HAT TRONG QUAN SINGING AS A UNIQUE FORM OF VIETNAMESE MUSICAL CULTURE

Trong Quan singing (Hát Trống Quân) is a unique, ancient form of folk culture in the lowland and foothill provinces of northern Vietnam. Trong Quan singing exists in several regions, but it is most famous in Gia Trac, Khoai Chau district, Hung Yen province. This genre is a song dialogue between a man and a woman related to courtship. Trong Quan has unique characteristics and carries many valuable elements of folk culture, where the music and singing style retain their original nature, indicating the antiquity of this musical genre and the flexibility in the use of words and phrases. Trong Quan singing can be attributed to the characteristic genres of Vietnamese folk poetry and songs, where each melody is a set of different tones that change according to the structure of the verse. The appeal of Trong Quan singing in Gia Trac lies in the form of mysterious songs, where new works are created through singing, demonstrating intellectual ability, skill and flexibility in the use of words and phrases. Despite historical and social changes, the art of Trong Quan singing in Gia Trac, Khoai Chau district, Hung Yen province is being preserved, developed and passed on to future generations.