Đờn ca tài tử

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Etymology#

The term comes from the Sino-Vietnamese terms nhạc (樂, literally “music”) and tài tử (才子, literally “virtuoso”; the original Chinese meaning was “gifted scholar”).

Performance#

The ensemble commonly uses five instruments, often referred to as the “Ngũ Tuyệt” (Five Treasures), which include the đàn tranh (16-string zither), đàn tỳ bà (pear-shaped lute), đàn kìm (moon lute), đàn cò (spike fiddle), and đàn tam (three-string lute). These are often accompanied by the sound of the seven-hole bamboo flute. In terms of attire, most performers of Đờn ca tài tử are friends and neighbors, so they typically wear casual clothing during performances. Only when performing at temples, communal houses, or on formal stages do they wear traditional performance costumes. In recent years, to meet the demands of tourism, tài tử music groups have organized into semi-professional clubs. Alongside their main occupations, they perform music upon request. Some people say the term “tài tử” means “amateur.” In reality, it means “talented,” and implies that these individuals do not pursue music for a living, but rather as a passion or for spontaneous enjoyment. However, this does not mean they lack expertise. On the contrary, to become a true tài tử artist, one must undergo years of dedicated practice. Musically, the roles of singers and instrumentalists are equal. In ca trù, a traditional form of northern and central Vietnamese singing, the performers are usually women, whereas đờn ca tài tử includes both male and female singers who participate equally. Đờn ca tài tử uses instruments such as the đàn cò, đàn nguyệt, đàn tranh, the song lan (a wooden percussion instrument for rhythm), and sometimes the lõm guitar (a modified guitar used in southern Vietnamese music). This form of music is performed not only at festivals and gatherings but also after harvest seasons. It can be played under the shade of a tree, on a boat, or on a bright moonlit night.

Ondo (music)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Etymology and description#

The literal translation of “ondo” is “sound head.” Kanji, or the Chinese characters used in the Japanese language, often have literal and abstract meanings, here the kanji for “sound” (音-on) having a more abstract meaning of “melody” or “music,” and the kanji for “head,” (頭) having a more abstract meaning of “beat,” “base pattern.” Hence “ondo” probably refers to a kind of “sound” or “beat pattern.” There are other names used to describe older Japanese genres of music. For example, “fushi” or “bushi” (節), with its literal meaning of “node,” “knuckle,” or “joint,” refers to the nodes found in bamboo, usually found at a steady sequence. Thus “fushi” can also have the abstract idea of “sequence” to refer to notes and beats in a sequence, i.e., a melody. An “ondo,” however, usually refers to a kind of song with a distinct swung 2/2 rhythm. This “swing” can be referred to as “ukare” in Japanese. “Ondo” is a term used in older Japanese genres, but it is still used today when referring to songs written in this swinging style. Sometimes the rhythm is not swung and it is played straight through. This is called “kizami”. Not every old Japanese melody with a swung rhythm is called an “ondo,” as sometimes the term “fushi” or “bushi” is used to refer to a tune with a swung 2/2 rhythm, both of these having more or less the same meaning of “tune” or “melody.” The folk song Goshu Ondo, for example, does not follow this rule, as the rhythm is not played in a swung fashion. The folk song Tankō Bushi has a swung 2/2 rhythm, even though it has “bushi” in its name. In Japanese folk music, “fushi” and “ondo” follow the name of the song. For example, Tokyo Ondo, Mamurogawa Ondo, and Hanagasa Ondo all have “ondo” in their names. Kushimoto fushi, Burabura fushi, and Soran fushi all have a rendering of “fushi” in their names.

ON on Music Theory Print

Đờn ca tài tử

Etymology#

Performance#

Ondo (music)

Etymology and description#