Musician Hong Dang: The person who writes music for the most films

(Baonghean) -Musician Hong Dang has composed over 700 musical works in many genres such as songs, choral music, instrumental music, film music and stage music. In particular, he has written music for 70 Vietnamese feature films, including famous songs such as: Hoa Sua - film "Hanoi in the season of birds making nests"; Lenh Dong - film "Doi hat troi" and Bien hat chieu nay - for many films about the sea...

Musician Hong Dang's real name is Phan Dang Hong, born in 1936, from Hoa Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, Nghe An. At the age of 16, while he was a student in the resistance war in Inter-zone 4, he composed his first works "Sunshine in the Northwest", "Remembering Uncle Ho", "Student Life" to serve the resistance war. After peace, he returned to Hanoi and enrolled in the first composition class of the Vietnam Music School (now the National Academy of Music).

During this time, he had many famous songs: “The road has sunshine”; “May gift”; “In the middle of the season of cardamom”; “The country has grown up ten years” and many instrumental works. He was the former Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Musicians Association, terms 4 and 5; Editor-in-Chief of Music Magazine from 1989 to 1996; was awarded the State Prize for Literature and Arts in 2001 for the group of works: “The sea sings this afternoon”; “Milk flower”; “May gift”; “Memories of the city of childhood” and the choir “Burning fire”.

Hong Dang's life is full of activity, diverse in many fields of teaching, vocal music, instrumental music, writing music for films, writing books, journalism... According to him, to be an artist, one must have true courage, accept sacrifice, hardship, pain, even transcendence to create works. According to him, "A song's "life" depends on many factors from harmony, arrangement to the singer performing consistently to create emotions for the audience!"

People say he is a talented and passionate musician, each song has a girl in it. He did not object and explained that: “Every artist, musician or poet... has the shadow of love in their work, that is mandatory otherwise how can they write. For example, the song “Lênh trôi” (Floating) I was inspired by the fate of a couple who loved each other but never met each other in their whole life, so they were always restless like a boat drifting on the waves! The song “Hoa sữa” is the song I wrote for the movie “Ha Noi in the season of birds making nests” (1978), on the theme of love for Hanoi. I immediately thought of the theme of milk flowers with a unique, seductive scent that only exists in Autumn in Hanoi. Unexpectedly, when the movie ended, the song still “lived” in the hearts of the public until now. Many singers performed this song very successfully such as: Thanh Lam, Hong Nhung, Nha Phuong, Thanh Hoa, Tung Duong! That was also the “first love” that made me continue to compose music for more than 70 movies and was the first musician to be admitted to the Cinema Association. Vietnam and Hanoi Writers Association".

His life also encountered many uncertainties, and at times he was "beaten" badly. In 1963, in Czechoslovakia, there was an international songwriting competition about peace and friendship. He wrote a piece called "Wandering Waves". After submitting it, they invited him to compose the song, but he was not allowed to go. Three months later, there was a notice that the piece won a grand prize (no First Prize), surpassing hundreds of songs by musicians from 30 countries. He was also accused of "revisionism". Or the story of "Milk Flower" was also misunderstood as causing interesting "consequences". Because the song was loved by many people, milk flower trees were "propagated" all over the country. But in many places, they were planted too densely on the street, only 2-3m apart. When the flowers were in full bloom, the strong smell was unbearable, so people had to cut them down and accused the musician of... writing wrongly.

After nearly 60 years of dedication to the country's music career, he is proud of a legacy of thousands of songs and other genres. Now at an "ancient and rare" age, he continues to compose. He confided: “I am very grateful to my young wife Le Anh Thuy (24 years younger than me), who is a construction engineer and volunteered to “follow her husband and give up the game” to take care of her husband and children and occasionally write poems and articles. Every time I conceive a new work, the first person I share it with is my wife, she gives me feedback to help me perfect the work. Whenever she needs to go somewhere, she volunteers to be a “xe om” for her husband on an old 82 motorbike, and is always the “bridge” for fun with friends and colleagues. No matter how serious the situation is, she knows how to turn it into something light and humorous, juggling it very skillfully! With his dedication to the country's art, he was awarded the noble title - the State Prize, contributing to the glory of his homeland Nghe An.

Le Lan (47, Dang Thuc Hua, Vinh)