Đàn đá

The đàn đá is a lithophone played by minority ethnic groups in the Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen) of Vietnam, in the provinces of Lam Dong, Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, and Kon Tum. These provinces are also home of the space of gong culture listed in UNESCO's World Heritage Site. The word đá means "stone" in Vietnamese.

Several stones of different sizes are placed in a row. The player then uses a stick to knock the stones, each of which produces a different tone. The stone music sounds like the rhythm of the streams and bird songs, and therefore goes well with the surrounding landscape. One of the oldest stone musical instruments ever discovered was found in this area, dating back more than 2,000 years ago.

It is also played by Viet people in nhạc dân tộc cải biên, a form of modern composed classical music, which is often performed for tourists.

External links

Video

• Modern composition played on a đàn đá