ALL
singer
ICH Elements 53
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Art of Đờn ca tài tử music and song in southern Viet Nam
Đờn ca tài tử is a musical art that has both scholarly and folk roots. It developed in southern Việt Nam in the late nineteenth century. People in southern Việt Nam consider Đờn ca tài tử to be an indispensible spiritual cultural activity and a highly valued part of their cultural heritage. It is performed at numerous events such as festivals, ‘death anniversary' rituals such as the Death Anniversary of the Ancestors held annually on the twelfth day of the eighth lunar month, and celebratory social events like weddings and birthdays. The performers express their feelings by improvising, ornamenting and varying the ‘skeletal melody’ and main rhythmic patterns of these pieces. The audience can join practicing, making comments or creating new song texts. Đờn ca tài tử is played on a variety of different instruments, including the moon-shaped lute, two-stringed fiddle, sixteen-stringed zither, pear-shaped lute, percussion, monochord and bamboo flute. Its repertoire is based on twenty principal songs and seventy-two classical songs.
Viet Nam 2013 -
Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancing
Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancing is a performing art combining the genres of creative poetizing focused on good feelings and wishes, its singing with vocal improvisation and dancing with movements of hands, gestures and footsteps in accordance with the tune of the song. The element serves as a tool and a medium for conveying good wishes for happiness, mutual respect, solidarity, social cohesion to the wide public and youth. The element is considered as an inseparable part of child birth ceremonies, wedding ceremonies and national celebrations. Its introductory part starts with singing poetic words of best wishes for well-being, happiness and sermon for the youth to keep close ties with elders that is performed by a seated group of respected women dressed in traditional costumes. Its next stage continues with inviting performers to start the rite and then the performance is led by singing of a couple of poetry singers (traditionally a woman and a man) with dances to the accompaniment of songs in a semi-closed or closed circles. Dancing movements start with three steps on right foot and then simultaneously tramping and clapping which are intended to drive maleficence and misfortune away from the future life. The element is performed at the end of events concluding in a positive note as a prayer to the nature for fertility, procreation, solidarity and peace.
Turkmenistan 2017 -
Small epics
Kyrgyz epics are divided into two groups such as big and small epics. The epic trilogy of Manas. Semetei and Seitek belong to the big epic group. All the rest belong to small epics. There about 30 epics and epic poems in the second group. This group is very diverse in terms of topics, genres, plots and music. Depending on the core idea and plot, small epics can be subdivided into following subgroups: 1.\tHeroic epics describe the struggle of a hero against foreign and local enemies. They include but not limited to such epics as Kurmanbek, Jangyl Myrza, Janysh-Baiysh, Er Tabyldy, Seiitbek, Shyrdakbek, Er Soltonoi and others; 2.\tMythological epic describe a hero’s struggle with mythical creatures and natural forces. E.g. Kojojash, Er Töshtük, Joodarbeshim and others; 3.\tSocial and everyday-life-related epic describe complex social relations and people’s perceptions of just social structure. E.g. Kedeikan, Mendirman and others; 4.\tLyrical and romantic epics describe (often tragic) love relations. For example, Oljobai and Kishimjan, Sarinji-Bököi, Kulmyrza and Aksatkyn, Ak Möör and others). Singers and storytellers called akyn accompany their recitations of small epics with a musical instrument.
Kyrgyzstan -
Katta Ashula
Katta ashula is a vocal direction, a song genre typical for the Ferghana Valley, in which peculiar style and manner of singing is observed. It is performed by two or more singers in turns and without accompaniment of musical instruments. Katta Ashula is characterized by laconism (in means of expression), expressiveness (in music language), dynamism (in melodic development) and bright emotionality. Its figurative structure (or style) is closely connected to the traditional (classical) poetry of lyrical and philosophical nature. And ghazals of Navoi, Lutfi, Mashrab, Khazini, Muqimi, Furqat, Zavqi, Miskin serve as main poetic texts in this genre. Though, since the XX century the poems of contemporary Uzbek poets (such as Sobir Abdulla, Charkhi, Chusti, Akmal Polat, Khabibi, and others) as well as examples of folk poetry have been widely used. In terms of subject matter katta ashula songs can be divided into love-lyrical, didactic, religious and contemporary ones. The origins of katta ashula genre should be looked for in ancient folk-ritual chants, songs of "praise" (such as marsiya, navkha, ayolgu), agriculture- and labor-related songs with their original combination of recitative-declamatory beginning and chanting; and in distiches of ghazals (ghazalkhonlik), written in aruz prosody. Performance with high-pitched voice, existence of culmination parts, clarity of words for and their impact to the listeners – all these are features of this type of song. Katta ashula has several genres, such as “Yovvoi maqom” (“Yovvoi Ushshoq”, “Yovvoi Chorgoh”),"Yovvoyi asula" ("Yovvoyi Tanovar", "Yovvoyi Munojat"), "Yakkahonlik" ("Ohkim, gulzorim qani topmadim"). Notably, the emergence and development of Katta ashula genre is closely linked with existence of corresponding performance schools, which stand out with their style of interpretation, manner of singing and bearers. From among katta ashula performance schools it is possible to mention Qoqand, Margilan, Andijan, Namangan and Tashkent performance schools.
Uzbekistan 2009 -
Arirang folk song in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Arirang is a lyrical singing genre, which has been handed down orally for centuries and which never has lost its popularity among the Koreans. Arirang was sung by the people in the northwestern part of the Korean peninsula as early as in the late 14th century. Today Arirang is sung in its traditional form by people all over the country, while it is also performed in symphonic arrangements and in dance music. Arirang typically contains a gentle and lyrical melody in five scales, and the refrain: Arirang, arirang, arariyon Over the Arirang hill you go. Arirang songs speak about leaving and reunion, sorrow, joy, and happiness. There are various categories of Arirang songs that can be classified by the lyrics or the melody used, and by place of origin. Currently 36 versions of Arirang are known. Most typical versions are Sodo Arirang, Phyongan Provincial Arirang, Jonchon Arirang, Haeju Arirang, Kangwon Provincial Arirang, Kosong Arirang, Onsong Arirang, Tanchon Arirang, Thongchon Arirang, Musan Arirang, Ku Arirang and Kosan Arirang, Arirang, as living heritage, up till the present day has undergone continuous developments, always reflecting the history of the Korean people. Under Japanese colonial rule, for instance, Arirang was widely sung as it reflected the distress about national ruin and the people’s spirit of resistance. In recent days such modern versions as “Arirang of Reunification” and “Arirang of Great Prosperity” have been produced reflecting the realities of our time.
North Korea 2014 -
Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur
Starting with ritual observances which involve singing and dancing in the temples of Manipur, Sankirtana encompasses an array of arts performed also in the home and the street to mark occasions of religious import and stages in the life of the Vaishnava people inhabiting the Manipur plains. The theology and lore of Krishna is central to these performances, but they assimilate in their rendering formal features carried over from music and dance in Manipur’s pre-Vaishnavite past. The core of Sankirtana practice is to be found in the temple, where it narrates through song and dance the lives and deeds of the Lord. These are typically presented in the round, in a hall (Mandapa) attached to the temple before devotees. The main repertoire consists of Nata Pala, which is performed all over the Manipur valley. The Ariba Pala and Manohar Sai Pala, less often in evidence today, are also temple-centred. Outside the temple, Sankirtana assumes forms such as the Holi Pala celebrating the festival of colours in springtime or Shayan performed in the winter months. Khubak Eshei is celebrated within the temple during the rains, marking the chariot festival of the Lord. In the setting of the home, Sankirtana is offered as prayer at all life-cycle ceremonies, such as the ear-piercing ritual (for both males and females in childhood), the donning of the sacred thread (for adolescent males), marriage, and the rites of passage at death. Thus pervading the life of the Manipuri Vaishnava, Sankirtana is regarded as the visible manifestation of God.
India 2013 -
Hua’er
Hua’er has been one of performing arts of folk songs in Gansu, Qinghai and Ningxia of China for over 600 years long since Ming dynasty. Hua’er is a folk song created by nine ethnic groups, such as Han, Hui, Tibetan, Tu, Mongol, Dongxiang, Salar, Bonan, Yugur, and each nationality shares it with others. It is an important artistic form of cultural exchange, emotional communication among nationalities, which is only folk song of its kind created and performed by multi-nationalities in China. Hua’er’s music has been drawn its inspiration from ethnic and traditional music, it has more than 100 tunes. Their titles are called so-and-so ling, just according to the names of nationality, town or flower, such as Dongxiang ling, Tu People ling, Hezhou ling, White Peony ling etc. Hua’er’s music is based on five notes of pentatonic scale, high in tune, wide in range, free rhyme and rich expression. The libretto of Hua’er is improvised by folk singers under a certain formula, each has 3,4,5 or 6 lines, each line consists of 7 characters, it has their own metre. Its content involves daily life of farmer, and richer in love. The forms of performance of Hua’er could be solo, duet, and group competition. More than 100 traditional Hua’er folk festivals are held in Gansu and Qinghai once a year with their own time and venues, which is important place to show folk singers talents. Hua’er, as folk song of local nationalities handed down from one generation to another, is an important tool to express people’s mind and feelings with unique social function and cultural function. “Singing my dresses, singing happiness in my heart”, “one song after another, the more songs I sing and the younger I am”, these librettos play a role to shake off their weariness and depression in the heart of singers. “Singing one by one, just for my sweetheart”, these show Hua’er is a tool of love between young man and young woman. Folk singers are low educated farmers and herdsmen, they are practitioners of Hua’er, and also spokesmen of common people. Their improvisation and performance play a part of “time mirror” with expression of the people’s voice. For instance, “Wife’s having hair dyed, daughter wants her hair in a bob, mama is having hair permed, all wants to follow the fashion, and I will pay for that.” This Hua’er says the huge change and pleased heart of farmers’ life in countryside of the northwest of China, this is also vivid oral record of social progress in China. For the reason that Hua’er Folk Festival in Gansu and Qinghai has been included into the list of China Intangible Cultural Heritage, a large number of excellent singers were put into representative list of China Intangible Cultural Heritage Practitioner, this drew much attention to Hua’er, and increased the sense of Hua’er identity and continuity. The folk singers and persons in charge of cultural communities and cultural centers realized the importance of protecting Hua’er.
China 2009 -
Gesar epic tradition
The Gesar epic recounts the sacred deeds of the hero King Gesar, while unfolding a broad spectrum of oral genres, embedded hundreds of myth, legend, folktale, ballad, and proverb in narrative framework of “beads on a string,” namely “Gesar Epic Cycle,” demonstrating the sheer monumentality and vitality of verbal arts. So far we found the earliest manuscript is The Battle Between Vjang Regality and Gling Regality, which dated to the 14th century, while the earliest Mongolian woodblock version titled “Geser Khan, Guardian Lord of the Ten Directions,” was published in Beijing in 1716. As of today, there are over 120 different oral cantos on record. Not counting the texts in prose, the portions in verse alone are total over one million lines excluding different variations, indicating that the living oral epic continues to expand. As the creators and inheritors of the heroic song, the Tibetan singers and storytellers are traditionally classified in several ways by how they learn and master the epic. In oral performances, they invoke a flexible genre of bcad-lhug-spel-ma, namely ‘prosimetrum,’ by melding concisely worded prose with lyrical verse and over 80 melodies of music in responding to different contexts. They often use a variety of skills that include gestures, facial expressions, postures, and verbal sound effects to enhance the singing artistry. Among their meaningful props, the hat, bronze mirror, and costume are shaped in special ways to symbolize the traditional cosmology and aesthetics. In Mongolian tradition however, the epic singing is handed down professionally from master to apprentice. Performances usually feature musical accompaniment by stringed instruments called the “horse head fiddle” (morin khuur) and the “four stringed spiked fiddle” (hugur). The two major singing styles, “improvised melodic singing” (holboga) and “musical storytelling” (bensen ulger), are combined with oral narratives, which highlight vocal singing with deep, broad, and melodious sounds skilfully utilized as needed. Gesar epic performances play important roles in rites of passage, festival ceremonies and religious rituals in communities concerned. For instance, when a child is born, passages about King Gesar’s descending to the world are sung. The epic also reflects Tibet’s native Bon religion, in respect to beliefs, rituals, theology, divination, and so on. Moreover, the epic singing itself usually accompanies with specific ritualized practices, for example, smoke offering, meditation devoting, and spirit possessed. Hence, the epic is not only the dominant means for communicating with the hero, gods, ancestors, and members of society, but also the major entertainment in rural communities. The epic performers have acted as traditional educators who enable people understanding genealogy and history, astronomy and geography, zoology and botany, arts and crafts, medicine and treatment through their storytelling. Concrete narratives focusing on origins of nature and universe are incorporated in numerous episodes called Ode, such as Ode to Mountain, Ode to Sword, etc., revealing that the epic itself a continuum of experiential knowledge in response to their environment, their interaction with nature, universe, and history. As a Tibetan proverb goes, “On every person’s lips there is a canto of King Gesar.” It has been a constant inspiration for other art forms, including traditional forms such as Thangka painting, Tibetan opera, and Cham masked dance, as well as contemporary arts, which provides peoples and young generations a sense of cultural identity and historical continuity, while reflecting credit on the common cultural legacy, shared by generations, serves as a really all-embracing encyclopedia for the general public.
China 2009 -
Mongolian art of singing Khoomei
Khöömei is a wonder of culture created by nomadic Mongols, a unique phenomenon of Mongolian traditional music, an ancient art, the highest form of independent art of speaking organs and artistic discovery contributed by the Mongols to the music art of the world. Mongol khöömei lies in producing two or more pitches simultaneously, of which one is a fundamental pitch from the chest and the other is a higher pitch resonating to the hard palate or whistling khöömei. The melodies of khöömei are the music that only Mongol khöömei can describe as well as the sound of nature, mountain, water, wind, animal calls, correlation between nature and human and the inner world of human soul. khöömei is divided into two basic categories of “Kharkhiraa” or bass, fundamental pitch and “Isgeree or shingen” or “whistling or high pitch”.
Mongolia 2010 -
Traditional music of the Morin khuur
Mongols have traditionally shown a great respect for the horse, honoring it in their national standards and symbols (flags and emblems) and in their folk songs. Morin khuur clearly belongs to this symbolic tradition. Morin khuur, so named for the ornamental horse-head carving at the top of its neck, is a unique two-stringed musical instrument developed by the nomadic Mongols. The strings of both the bow and fiddle are made from the hair of a horse’s tail. Most significantly, there is a tradition of playing the morin khuur at all ritual and ceremonial events. No discussion of the morin khuur would be complete without having considered the folk ‘long song’, for which it provides the principal accompaniment. Besides Bii Biylgee and folk long song, many other folk artistic forms such as Ülger (tales), Tuuli (epic), Yörööl (benediction), Magtaal (ode) and others can always be performed with morin khuur.
Mongolia 2008 -
Khorazm dance, Lazgi
Lazgi is the most popular Khoresm dance, which is energetic and full of passion. It is performed equally by both male and female dancers. "Lazgi" dance was usually accompanied by instrumental and dancy melodies. Although song versions of "lazgi" (which use various poetic texts) became widespread later on, the nature and character of melody remained the same. There are several versions of "lazgi" dance. These are: dance on a tray, dance on a brick, solo as well as group dance. In these, refined dance movements are replaced consequently by passionate and accelerated dance. The dance starts from steady movements of fingers of one hand and then another. Then simultaneously and slowly includes entire torso. The tempo gets accelerated and dancers snap fingers in time with dance with the help of stone castanets. In a group dance each participant dances in his or her own style.
Uzbekistan 2019 -
Quan Họ Bắc Ninh Folk Songs
Quan họ is a form of alternate singing between males and females, once only popular in 49 villages of the ancient Kinh Bắc region, presently in Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces. The singing tradition is an intergral part of tục kết chạ (friendship custom) between villages, tục kết bạn (friend-making custom) between groups of singers, as well as tục ngủ bọn (sleepover custom). During these twining occasions, groups of quan họ singers from two villages sing throughout day and night. Quan họ songs are sung in harmony as alternating verses by two females (liền chị) from one village, and two males (liền anh) from the twined village sing with similar melodies and responding lyrics. The twining relationship allows singers maintain as artistic and intimate friendship, marriage is not allowed. Quan họ singing has three main types: hát canh (the singing at a host’s house), hát thi lấy giải (singing for prizes), and hát hội (singing at festivals). Lim Festival, taking place on the 13th of the First Lunar month every year, is the most significant event to celebrate and commemorate the founding father of this singing tradition. Music accompaniment was introduced into quan họ singing several decades ago, giving ways to new forms of performance, such as on stage and in celebrations such as wedding, anniversaries and ceremonies.
Viet Nam 2009