Trống quân

Trống quân singing (Vietnamese: [ʈə̌wŋm kʷən], Hán-Nôm: 𤿰軍, "military drum")^[1] is a response folk song of Vietnam. It is often found in festivals and performed as alternating singing between boys and girls.^[1] The male and female singer groups make responses to the song through words, instead of counterpoint singing. As such it is less sophisticated and more open to popular participation than Quan họ response singing which requires some degree of musical training.^[2] Trống quân songs are often sung by children at village festivals.^[3]

The book Nguyệt hoa vấn đáp in chữ Nôm was printed in the 17th year of Thành Thái (1905), copied the lyrics for the reciprocal cadences

Singing Trống quân recorded 1931

References

1. Bulletin of the International Council for Traditional Music - No.104-107 2004 Page 28 International Council for Traditional Music "Alternating singing "Trong quan " in Due Bac village, Phu Tho province. "Trong quan" means "Military Drum". This is a ritual singing repertory performed under the alternating singing between boys and girls in the ceremony commemorating ..."
2. Viet Nam social sciences - Numéros 4 à 6 - Page 25 Ủy ban khoa học xã hội Việt Nam - 2008 "QUAN HO SINGING TRAN VAN KHE ' In a hat trống quân (a type of popular art) competition for prizes, singers divide themselves into two groups (males and females) to make repartees through words, instead of music. In contrast, quan ho singing requires counterpoints and complicated and particular standards that are not found in hat trống quân. Known as similar musical genres in festivals, the latter is believed to be far more diverse than the former."
3. Bobbie Kalman Vietnam: The Culture 2002 Page 7 "There are also boating songs, fishing songs, and songs workers sing to help them through long days of hard labor. Songs are also a part of play and celebration. Trong quan or quan ho songs are sung by children at some village festivals."