Audio sample

Humane beauty in Quan ho cultural activities is fully reflected in deep affection and fervid loyalty. Quan ho people always highly think of affection and loyalty and remain faithfulness in family and community relations.

(Nghia nguoi em bac le can.
Ben vang nang chin ben an nang muoi).

Yeoman service is always appreciated.
The most precious than any others in a person's heart.

Each of the 15 Quan ho songs has its own beauty. This CD3 would like to introduce them to you..

1. Hom nay Tu Hai dao tinh (Today all people be friends)- this song is of Le loi voice in Canh Quan ho. Its melody is called Giong La rang, an old Quan ho song. Those who sing this song require long time of learning to know abundant compositions and master special vocal techniques of Quan ho singing, such as: special kind of vibrato, called nen, nay, lay, ngat, rot (trill, legato, staccato, tremolo and then staccato...) to be able perform the song in the right way of the traditional Quan ho. Would you please enjoy this song performed by two females Minh Phuc and Le Ngai?.

2. Nguoi nhu canh que non voi (You look like a high cinnamon branch) is both the lyrics of the first verse and title called by the folk artists of Quan ho village. This is the reply of Hom nay Tu Hai dao tinh, an old Quan ho song of Giong La rang usually sung to begin a traditional a Quan ho performance. Giong La rang has many different variants...

3. The elaborate cultural characteristic of Quan ho people is also reflected in tea cup and quid of betel and arecanut. Quan ho betel must be made in phoenix's wing-shape, and the young arecanut must be equally cut. Quan ho people have a proverb "When loving each other the arecanut is cut into three pieces, but when hating each other, the arecanut is cut into 10 pieces" to imply that Quan ho people's affection is as full as a glass of water. That proverb is also the criterion in "chewing betel and areacenut" of Quan ho people..

(Doi tay nang lay coi trau sau mieng .
Truoc moi qui khach sau moi doi ben).

My arms hold 6-piece betel and arecanut tray.
First inviting the guests and then two parties.

Em la con gai Bac Ninh (I am the girl of Bac Ninh) is the lyrics of Quan ho song of Giong vat. Em la con gai Bac Ninh is performed by Ms. Le Ngai and Minh Phuc..

4. Doi ta nhu ngoc (Our couple is jade-like). This song has two parts: Bi (introduction) and Than bai (main part). It is about the desire for a free and happy life..

...Chang an cung thiet, chang choi cung gia.
Truc mai cung o mot nha.....

Without having you'll waste your life, without entertaining you'll also get old / We will live in the same home...
This song is performed by male Nguyen Cong Dua and Nguyen Cong Dut..

5. Than luon (Swamp-eel). Cattle are not mentioned in Hat Quan ho but fish, frog, swamp-eel, crab are used very often in many Quan ho songs of Giong vat. The song Than luon bao quan lam dau (Swamp eel dare not difficulties).

(Than luon bao quan lam dau.
Anh Hai (ve) tinh toan lam chi, tieng bac tieng chi.
Yeu nhau chang quan duong xa.
Keo mai sao (nhat tramg) mo lai bao tai em.
Yeu nhau som ket duyen di.
Nua mai qua lua (nho thi) lai bao tai em).

Swamp-eel dare not difficulties.
Please do not blame and nag it.
When falling in love please do not mind the far way.
Otherwise, you blame me for something wrong.
When loving each other please get married soon.
Otherwise, you blame me for your passing marriageable age.

6. Cay truc xinh (The beautiful bamboo). Bamboo tree is the image of gentlemen. The beauty of bamboo is enhanced when it grows by lakeside or temple. Female singers always have typical beauty of Kinh Bac wherever they are..

(Truc xinh truc moc bo ao.
Chi Hai xinh dung noi nao cung xinh.
Tróc xinh truc moc ben dinh.
Chi Ba xinh dung mot minh cung xin...)

Bamboo is beautiful when it grows by the lakeside.
But female singer is beautiful wherever she is.
Bamboo is beautiful when it grows by the temple.
But female singer is beautiful even when she is alone....

7. Yeu dieu diu dang (Graceful and soft).

It is a song of Giong vat. Its melody and lyric are romantic:.
(Nguoi thoi lam tam ro hoa.
Ro nam ba phat that la ro xinh...)
Your face is pork-marked.
But it is still very nice.

8. Xin nho loi nhau (Thinking of each other).

(... Ke di muon dam mot minh xa xoi.
Vang trang ai xe lam doi.
Nua in goi chiec, nua soi dam truong...).
...You go very far away and I am here alone.
The moon is divided into two.
Half sleep alone and half goes far away....

It is the confidence and feeling of Quan hä person to her partner when they are sometimes reunited and sometimes separated..

9. Nho ai nho mai the nay (Why I am missing you so long). According to the old ritual of Quan ho villages, male and female singers are not allowed to get married to each other. However, in contrary to that ritual, many Quan ho songs are still about love.

(Nho ai nho mai the nay
Cang to tuong mat cang ngo ngan long).
Why I am missing you so long.
Thinking of you I am stupefied with love.

10. Ong to hong oi! (My dear match maker!) Predestined love is the permanent topic for art creativity. In the treasure of Hat Quan ho, there are a great number of songs of this topic. Romantic beauty of male and female singers' hearts is condensed in lyric and romantic songs.

(Toi on ong to ba nguyet.
Xe bon toi vao lam ban tu lau.
Bay lau long van rieng sau....
Co chac hay la hoan khong.
Biet ai la vo biet ai la chong.
Cung ai tuong truc mo mai.
Gan vang da sat du ai cung tung..
Yeu nhau thi quyet cho xong...).

I am grateful to the match- maker.
To help us make friend for a long time.
I have been feeling sad.
Since I am uncertain whether we can.
Become a couple.
You and I dream of a future.
Though you and I love each other.
But it's better to get married soon.

11. Nhung la nam lieu bay lo (Seeing to in life). Though life has many difficulties, when singing Quan hä those difficulties give way to the happiness, dream and art sublimation since they know that in spite of their love they are not allowed to become a couple.

(Anh hai buong ao em ra.
De em di cho keo da cho trua.
Cho trua rau se heo di.
Lay chi nuoi me, lay gi nuoi em...).

Please let go the flap of my dress.
Otherwise I shall be late for market.
Vegetables will be faded if I am late.
And I can't sell them to earn to feed my family....

12. Cang ngam cang deo (the more we sing, the more beautiful our voices are). Its lyrics are composed by the late artist Nguyen Duc Soi in Hien Van in the 1980's of the 20th century. It is the reply of Mot manh tre gia based on the way of singing of Diem Xa village, Hoa Long Commune, Yen Phong District..

(Mot manh tre gia.
Cang ngam cang deo.
Cai bong hoa hong.
Cang nang cang tuoi.
Cang gio cang thom..
Nguoi da co chong.
Sao con noi doi rang chua ?).

A piece of old bamboo.
It becomes malleable when being soaked A rose.
Being so fresh in the sunlight.
Being so fragrant in the wind.
You are married.
Why you tell me not yet?.

13. Tre kho chua de moc troi (The dry bamboo is not easy to grow bud). Love in Quan ho songs is so diversified and poetic. Love of Quan ho people sometimes is presented in a specific image of poetry, sometimes is hints.

(Me gia cha de o doi voi ai.
Dao vang thai mieng vo hoa.
Bay le dia su dem ra thet nguoi.
Thay ban sao chang thay chang.
Bang khuang nhu mat lang vang tren tay...).

I cannot live with my parents forever.
Holding knife to cut the root bark.
Putting on the plate to invite guests.
Seeing your friends but not you.
I'm so worried like losing something very precious....

14.Doi ben bac me cung gia (Your and my parents are old). This is the reply of a song of the same title based on the way of singing of Dao Xa village, Phong Khe commune, Yen Phong district..

(Doi ben bac me cung gia.
Xin Quan ho dinh lieu em da cay trong.
Nguoi nhu hoa no san rong.
Em nhu canh bich, canh quynh no hoa...).

Your and my parents are old .
I ask Quan hä to arrange for me.
You look like flower in the royal court .
I am like royal flower booming....

15. Nguyet gac mai dinh (The moon hangs on the thatch of village hall). Drunk due to love or singing, due to wine or smile of the graceful Quan ho people? It is the content of the last song of CD3..

(Chen son chua can sao tinh da say.
Lan quat bong may.
Mat sao thay mat da nay moi yen....
Danh tieng ben them.
Chot say nhau lam phai tim den nhau...).

Though not finishing wine cup, I am drunk for love.
You are lurking about somewhere.
I am only calm when seeing you.
Sending word in the yard.
I am falling in love with you so I look for you....

It is the happiness of the love in Quan ho CD3 to satisfy listeners who love Music of Quan ho Bac Ninh- Kinh Bac..