A Deep Dive into Hart Rouge’s Vichten for Choirs
Vichten as arranged by Hart Rouge in Hal Leonard’s Carrie Tennant Choral Series is a great challenge for treble choirs of all ages. With its energetic rhythms, tongue-twister text, and rich historical context, this piece has the potential to inspire great conversation and music-making. Below is an in-depth guide to Vichten including:
- A dive into Vichten’s Genealogy
- A guide to listening with Vichten
- An exploration of Vichten’s rhythms
- Historical considerations and difficult conversations
- Vichten Teacher Resources
- …and so much more!
They Asked for “Fast and Fun”
Following our final performance last year, my treble ensemble and I discussed their hopes for literature choices next fall. One main theme that came through was their interest in languages. One student said “we can’t shy away from the fast and fun languages.”
Vichten, as arranged by Hart Rouge is a perfect response to this request. With its quick moving rhythms and not-too-difficult three-part harmonies, this piece will allow my students to be challenged and successful at the start of the year. Not to mention, the piece opens us up to discussion of the historical, geographical, and cultural backgrounds associated with Vichten.
If you’ve never heard the piece, check out the Vancouver Youth Choir Voices’ performance of Vichten. They portray such an effortless joy as they tackle the texts and melodies like pros.
Vichten’s Genealogy
Not only is this piece fast and fun, but it also has an interesting compositional path. As is the case with much folk music, Vichten has passed from person to person and group to group aurally since its conception on Prince Edward Island in the mid 1900’s. Throughout its history, the song has gone by several different names and spellings: MicMac Song, Vichten Song, Vishten Song, Mi’kmaq Song.
Inspired by traditional Acadian folk music and using sounds inspired by the Mi’kmaq language (more on this below), Arthur Arsenault wrote Vichten for his children. His daughter, Angèle Arsenault, made the song popular throughout her career as an Acadian folk singer. In turn, her niece Jeanette Arsenault continues to perform the piece to this day.
Many folk groups have covered the piece. (Jeanette Arsenault provided a thread of noteworthy performances here.) Canadian folk group Hart Rouge arranged the version of Vichten that Carrie Tennant and Hal Leonard now sell for SSA ensembles.
The familial, historical, and folk roots of this work make it an excellent fit for our “Roots” themed concert this fall. I honestly can’t wait to see my students’ reaction to looking at and/or hearing this piece for the first time in August!
Listen, Play, & Discuss with Vichten
Vichten is complicated – not only in its notes and rhythms, but also in the discussions that it may prompt. Complicated shouldn’t make singers shy away, though! As we dive deeper into the stylistic expectations, musical concepts, and social issues, we can come to appreciate the piece that much more.
The Key to Learning Vichten? Listening!
Folk music from around the world generally relies on aural transmission of music – learning through singing and listening. Sure, I want all of my singers to be able to read music, but it may be more historically and culturally accurate to rely on teaching and learning through listening and demonstrating Vichten. No matter how many years of music theory you’ve got under your belt, I’d wager the sixteenth note rhythms combined with the quick-moving nonsense syllables of this piece might intimidate.
Not only can listening teach rhythms, pronunciation, and word stress, but singers can also learn stylistic expectations. These ideas can be so difficult to communicate through the written music. For example, we could spend a good amount of time discussing what the unpitched note heads (little x’s) with slides mean and trying different approaches, or we could listen to Hart Rouge’s recording and immediately emulate their approach.
Here are a few additional versions to consider:
- Canadian Folk Group Plain Folk
- Choral Ensemble La Clique Vocal
- Canadia Folk Music Ensemble Stringband
Especially with folk-inspired music, I like to listen to as many versions as possible with my ensembles. This allows singers the space to compare different interpretations and decide as an ensemble which works the best for their sound. Equally important is listening to other music of the same style. This hour-long concert of Acadian music from Prince Edward Island by the band Vishtèn is entertaining and provides insight into the breath of the musical style.
Rhythm, Rhythm, Rhythm
I’d wager that about 50% of the singers I work with are strong music readers; 30% know enough to get by; and the remaining 20% have no idea what is going on (and that’s okay!). That means that at the beginning of every semester I am doing a good amount of music-reading review. Vichten is an excellent place to channel our rhythmic learning, with its quick sixteenth-note rhythms and changing meters.
I know, I know. I just said the key to learning Vichten is listening. We’ll be listening first, then identifying rhythms and learning how to count them. Below are just a few of the rhythmic combinations you’ll encounter in Vichten:
| Rhythm | Numbers | Kodály | Takadimi | Text Example |
 | 1e&a | tiri tiri | taka dimi | tenavena |
 | 1e&- | tiri ti- | taka di- | vena va |
 | 1-&a | ti- tiri | ta- dimi | va Tari- |
 | 1-&- | ti- ti- | ta- di- | va Vich- |
 | 1e– | tiri– | taka– | bit-‘n |
 | 1–a | ti–ri | ta–mi | bo-d’n |
I’ve used number counting, Kodály, and Takadimi counting options above. Want to know more about these rhythm systems? Check out David Row’s comparison and great visuals on Make Moments Matter.
Historical Truths & Uncomfortable Conversations
Canada and the British government have a complicated history with both the Acadian and the Mi’kmaq people. Additionally, the Acadian and Mi’kmaq people share an interesting history. Here is the gist, extremely simplified:
Early History
The Mi’kmaq are indigenous to Canada’s Maritime Providences and Maine. When the French Acadians settled in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island (An area they dubbed “Acadia”) in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Mi’kmaq had been around for centuries. Although the Mi’kmaq helped the Acadians get settled into their new lives, Acadians were known to commit racist actions at the will of their governmental leaders.
In the centuries following the Acadians arrival, the Mi’kmaq and Acadians, along with several other indigenous nations, allied their communities to prevent British colonization. In the 1750s, the British implemented what is now called “The Great Expulsion,” deporting over 11,000 Acadians to a variety of separate locations on the Eastern colonies and Louisiana (where they came to be known as “cajuns”). The Mi’kmak assisted the Acadians resistance of the expulsion, but despite all efforts, families were separated, farms were razed, and property was stolen.
More Recent History
Some Acadians settled in the United States, some returned to France, and others returned back to Acadia when it was safe to do so. Meanwhile, the Mi’kmaqs were coerced into many treaties, but maintained that they were independent from the colonizers. It wasn’t until 1982 that these treaties were recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada.
During the late 19th Century, the Canadians created the Indian Residential School System, requiring all indigenous children to attend. This was in an effort to erase their own culture and replace it with the dominant Canadian culture. Children were deprived of their ancestral languages and were exposed to a variety of abuses. Since the 1970s, and as recently as this past year, unmarked graves of children from these residential schools have been discovered.
Photo by Francois Le Nguyen on Unsplash.
The Conversation
Considering the relationship between the Acadians and Mi’kmaqs on Prince Edward Island, it seems appropriate that Arthur Arsenault would be inspired by the Mi’kmaq language. It appears that these two cultures have faced adversity together and likely influenced each others’ cultures in their 300+ year relationship.
Knowing and understanding the history behind Vichten opens singers up to conversations about the social issues surrounding this piece. Does this approach or avoid cultural appropriation? How do we as an ensemble ensure that we are properly appreciating and sharing the two cultures influencing the work? (Eugene Holley Jr. wrote a nice reflection on Culture Sharing in choir linked here.) How can we address serious social issues of today like the residential school graves discovery with our ensembles or through our performances?
This piece uses Mi’kmaq language influences to appreciate the Acadian culture. Are there choral pieces that honor the Mi’kmaq culture as well? (The answer is yes – Lydia Adams arranged a Mi’kmaq Honor Song for choirs. Read the comments below this video to get an idea of the controversial conversation surrounding this piece before you program it though!)
The historical truths that are foundational to Vichten can lead to enlightening and difficult conversations. I encourage you to embrace the discomfort. In my experience difficult conversations lead to greater engagement with the music and with others in the ensemble.
Complementary Pieces
Want to listen to other pieces like Vichten? Or planning a concert and need some programming ideas? Here are a few complementary pieces!
Enjoying the mouth music vibe?
- Dolores Keane & John Faulkner’s Mouth Music imitates Gaelic-Celt folk music traditions
- Greg Jasperse’s Voice Dance II is stuck in my head a minimum of once a week. This is a great introduction to vocal jazz techniques.
- Michael McGlynn’s Fionnghuala is so scary to me, but I am excited to put it together this fall!
A few of the other “roots” themed pieces I’m pairing with Vichten this concert cycle:
- Reena Esmail’s TāReKiTa
- Ysaye M. Barnwell’sWanting Memories
- Miriam Sonstenes’ I Am Leaving
- The full “Singing Our Roots” program round-up
I’d Love to Hear from You!
Have you sung or conducted Vichten with your choir? Which rhythms gave you the biggest problems? Did you teach/learn by rote or note? Were you able to discuss some of the social issues surrounding this piece with your ensemble? Let me know in the comment section below!
Vichten Teacher Resources
Free Comprehension Worksheets
Choir Leaders! I have begun to include short comprehension worksheets with each Inspired Choir blog post. Each worksheet includes 5-6 knowledge-based questions about the post and concludes with a musical decisions/applications question. Use as a homework assignment, sub activity, listening challenge, or guide for conversation in class. Fill in the form below to receive a link immediately to all “Roots” Worksheets.
Vichten Lesson Plan Bundle
Check out the Inspired Choir Shop for the Vichten Lesson Plan Bundle. This bundle includes the following five minute lesson plans, all with connections to National Standards and SEL Competencies:
- Sixteenth note music theory flashcards
- Nonsense syllable challenge
- Vichten’s social connections discussion
- Song genealogy project
- Acadian music listening assignment
