Overwhelmed with emotion by "The Song of My Homeland River"

(Baonghean)I remember about seven years ago, when I went back to my hometown, I often saw my father playing Anh Thơ's songs, listening to "Khúc hát sông quê" (Song of the Homeland River) over and over again. At that time, I was still engrossed in a different genre of music, and I wondered what made my father love that song so much. Then, to find the answer, I immersed myself in the melody and lyrics…

“After more than half a lifetime of wandering, I return to bury my face in the river of my homeland. Oh, river, flowing like a mother's heart, sheltering me through storms and torrential rains…” From beginning to end, “The Song of the Homeland River” by composer Nguyen Trong Tao carries a poignant melody. From the lyrics to the tune, everything is imbued with sadness and love, forming a gentle, profound flow that slowly penetrates the listener's consciousness.

Nguyen Trong Tao, born in Dien Chau (Nghe An), was a poet, journalist, painter, and above all, admired by many, a talented musician. He didn't compose many songs, but several of his works won awards from the Vietnam Musicians Association, such as: "The Sun in the City" (1983), "The Road to Thach Nham" (1984), "The Sad Cricket" (1997), "Dong Loc Pines Lulling" (1998), and "Song of the Homeland River" (2005). But above all the awards, "Song of the Homeland River" is known to everyone interested in music, and many, from famous singers to simple farmers, have hummed it many times.

Sunset. Photo: Thuy Vinh

Set to music from the poem of the same name by Le Huy Mau, "Song of the Homeland River" has become a spiritual gift for countless music lovers. Perhaps, the two sons of Nghe An province found a common ground, and as if nothing could be more harmonious and perfect, the musical piece was born and anchored itself in the hearts of listeners, moving them to tears.

Le Huy Mau's poem is quite long, rich in emotion, with elegant ideas, simple yet moving language, and a free verse style with short and long lines following one another in a gentle flow… all of these elements have structured a harmonious melody for the poem. For his part, composer Nguyen Trong Tao has chosen the most refined and haunting words to form the basis of the song's lyrics. These are images that easily touch the heart, easily bring tears to the eyes of those who have been far from home, who have felt a pang of longing each time they return: “Does the river still remember where we sat waiting for our mother, the distant childhood of a penny's worth of sesame rice crackers… The fish in the river, the plants on the bank, the harvested rice leaving behind fragrant straw. At the same riverbank, the buffalo wallows in the waves, the children bathe in the cool water upstream…”

People hum the melodies of Nguyen Trong Tao, feeling as if they are encountering themselves on a pilgrimage back to their roots. Something chokes them, something aches in their hearts. Music has seeped into every corner of human emotion, becoming their very memories and breath. Isn't it true that none of us haven't had such a childhood to cherish: a river flowing with dreams of paper boats, dreams of soaring freely? The longing for mother's return, the overwhelming joy in her hands from a gift from the district market? The fragrant scent of straw from the fields, the image of mother and grandmother toiling? The buffaloes leisurely walking home in the plum-colored sunset?

It's not simply about evoking images or memories; the lyrics of the song, stemming from the verses of Le Huy Mau, are far more profound and heartfelt. Just a few words capture the essence of a homeland: "The rice has been harvested, leaving behind fragrant straw...", "A riverbank where buffaloes wallow in the waves / Children bathe in the cool water upstream." And so, that clear, refreshing stream forever remains a refreshing stream, purifying people from barrenness, worries, suffering, and dust. Is it the river, or is it a mother's heart, comforting, nurturing, and welcoming?

My father was also a wanderer; he spent almost his entire life living in places convenient for work and family. Now I understand why he kept listening to that song over and over again. Perhaps he found something close to his heart, like a wave finding a current to harmonize with, like a silent river flowing into the sea and dissolving into that vastness in a feeling of joy.

Quynh Lam