Xẩm (Chữ Nôm: 眈) or Hát xẩm (咭眈, Xẩm singing) is a type of Vietnamesefolk music which was popular in the Northern region of Vietnam but is nowadays considered an endangered form of traditional music in Vietnam. In the dynastic time, xẩm was generally performed by blind artists who wandered from town to town and earned their living by singing in common places. Xẩm artists often play đàn bầu or đàn nhị to accompany the songs themselves, and sometimes they form a band with one singer and others who play traditional instruments such as the drum or phách. The melodies of xẩm are borrowed from different types of Vietnamese folk music such as trống quân or quan họ, while its themes are generally The Tale of Kiều, Lục Vân Tiên, and other popular Vietnamese stories.[1]
Blind artists performing xẩm in an old French postcard.
History and performersedit
The origin of xẩm was dated from the Trần dynasty in the 14th century.[2][3] During the dynastic time, xẩm was popular in the Northern region of Vietnam.[4] Traditionally, xẩm was performed by blind artists who wandered from town to town and earned their living by singing in common places such as markets or communal temples.[4][5][6] At the beginning of the 20th century, xẩm artists performed on the trams of the public transport system of Hanoi, so this type of folk music was sometimes called xẩm tàu điện (tram xẩm).[3][7]
When the tram lines were abandoned in the 1980s, xẩm tàu điện disappeared and xẩm gradually fell into oblivion.[7] Facing the unstoppable decline of xẩm, researchers and devoted artists tried but failed to revitalize this art form.[8] Nowadays, xẩm is considered an endangered form of Vietnamese traditional music because the number of experienced artists rapidly declines while the younger generation usually prefers modern types of music.[2][9] The most famous recent artisan of this art form was Hà Thị Cầu (1917-2013), the so-called "last surviving artisan of xẩm."[10] She was one of the few artisans who was honoured by the title Nghệ sĩ ưu tú (Outstanding Artist of Vietnam).[11] There are several efforts to preserve and propagate xẩm, such as the introduction of xẩm performance in the Đồng Xuân night market, and encouraging young artists to learn xẩm from old artisans.[7][8][9]
Performance elementsedit
The melodies of xẩm are borrowed from different types of Vietnamese folk music such as trống quân, quan họ, chèo or lullabies. Themes of xẩm songs are often drawn from popular stories, poems and legends in Vietnam like Truyện Kiều, Lục Vân Tiên, Thạch Sanh or Nhị độ mai.[4][5] Through the content of the songs and the style of performance, xẩm artists told about their tragic lives or the misery of the poor people and thus evoked pity from their audience.[2][4][7] Today, there are about 400 xẩm songs which are still preserved. They are mainly handed down orally from generation to generation.[2]
In singing xẩm, the artists often play đàn bầu or đàn nhị to self-accompany, and sometimes they form a band in which one artist sings while others play traditional instruments such as the drum or phách. Depending on the rhythm of the drum, xẩm is divided into two styles, xẩm chợ for a rapid rhythm and xẩm cô đào for a slow one.[4][12]
^ abKim Ngoc Bao Ninh (2002). A world transformed: the politics of culture in revolutionary Vietnam, 1945-1965. University of Michigan Press. p. 58. ISBN0-472-06799-0.
^Banham, Martin (1995). The Cambridge guide to theatre. Cambridge University Press. p. 1168. ISBN0-521-43437-8.
^ abcd"Music in the air". Vietnamnet.vn. 2008-09-14.
^ ab"Young singer revitalizes traditional folk music". Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam. 2010-01-06.
^ ab"Efforts to revive age-old tradition of xam music". Vietnamnet.vn. 2008-02-12.
^Last surviving artisan of Xam singing dies March 10, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
^"Hà Thị Cầu - người hát xẩm cuối cùng" (in Vietnamese). Vnexpress.net. 2005-01-03.
^"Hat Xam, or the song of the blind artists". minmaxtravel.
xẩm, chữ, nôm, hát, xẩm, 咭眈, singing, type, vietnamese, folk, music, which, popular, northern, region, vietnam, nowadays, considered, endangered, form, traditional, music, vietnam, dynastic, time, xẩm, generally, performed, blind, artists, wandered, from, town. Xẩm Chữ Nom 眈 or Hat xẩm 咭眈 Xẩm singing is a type of Vietnamese folk music which was popular in the Northern region of Vietnam but is nowadays considered an endangered form of traditional music in Vietnam In the dynastic time xẩm was generally performed by blind artists who wandered from town to town and earned their living by singing in common places Xẩm artists often play đan bầu or đan nhị to accompany the songs themselves and sometimes they form a band with one singer and others who play traditional instruments such as the drum or phach The melodies of xẩm are borrowed from different types of Vietnamese folk music such as trống quan or quan họ while its themes are generally The Tale of Kiều Lục Van Tien and other popular Vietnamese stories 1 Blind artists performing xẩm in an old French postcard History and performers editThe origin of xẩm was dated from the Trần dynasty in the 14th century 2 3 During the dynastic time xẩm was popular in the Northern region of Vietnam 4 Traditionally xẩm was performed by blind artists who wandered from town to town and earned their living by singing in common places such as markets or communal temples 4 5 6 At the beginning of the 20th century xẩm artists performed on the trams of the public transport system of Hanoi so this type of folk music was sometimes called xẩm tau điện tram xẩm 3 7 When the tram lines were abandoned in the 1980s xẩm tau điện disappeared and xẩm gradually fell into oblivion 7 Facing the unstoppable decline of xẩm researchers and devoted artists tried but failed to revitalize this art form 8 Nowadays xẩm is considered an endangered form of Vietnamese traditional music because the number of experienced artists rapidly declines while the younger generation usually prefers modern types of music 2 9 The most famous recent artisan of this art form was Ha Thị Cầu 1917 2013 the so called last surviving artisan of xẩm 10 She was one of the few artisans who was honoured by the title Nghệ sĩ ưu tu Outstanding Artist of Vietnam 11 There are several efforts to preserve and propagate xẩm such as the introduction of xẩm performance in the Đồng Xuan night market and encouraging young artists to learn xẩm from old artisans 7 8 9 Performance elements editThe melodies of xẩm are borrowed from different types of Vietnamese folk music such as trống quan quan họ cheo or lullabies Themes of xẩm songs are often drawn from popular stories poems and legends in Vietnam like Truyện Kiều Lục Van Tien Thạch Sanh or Nhị độ mai 4 5 Through the content of the songs and the style of performance xẩm artists told about their tragic lives or the misery of the poor people and thus evoked pity from their audience 2 4 7 Today there are about 400 xẩm songs which are still preserved They are mainly handed down orally from generation to generation 2 In singing xẩm the artists often play đan bầu or đan nhị to self accompany and sometimes they form a band in which one artist sings while others play traditional instruments such as the drum or phach Depending on the rhythm of the drum xẩm is divided into two styles xẩm chợ for a rapid rhythm and xẩm co đao for a slow one 4 12 References edit Hat xam vietnam culture a b c d Nguyen Ha Anh Mai Tuyet Hoa and her Passion for Xam Singing Vietnam News Agency a b Khuong Cuong Xam Singing in Hanoi Vietnam News Agency a b c d e Hat xẩm in Vietnamese Từ điển Bach khoa toan thư Việt Nam a b Kim Ngoc Bao Ninh 2002 A world transformed the politics of culture in revolutionary Vietnam 1945 1965 University of Michigan Press p 58 ISBN 0 472 06799 0 Banham Martin 1995 The Cambridge guide to theatre Cambridge University Press p 1168 ISBN 0 521 43437 8 a b c d Music in the air Vietnamnet vn 2008 09 14 a b Young singer revitalizes traditional folk music Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism of Vietnam 2010 01 06 a b Efforts to revive age old tradition of xam music Vietnamnet vn 2008 02 12 Last surviving artisan of Xam singing dies Archived March 10 2013 at the Wayback Machine Ha Thị Cầu người hat xẩm cuối cung in Vietnamese Vnexpress net 2005 01 03 Hat Xam or the song of the blind artists minmaxtravel https vietnam vnanet vn english xam singing in hanoi 3838 html Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Xẩm amp oldid 1105959266, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
