of Music, there are also 7 Ca trù dances, 42 songs of Ca trù version, 26 Hán Nôm texts about Ca Tru and about 25 books about Ca trù.