Preserving Ca Tru and Hat Van through new lyrics.

With new lyrics that reflect the spirit of the times while still preserving traditional values ​​and standards, Ca Tru and Hat Van are gradually finding a suitable direction to continue to live, spread, and become closer to today's public.

Singing Ca Tru with new lyrics on a stage during the spring festival. Photo: DO HIEN

Getting closer to the public

At the short story, essay, and new lyric writing competition for Ca Tru and Hat Van singing with the theme "National Unity," organized by the Hai Phong City Union of Literature and Arts at the end of 2025, many winning works truly made an impression when performed in front of the public. Among the honored works, many surprised listeners because, despite having new lyrics, when performed against the backdrop of the Dan Day (a type of lute), Trong Chau drum, Ca Tru clappers, or in the setting of Hat Van singing, they still retained the traditional flavor.

In the Ca Tru category, the work "Orchid Flower" by author Xuan Tao (awarded prize B) scored points for its refined language, solid structure, and strict adherence to the spoken-song format. "Visiting Uncle Ho" by poet Phuc Huu (awarded prize C) chose a grand, emotionally rich theme, but was expressed with a restrained, solemn tone, creating a sense of profound reflection for the listener.

Meanwhile, "Con Son's Melancholy Spring Afternoon" by Khuc Ha Linh (awarded a consolation prize) has a gentle, richly pictorial quality, evoking familiar cultural and historical spaces through the lens of Ca Tru singing. In the genre of Hat Van, works such as "The City Before Dawn" by Khuc Ha Linh (Award A), "Remembering" by Hong Nguyen (Award B), "Green Cat Ba" by Chu Tam Huy (Award C), and "Hai Phong Together with the Nation, Strong and Prosperous" by Pham Anh Sao (Award C)... have broadened the scope of themes, bringing images of the city, islands, and people of Hai Phong during the đổi mới (renovation) period into the performance space.

Many audience members expressed surprise that the new lyrical works still retained the sacred and rhythmic quality of traditional folk singing, while incorporating images and emotions very close to contemporary life.

Poet Phuc Huu's journey into the world of ca trù and hát văn (traditional Vietnamese singing) was a special one. According to him, although he had been involved with poetry for many years, it was only when he met Meritorious Artist Do Quyen, Head of the Hai Phong Ca trù Guild, and poet and teacher Tuong Van that he truly entered the world of ca trù. Listening to the singing at Hang Kenh communal house, studying the rules, and researching the structure of the hát nói style opened up a completely new artistic space for him. “The sound of the drums, the đàn đáy (a type of lute), and the voices of the female singers seeped into me without me even realizing it. I read more materials, pondered the rules, and then tried to write. Initially, it was very difficult, but the more I wrote, the more passionate I became,” he said. To date, poet Phuc Huu has written about 20 new lyrics for ca trù. His work “Visiting Uncle Ho” was born as a serious test and also as a way for him to express his reverence and love in the language of this heritage…

Traditional Vietnamese folk singing (Hát văn and Ca trù) is experiencing a resurgence in contemporary life through new compositions. Photo: Đỗ Hiền

Encourage creativity

When new lyrics are composed according to the rules and spirit of Ca Tru and Hat Van, they not only retain their original identity but also gain vitality and have more opportunities to be present in contemporary cultural life. Based on this reality, the short story, essay, and new lyric writing competition for Ca Tru and Hat Van, themed "National Unity," organized by the Hai Phong City Union of Literature and Arts, has demonstrated a significance that goes beyond a mere movement.

After nearly two months since its launch, the Organizing Committee received 97 entries from 69 authors from Hai Phong and many other localities nationwide, including many works with new lyrics for Ca Tru and Hat Van – genres that are quite selective in terms of listeners and writers.

According to researcher Nguyen Dinh Chinh, Chairman of the Hai Phong Folk Arts Association and a member of the judging panel, organizing such competitions is absolutely necessary. “The public has a deep understanding of Ca Tru and Hat Van, and the number of authors who compose for these two art forms is even rarer. If we only rely on ancient lyrics, maintaining and spreading Ca Tru and Hat Van will become increasingly difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to expand creative activities and organize competitions to select new lyrics that reflect social life and the country's development, thereby attracting public interest and bringing these two art forms closer,” Mr. Nguyen Dinh Chinh emphasized.

Both Ca Tru and Hat Van have strict systems of forms and rules, requiring composers to have deep knowledge of traditional literature, music , and performance. Therefore, the number of authors who understand and have the patience to pursue these genres is not large.

In this context, competitions are not only places to discover new works, but also create an environment that encourages learning, training, and strengthens connections between composers, artisans, guilds, and the public. More importantly, creating new lyrics is not opposed to preservation, but rather a proactive method of preservation.

From the initial success of the competition, a clear direction emerges: to sustainably preserve heritage, it is necessary to simultaneously safeguard core values ​​and encourage responsible creativity. New lyrics, if written with understanding, respect, and passion, will become a bridge connecting the past with the present, helping Ca Tru and Hat Van continue to resonate in life today and in the future.

HAI HAU

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/giu-gin-ca-tru-hat-van-qua-nhung-loi-ca-moi-535306.html