Chèo Theatrical Art and unique traditional music (Part 1)

It could be said that Music is the most important element in Chèo Theatrical Art, which supports artists to express their best emotions in plays.

What is the origin of Chèo music?

Vietnamese have handed these performances, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, down from generation to generation. Each generation has added innovative characteristics. Chèo sân đình, a popular Chèo art form these spiritual and secular ceremonies. Its inherited music is rich and diverse.

 The classical Chèo Theatrical performance of today, including its specialized music, has undergone many changes over the long course of Vietnamese many changes over the long course of original Chèo melodies originates from folk songs of northern and central Vietnam.

What are the main musical instruments for Chèo?

Vietnamese operas always have background music. The traditional instruments used on a Chèo sân đình stage include the hồ and the nhị, two double-stringed instruments; and the sáo, a bamboo flute. The percussion also play a major role and include a small drum (trống con), large drum (trống cái), the horizontal cylinder-like drum (trống cơm), gong (thanh la), and the wooden tocsin (mõ). The small drum helps to maintain both rhythms in song and dance and a dramatic background to be singing, the old saying, “There’s no Chèo without a drum,” proves the importance of the drum in a Chèo performance. Instruments such as the Nhị, combined with a drum set, can make a perfect orchestra. Good drumming can make up for a week performance.

In modern Chèo, other musical instruments enrich background music. The sixteen-stringed zither (thập lục), hummer dulcimer (tam thập lục), double-stringed lute (nguyệt), and the flute (tiêu) add their harmonious influences.