XẨM SINGING IN NINH BÌNH PROVINCE Dr. VU DIEU TRUNG, Director of the Cultural Heritage Data Center Interview: Prof. Dr. ĐẶNG HOÀNH LOAN Former Director, Vietnam Institute of Musicology First of all, we have to confirm that Xẩm no longer exists but Xẩm singing does. Xẩm is a folk performing art form of Vietnam with unique and typical lyrics. Among the traditional Vietnamese art forms, only Xẩm singing is regarded as an occupation to earn for a living. Interview: Prof. Dr. ĐẶNG HOÀNH LOAN Former Director, Vietnam Institute of Musicology The nature of Xẩm is that an artist may live on art, which makes Xẩm better than other traditional art forms. As it is an occupation to earn for a living, Xẩm requires creativeness which has brought about a legacy of Xẩm music. Ninh Bình province has long been famous for the traditional art of Xẩm singing and it is associated with late excellent artist Hà Thị Cầu. She was one of the artists who had contributed much to the transmission of Xẩm melodies that have been preserved until today. In the previous documentary videos recording life and career of artists singing Xẩm, artist Hà Thị Cầu was the last one who kept practicing Xẩm singing and considered “ the last Xẩm singer of the 20th century”. So, why has the art of Xẩm singing been existed, revitalized and gradually developed? Such great and old artists as Mr Thân Đức Chinh, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Nguyên are famous for singing Xẩm but they do not have many students as Mrs. Hà Thị Cầu did. Artist Hà Thị Cầu was occasionally called Mrs Cầu. She was good at not only singing but playing percussion musical instruments (drum, castanets, bamboo tocsin…), so she had taught her daughter (Ms. Nguyễn Thị Mận) and artists (Mr. Vũ Văn Phó, Mr.Vũ Xuân Năng, Mr.Vũ Thu Sợi) Xẩm singing and how to play musical instruments used for Xẩm singing. Interview: Mrs PHẠM THỊ MẬN – a daughter of late excellent artist Hà Thị Cầu- Yên phong commune, Yên Mô district, Ninh Bình province. My mother also taught me old lyrics of Xẩm songs such as Thập ân, thập sầu thập oán, huê tình hà liễu. Interview: Prof. Dr. ĐẶNG HOÀNH LOAN Former Director, Vietnam Institute of Musicology So why is it called xẩm? Because xẩm has given birth to a unique and interesting art which is always attached to life, changable and thanks to entertaining needs of the masses, a lot of xẩm melodies have been created and xẩm singers are those who can satisfy the masses’ entertaining needs. Xẩm singing is an art form that is flexible in melody. Many Xẩm melodies were born due to the masses’ enjoyment. Interview: Currently, there are over 30 melodies of xẩm singing. There are 3 styles of music, or 3 genres including xẩm huê tình (chinh bong diềm bâu, hoài huê); xẩm xoan (ie. joyful songs) and xẩm 3 bậc (ie. 3 melodies in a song). Interview: Mr. VŨ XUÂN NĂNG Yên phong commune, Yên Mô district, Ninh Bình province. At the age of 15, I started to follow artist Hà Thị Cầu until 1979, I have participated in her performances nationwide. After she passed away, we still well preserve the old lyrics of Xẩm songs she had taught us. Today, in order to preserve old Xẩm melodies and to develop the new style of Xẩm singing, late artist Hà Thị Cầu’s successors have set up Xẩm groups in Ninh Bình province, mostly in Yên Mô district and in some other provinces. Interview: Mr. ĐÀO MẠNH LINH Head of a xẩm singing club in Hải Phòng city When I was a student, I heard a very strange song sung by artist Hà Thị Cầu on the Voice of Vietnam. Being impressived by that song, I learned more about artist Hà Thị Cầu, then I arranged time and regularly went to her house to learn xẩm singing. In 2008, I formed a group of xẩm singing in Hải Phòng city. After artist Hà Thị Cầu passed away, in 2003, I really wanted to set up a group of xẩm singers at her family to preserve the tradition. Interview: Mrs. PHẠM THỊ MẬN A daughter of late excellent artist Hà Thị Cầu- Yên phong commune, Yên Mô district, Ninh Bình province. It is very difficult to teach young children Xẩm singing as they are too young to be literate, so they just sing word to word after me. The clubs of Xẩm singing are eager to practice regularly. Many young members can both sing and play the drum, two - string violin, castanets. The art of Xẩm singing in Ninh Bình province has been thought to fall into oblivion and face a great risk of being lost since the death of artist Hà Thị Cầu, but recently it has been initially revitalized by her successors who have handed down the love and enthusiasm for this art form to the young generations. Such ancient melodies as Xẩm Huê tình, Xẩm Xoan, Xẩm Ba Bậc together with traditional Xẩm songs are being practiced and preserved in the community. Interview: LÊ TRƯƠNG ÁNH NGỌC Yên Phong commune, Yên Mô district, Ninh Bình province. I have been learning xẩm singing with different melodies such as chinh bông, xẩm xênh since I was in grade 2. I met a lot of difficulties from my family. My mother said that following and learning xẩm singing means having no occupation, no future. However, because of my passion for it, I still want to learn xẩm singing. The art of Xẩm singing including lyrics, singing styles, musical instruments has been safeguarded by generations in various ways such as directly transmitting, composing curriculum, organizing performances and competitions and so on. Interview: Mr. Trịnh Xuân Quảng Yên Phong commune, Yên Mô district, Ninh Bình province. Organizing festivals of Xẩm singing provides us with opportunities to perform our repertoirs. In addition, young artists compose and perform new Xẩm songs the lyrics of which based on old melodies such as Có nhớ quê chăng (Do you miss your hometown?), Yên Mô quê mình (Yên Mô – my hometown), Mười ơn thầy cô (10 gratitudes to teachers). Interview: Mr. Bùi Công Sơn Quỳnh Phụ district, Thái Bình province. Lyrics of ancient xẩm songs contain many Chinese words which are not understandable to many people. New Xẩm songs, therefore, are preferred. We have composed a lot of new Xẩm songs, 80 percent of which are composed with joyful tunes, quick rhythm, easily understandable lyrics. In particular, Ninh Bình province has had policies for developing Xẩm singing to have its performance environment and certain recognition, which creates an initial premise for its vital place in Vietnamese people’s mind.