Musician Hong Dang and 'the lyrics evoke longing for the ocean'

Musician Hong Dang. Photo by GĐCC

Typical intellectual family

Musician Hong Dang's real name is Phan Dang Hong, he was born in 1936, in a typical patriotic and intellectual family in Hoa Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, Nghe An province. Musician Hong Dang is the son of revolutionary Phan Dang Tai - former Vice Chairman of the Provisional Administrative Committee of Ha Tinh province, former Head of the Documentation Department of Nhan Dan Newspaper. He called the revolutionary Phan Dang Luu his uncle. Musician Hong Dang's brothers and sisters are all famous revolutionaries, intellectuals, and cultural figures, among them, he has an uncle's son, Professor, Doctor of Science Phan Dang Nhat (died on June 24, 2020) - a great personality, a profound intellect, and Vietnam's leading researcher on literature and epics.

Musician Hong Dang was born and spent his childhood in Lang Dong, now in Hoa Thanh commune (Yen Thanh). Since childhood, he has been self-studying French. At the age of 12, he composed his first song called: "Student Life", which was very popular with his peers immediately after composing. In 1956, the Vietnam Music School opened its first course, and he was one of the first students of this prestigious music school. A native of Nghe An, he loved music since childhood, but he became famous in Hanoi, becoming an "outstanding citizen of the Capital" in the field of cultural and musical activities. Musician Hong Dang holds the position of Vice President of the Vietnam Musicians' Association and Editor-in-Chief of the Music Magazine (the association's agency).

A musical talent, a warm and affectionate person.

Musician Hong Dang and relatives. Photo: GĐCC

Musician Hong Dang is a musical talent, his creativity is very rich. He owns more than 700 works, including many genres such as: songs, choirs, operas, instrumental music, film music, stage music... In particular, he has composed music for more than 70 films, including famous film soundtracks such as: Milk Flower (film Hanoi in the season of birds making nests), Floating (film Life of a street singer), The sea sings this afternoon, The sea and the girl I haven't known (film Little stars), Green space (film Sky)...

For many people, his song The Sea Sings This Afternoon (used as background music in many documentaries) is the one that has been imprinted in the minds of many generations. The song carries the breath of the times with profound lyrics and a heroic melody, but it flows thoughtfully into people's hearts like a mother's lullaby. In the 80s of the last century, I once witnessed a group of young people holding their breath to listen to the melody of this song.

I also heard a farmer who was a war invalid humming the melody:“CDeep down in the bottom of all pain, the sea still sings of our love, the sea tells stories of our homeland", then he said: From a personal pain, Hong Dang generalized the pain of the nation... The loss and pain caused by war cannot be avoided or avoided.

Perhaps, because of his fondness for this song, his current wife (third wife) took the nickname "The Sea Sings This Afternoon" on her personal Facebook page. It should also be added that in his eventful life, there have been many women who have passed through his life.

Another very famous song by musician Hong Dang is "Hoa sua". This song was written by him for the soundtrack of the movie "Ha Noi in the season of birds making nests". The work about the capital Hanoi has touched the hearts of millions of people. "Hoa sua" has stepped out of the film frame and become one of the best songs about Hanoi, although there is not a single word Hanoi or Capital in the lyrics.

With the song: "Memories of the city of childhood", Hong Dang has touched the hearts of many generations of Vietnamese people with its lively and pure lyrics: "This afternoon, passing through a familiar street, I heard the first sounds of cicadas and suddenly my soul was stirred. The endless chorus of cicadas…

In 2001, musician Hong Dang also received the State Prize for Literature and Arts with the songs: The Sea Sings This Afternoon, Milk Flower, Gifts of May, Memories of the City of Childhood and the choir Burning Fire...

**

Once, talking to Mr. Phan Dang Thanh, a retired colonel who had been in charge of the Phan Dang Luu Memorial Site in Yen Thanh district for many years, Mr. Thanh said: Musician Hong Dang was a kind-hearted person. When he met a poor person, he was willing to help him. When he had money, he gave money and when he had gifts, he gave gifts. Sometimes he even took off the shirt he was wearing and gave it to him. His compassion and humanity were probably influenced by his father - Mr. Phan Dang Tai, a talented and virtuous person whom many people who worked with him at Nhan Dan Newspaper still remember.

One time, I texted him on the phone, he called back and we talked for quite a while. Although he only knew me as a villager like hundreds of others, he was still enthusiastic and open to sharing many confidences.

Musician Hong Dang has many friends, many of whom are famous in the music industry. Musician Trinh Cong Son considered Hong Dang as a family member, and musician Nguyen Thuy Kha considered him a very respected senior. In an article about musician Hong Dang published in Nhan Dan newspaper at the weekend, musician Nguyen Thuy Kha wrote: Hong Dang is a talented and virtuous musician who continues the family tradition, especially his uncle Phan Dang Luu - who has made great contributions to the Vietnamese national revolution.