Quan Ho worship singing

Illustrative photo.

Old Quan Ho is understood as singing sentences created by the men (liền anh), the women (liền chị) and handed down from generations to generations during Quan họ cultural activities.

New Quan họ is understood as Quan họ singing sentences which have been staged under various forms of singing. Most of old Quan họ singing sentences staged are those having good lyrics and coherent music structure.

Being formed and existing during the period of underdeveloped socio-economy, “Old Quan họ” is consequently handed down within only 49 Quan họ villages of Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces nowadays. The purpose of “Old Quan họ” singing is primarily an exchange of affections between Quan họ singers to make friends. In other words, Quan họ folk artists themselves sing for each other and therefore, “Old Quan họ” has different forms of singing such as: singing for wishes (hát chúc), singing for celebration (hát mừng), singing at festivals (hát hội), worship singing (hát thờ), singing at a host’s house (hát canh), etc. Each form has its own regulations on ways of singing, on space and time for organizing singing occasions. However, those regulations of the form “hát canh” are still considered as the most typical and unique forms among Quan họ singing forms.

The special feature in Quan Ho worship singing is performed in the communal house, temple, during the Spring festival, or during the festival. Quan Ho worship singing aims to pray for good weather, good crops, and praise for the merit of the village prince or the saint worshiped by the villagers in the communal house or temple…