Musician Nguyen Van Don: Forever a love

(Baonghean) - From a student of the Physics department of Hanoi University, Nguyen Van Don became a soldier, military journalist, cultural worker... but he left his musical mark with songs that touched people's hearts such as: "Tham Bua Festival Night", "Motherland Truong Sa, Hoang Sa"...

Musician Nguyen Van Don

I met him on a winter afternoon, in a study room filled with guitars, violins, mandolins, monochords and a graceful Mong flute. The lively sounds and melodies brought warmth, dispelling the cold weather, the north wind and drizzle. His hair was white but his eyes still exuded a passionate love of life, full of passion for the sounds of life. Pausing while his fingers glided over the keys, he shared: “Perhaps, the name Nguyen Van Don given by my parents has influenced my life, so when I was only 7-8 years old, I loved playing and singing, and could sit next to the monochord all day without getting bored. Later, whether holding a pen or a gun, I still could not leave the instrument. From then on, I boldly wrote music, recorded my emotions, the turmoil of my soul...”.

Musician Nguyen Van Don was born in 1949 in Nghi An commune, Nghi Loc district (now Vinh city), his father was a martyr fighting against the French. After graduating from high school, Nguyen Van Don became a student of the Physics Department, Hanoi University of Science. In 1972, the resistance war against the US entered a fierce and intense phase, the State issued a general mobilization order for young people to join the army. Student Nguyen Van Don temporarily put down his pen and entered the army, fighting to protect his homeland and country. In the army, Nguyen Van Don participated in the fight in the Southwest region as a propaganda officer and reporter for the Military Zone 9 Newspaper. After that, he was transferred to the Military Zone 4 Newspaper, then appointed as Deputy Director, then Director of the Military Zone Cultural House until his retirement (2005) with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Since then, he has been an officer of the Propaganda Department of the Provincial Veterans Association, his main job is to be in charge of the association's newsletter. In 2001, he was admitted to the Vietnam Musicians Association.

Passionate about music since childhood, but because of his busy work, it was not until he worked at the Cultural House of Military Region 4 that Nguyen Van Don had the opportunity to focus on composing. Because this is both a professional job, a duty, and also a "command" of the artist's heart. Only then did he have time to explore, research and filter what had been accumulated, so that his soul vibrated with emotional voices, condensed into melodious, ups and downs in everyday life. His first work was the song "White clouds falling into the field", adapted from the poem of Trieu Thi Mai, a Tay ethnic girl in Cao Bang. The song had certain successes, and with encouragement from previous musicians and friends, Nguyen Van Don became more bold and confident on the path of composing music.

As an adult in the military, wearing the uniform for most of his life, Nguyen Van Don often focused on praising soldiers and comradeship in his works. Regarding this topic, we can mention typical works: "Con Co, the green battleship" (award of the Ministry of National Defense in 2005), "Old soldiers meet each other" and "Veteran memories". The warm lyrics, lively and heroic melody in the song "Old soldiers meet each other", adapted from the poem of Viet Long, a piece of music classified as Songs that go with the years: "Old soldiers meet each other, a story without beginning or end/ White hair still looks like yesterday/ Happy and sad feelings also pass by/ Ordinary life is full of pain/ Memories of many years/ Where have they gone now/ Soldiers forget themselves/... Holding hands tightly, vowing to keep the old memories/ Warm comradeship".

Musician Nguyen Van Don talks with the singer about the song "Motherland Truong Sa, Hoang Sa".

Along with the theme of soldiers, praising comradeship, musician Nguyen Van Don also has compositions praising the homeland with its hardships, difficulties but deep affection. Nguyen Van Don has a song "Motherland of Central Vietnam" that leaves an impression on music lovers: "Motherland of Central Vietnam goes to the market, the sun bends the two ends of the shoulder pole/ Footprints buried in the sand, bitter cactus flowers bloom on the hillside/... Motherland of Central Vietnam/ Mother raises her child with both ends of the shoulder pole, hoping that her child's legs will be strong and the rocks will be soft...". That emotion is a passionate, graceful perception of the qualities, spirit and mettle of the people of Central Vietnam: brave, resilient and full of vitality. Every time the song resounds with its proud melody, it touches the hearts of those born and raised in the land of Lao wind and white sand. Journalist and photographer Tran Hong once said that the lyrics of “Motherland of Central Vietnam” can be “captured and grasped”, meaning that the lyrics are rich in imagery, vivid and thoughtful. With his own life experience and knowledge, Nguyen Van Don has another voice to praise the motherland, and has left a unique mark that is worthy of respect.

Lyrics of the song "Dem Hoi Tham Bua" by Musician Nguyen Van Don.

Like many Vietnamese people, Nguyen Van Don's heart ached towards the far sea, where the sacred islands were raging. Then he came across the verses of Dang Phi Khanh, found harmony, and decided to put music into his poems, giving wings to the poems to fly further than millions of hearts that were throbbing before the stormy sea. The words and lyrics forever shine with an immortal belief: "The wings of seagulls, the schools of fish turn their heads towards the Vietnamese land/ The motherland in Hoang Sa bursts into waves beating the shore passionately/ Oh Vietnam, the humanity of thousands of years/... These islands echo the call of the country/ Holding hands, sharing the same blood of Lac Hong/ Not compromising with the invasion trick/ Wearing the flag, our hearts gain strength/ Oh Vietnam! Our lives are dedicated to Truong Sa/ Oh Vietnam! Our lives are dedicated to Hoang Sa" (Motherland Truong Sa, Hoang Sa).

Almost 65 years old, Nguyen Van Don is still devoted to propaganda work, receiving news articles, editing and printing and distributing the Veterans Association's newsletter every day. He also spends time collecting and compiling materials to publish traditional documents, composing songs praising the Party, beloved Uncle Ho, and the homeland and country...

Cong Kien