Catholic Choral Music in Vietnam 1945-1975
By Paul V?n Chi
The Catholic Church in Vietnam has a long and rich tradition, dating back to the 16th century, and a rich tradition of church music. In this fascinating musicological study, Father Paul Van Chi, one of Vietnam's foremost liturgical composers, examines Catholic choral music in Vietnam through three periods of recent history.
Starting with a general overview of Vietnamese music, Fr. Paul traces the evolution of choral music in this country through periods of foundation (1945–55), development (1955–70) and maturity (1970–75). The book discusses and analyzes specific works from each period and the influence political and social changes had on their development.
Father Paul explains the distinctive Vietnamese character of various musical elements in the choral music from this time, covering rhythm, melody, harmony, text, meter, texture, tempo, dynamics, instrumentation and form. Catholic Choral Music in Vietnam also addresses compositional techniques, the influence of other music, composers, music publishing and the nature of Vietnamese choirs.
ISBN 1-56929-045-8 [286 pp, 6 1/4 x 9 1/8, softcover]