Musician Anh Duong: Memories and feelings

(Baonghean) - The memories of a person who has long passed away, still make listeners sympathize with the author of the melody "Hello, Lam Hong girl", full of the spirit of a time of defending the country, "heart full of hope for the future". Until now, he - musician Anh Duong, is still searching for tranquility before life, which is still very passionate in the heart of a sensitive artist...

I made an appointment to meet him last fall, but only got a yes on the phone this summer, but I could still clearly sense his hesitation. He received me in the sun-filled living room of his youngest son's spacious house in Dong Vinh ward, Vinh city. In response to my inquiry about his health, he said that he was lucky to have two daughters-in-law who both took great care of him, so he had to try to live happily and healthily to "repay" them. I knew he was joking, but I somehow understood his true feelings when I observed the thoughtful care of his youngest daughter-in-law Mai, which came from a filial, loving, and somewhat delicate heart towards his elderly father (his wife - Mrs. Nguyen Thi Mau, former singer, cadre of the Military Region 4 Art Troupe who passed away).

Gently passing the fruit plate from Ms. Mai's hand, musician Anh Duong enthusiastically invited the guest and said, allowing this old man to call it a friendly meeting, as for the matter of making music, this and that work has been written a lot in the newspapers; the older I get, the more I think, seeing the ephemeral and illusory things in the honors that are not necessarily my own, so I hesitate to open my heart! I still think that a little sharing from him is also valuable, because he is a famous musician, and partly in the urgent rhythm of many music trends with today's trendy "races", he is still a love of the public associated with pride in the not-so-distant heroic war past of the nation. In the country's revolutionary music scene, in addition to the song "Hello, Lam Hong girl" that lives forever with time, often present in many musical spaces and events, musician Anh Duong also has songs (though not many) that he holds an equally solemn position.

Musician Anh Duong worships youth... and now.

Autographed CD of musician Anh Duong's documentary.

Until now, many people still think that Anh Duong only has one song, "Hello, Lam Hong girl", or even think that he writes music just for his "left hand" inspiration, or that he is a funny soldier driving on the road transporting goods to the front line... The reason people think like that is because he retired a long time ago, since 1989 when he was 54 years old and was the Head of the Art Troupe of Military Region 4; after leaving the military, he devoted most of his time to his artistic activities. After retiring, he believed that he had completed his social mission, so he rarely appeared in musical life and even in events where his presence would certainly bring a lot of meaning... Even this afternoon, the conversation with him lasted for a long time, but he only "received" excitement when talking about his children, of whom he was very proud. In addition to his two grown-up sons, although they did not follow his career, his daughter, born in 1970, is now the Deputy Head of the Art Troupe of Military Region 7.

Actually, before making an appointment to meet him, I had read previous articles about him. Musician Anh Duong was an early and enthusiastic revolutionary. At the age of 18 (1953), he enlisted in the army during the general mobilization to serve the Dien Bien Phu battlefield, served as a shock soldier in the Central-Lower Laos Campaign, volunteered in Cambodia, then worked professionally in music at the 325th Division's Art Troupe and wrote a number of songs such as "Goodbye, Em" and "Tieng Trong Tung Quan". In 1955, he transferred to the 4th Military Region's Art Troupe, continued to have award-winning performances in art festivals across the North at that time with choir and orchestra genres such as "Doc long cong uc phat mien Nam", "Hoa dao tren bien gioi" and "Phu Cham Xy"; Then the songs that won the National Music and Dance Festival Awards were “O militia and the young artillery soldier”, “March of the Lam River Division”… and many of his later successful experiments such as writing poetry for symphonies, ballads, folk music and opera. But it must be said that the song “Hello, Lam Hong girl” has greatly contributed to affirming his name.

The circumstances of the birth of the song “Hello, Lam Hong girl” are rarely mentioned by musician Anh Duong, because as he said, having a song that brought him such a bit of fame, was not thanks to talent but a stroke of luck, so he was very shy to tell it. When I mentioned an article by a senior colleague, former reporter of Military Zone 4 Newspaper - Mr. Hai Hung; he said: “Over the years, apart from one television interview in 2007, I only told Mr. Hai Hung because during a performance in Laos in 1984, when the troupe was ambushed by bandits and had to disperse into the forest, it was Mr. Hai Hung who was the first to rush out to find the artists. I admired Mr. Hai Hung’s bravery and camaraderie and became lifelong friends”...

It turns out that the “soldier spirit” of the battlefield has never faded in musician Anh Duong. He told me that what he values ​​most is bravery, which he considers the highest expression of self-respect and truly “knowing how to love yourself”. The song “Hello, Lam Hong girl” was written based on the “order” of the political commissar of Ha Tinh Provincial Military Command in 1967, but its success was thanks to musician Anh Duong’s admiration for the bravery and resilience of the young volunteers who stayed on National Highway 15A, which was plowed by bombs and bullets… The song was completed in just one night and completed after one week, and was written by the musician based on the folk song of Kieu in Nghi Xuan, Ha Tinh, and to be truly known to the public, as he said, was indeed a lucky thing.

He said: “In 1969, musician Do Nhuan, then General Secretary of the Vietnam Musicians Association, attended the Victory Congress of Military Zone 4 held in Tan Ky. When he heard this song, he recorded it and brought it back to Hanoi to send to Vietnam Radio to broadcast. There were compliments that the author was skillful, writing about a female volunteer and even the driver... Hearing Mr. Do Nhuan's compliments, people were curious to find me and write about my song!”. Later, in 1987, when he went to Hanoi to attend the conference of heads and directors of art troupes nationwide, musician Anh Duong was led by Mr. Ho Bong - Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Lotus Song and Dance Troupe to the house of musician Van Cao, author of the National Anthem.

Hearing Ho Bong introduce: "Sir, this is Anh Duong who wrote "Hello, Lam Hong girl", Van Cao nodded. After a while of chatting, Van Cao suddenly pointed at Anh Duong and asked what his name was? Ho Bong replied like that, and Van Cao nodded again. After a while of chatting, Van Cao asked again, Ho Bong answered again... After several times like that, musician Anh Duong thought that Van Cao was old and confused. But when saying goodbye to leave, Van Cao suddenly pulled Anh Duong to the small attic window and said: "Every morning when I look this way, I see you because this is the direction of the sunlight. And if possible, please resign from your position as group leader right away, then you can make more "Hello, Lam Hong girl". Whatever job the country and art assigns you, first make it sophisticated!" Musician Anh Duong was very moved and Van Cao's advice made him think a lot.

In general information written about musician Anh Duong now, he is briefly recorded as Le Anh Duong, born in 1935 in Quynh Luu, Nghe An. It was not until the third time, when I interrupted the story in which he almost only talked about his comrades and artist friends who had passed away, and asked him which village or commune in Quynh district he was born in, that he finally said after a moment of silence; that he was born in Ke Hao village (now Son Hai commune). With a sensitive and life-loving artist heart like his, surely his homeland must be a very deep and passionate love, so he kept his memories to himself? After recounting the story of meeting Van Cao, musician Anh Duong suddenly patted my hand and said: "Hey, I was never admitted to the Youth Union but I was still admitted to the Party!"

And at this point, the musician revealed that his maternal grandfather was a colonel in his hometown, his father was a captain for the French in Saigon, and although his father later became a military commissioner in the revolutionary government of Quynh Luu district in August 1945, and was considered the first District Captain, he was still not considered for admission to the Youth Union because of his background until he was admitted to the Party in 1967... In 1984, before being asked for his opinion to be appointed as the Head of the 4th Military Region's Art Troupe, the cadre assistant asked him: "What are your strengths?". He replied: "My strengths are... I shouldn't be the head of the troupe!" By answering like that, he meant that if he were to be allowed to specialize in composing and editing, he would contribute better; but then he was still noticed and had to "work hard" for a while.

…Leading me down to the small office cluttered with books and newspapers, musician Anh Duong said that he still composes occasionally, but only writes what he likes and first of all for himself, so he has not published it. When I suggested taking a portrait, he firmly refused. Was I joking or did musicians “not promise to live long enough to see white hair”? He laughed: “Writing about myself is already embarrassing. Taking photos, for the newspaper, is too “greedy”!”. Seeing me re-taking portraits of him taken by friends, which he enlarged and hung on the wall, he said: “I almost did not keep any documents or photos of my activities.” Then he suddenly said in a low voice: "It's sad that among the four people living and working in Nghe An who were awarded the State Prize for Literature and Arts (poet Tran Huu Thung, Associate Professor Ninh Viet Giao, poet Minh Hue, musician Anh Duong - PV), now only I am left. Every time I think of those who have passed away, I feel like I have something I haven't done yet!"

I understand his feelings somewhat. Up to now, musician Anh Duong has not had a concert of his own, nor has he had any printed publications of his works, except for a documentary CD about the song “Hello, Lam Hong Girl” produced by Ha Tinh Radio and Television on the occasion of his receiving the State Prize for Literature and Arts in March 2007. He only has a few copies of that CD, which he calls “a small joy”, and he personally wrote and signed one for me, as a way to say goodbye to some things he had kept hidden in his heart.

Sam Temple