Thanh Hoài

Ngâm thơ is the Vietnamese art of chanting poetry, a semi-sung declamation that traces the tones, rhythm, and imagery of classical verse. Rather than following a fixed tempo or strophic melody, the reciter shapes phrases freely, allowing the language’s six tones and poetic prosody to guide melodic contour and pacing. Performances range from intimate, unaccompanied recitation to chamber settings with đàn bầu (monochord), đàn tranh (zither), đàn nguyệt (moon lute), sáo trúc (bamboo flute), or đàn nhị (two-string fiddle). The melodic language often draws on traditional modal aesthetics (hơi Bắc, hơi Nam, hơi Oán), with expressive slides, microtonal inflections, and ornamental turns that mirror the semantic and emotional weight of each line. Ngâm thơ is heard in literary salons, radio broadcasts, school settings, cultural festivals, and domestic rituals. It embodies the meeting point of poetry and music in Vietnam, making verse physically audible through tone, timbre, and gesture.

Xẩm (hát xẩm) is a traditional Vietnamese street-singing genre associated with itinerant, often visually impaired musicians in northern Vietnam, especially the Red River Delta and Hanoi. It features a narrative, speech-like vocal delivery over pentatonic melodic formulas, accompanied by compact, portable instruments such as đàn nhị (two‑string fiddle), đàn bầu (monochord), đàn nguyệt (moon lute), phách or song loan (wooden clappers), and small frame or tube drums. Repertoires include moral tales, satire, news recitations, market-life vignettes, love songs, and improvised texts tailored to audiences in public spaces (markets, ferries, trams). The style blends free-rhythm recitative with lilting duple or triple meters, rich vocal ornaments (luyến láy), and heterophonic textures typical of northern Vietnamese folk performance.