Kan ha diskan

Kan ha diskan is one of Brittany’s best-known traditional vocal forms. Its name means roughly "song and counter-song" in Breton, reflecting its call-and-response structure. Closely associated with dance accompaniment, the style became a central feature of the Breton roots revival and was among the first forms of Breton music to reach wider audiences beyond the region.

The lead singer is the kaner, and the second singer is the diskaner. The kaner begins a phrase, and the diskaner joins for its final lines before repeating the phrase alone. The pattern continues as the kaner re-enters at the end of the repetition. Each repetition may vary slightly. Kan ha diskan songs can address any subject, but they must fit one of the meters used for Breton folk dances, especially line and round dances. Vocables, or nonsense syllables, such as tra la la la leh no, are sometimes used to lengthen lines. A kan ha diskan performance usually lasts from 5 to 20 minutes.