Composer Nguyen Van Don: A love that lasts forever.

(Baonghean) - From a physics student at Hanoi University, Nguyen Van Don became a soldier, a military journalist, and worked in cultural affairs... but he left his mark on music with heartwarming songs such as: "Tham Bua Festival Night," "Motherland Truong Sa, Hoang Sa"...

Composer Nguyen Van Don

I met him one winter afternoon in his study, filled with guitars, violins, mandolins, zithers, and a charming Hmong flute. The lively sounds and melodies brought warmth, dispelling the chill of the weather, the biting wind, and the drizzle. His hair was white, but his eyes still radiated a passionate love for life, overflowing with the sounds of existence. Pausing his fingers from gliding across the keys, he shared: “Perhaps the name Nguyen Van Don that my parents gave me has become intertwined with my life. From the age of 7 or 8, I was fascinated by music and singing, able to sit by my zither all day without getting bored. Later, whether I held a pen or a gun, I could never leave the instrument. It was from then on that I boldly wrote music, recording the emotions and stirrings of my soul…”

Composer Nguyen Van Don was born in 1949 in Nghi An commune, Nghi Loc district (now Vinh City). His father was a martyr in the resistance against the French. After graduating from high school, Nguyen Van Don became a student in the Physics Department at Hanoi University. In 1972, the resistance war against the US entered a critical and fierce stage, and the State issued a general mobilization order for young people to enlist. The student Nguyen Van Don temporarily set aside his studies and joined the army to fight for his homeland. In the army, Nguyen Van Don participated in combat in the Southwestern region as a propaganda officer and reporter for the Military Region 9 Newspaper. Later, he was transferred to the Military Region 4 Newspaper, then appointed Deputy Director, and later Director of the Military Region Cultural Center until his retirement (2005) with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Since then, he has been an officer in the Propaganda Department of the Provincial Veterans Association, primarily responsible for the association's newsletter. In 2001, he was admitted to the Vietnam Musicians Association.

Passionate about music since childhood, but due to his busy work schedule, Nguyen Van Don only had the opportunity to dedicate himself to composing when he started working at the Cultural Center of Military Region 4. This was both his professional work and a duty, as well as a "command" from the heart of an artist. Only then did he have the time to explore, research, and refine what he had accumulated, allowing his soul to resonate with emotions, crystallizing into melodious, undulating notes amidst everyday life. His first work was the song "White Clouds Descending on the Fields," set to a poem by Trieu Thi Mai, a Tay ethnic girl from Cao Bang. The song achieved considerable success, and with encouragement from senior musicians and friends, Nguyen Van Don became bolder and more confident on his path of musical composition.

Having grown up in the military, spending almost his entire life in uniform, Nguyen Van Don's compositions often focus on praising soldiers and the camaraderie among comrades. Notable works in this genre include: "Con Co - The Green Warship" (awarded by the Ministry of National Defense in 2005), "Old Soldiers Meet Again," and "Memories of a Veteran." The warm lyrics, lively and spirited melody of "Old Soldiers Meet Again," adapted from a poem by Viet Long, are considered among the timeless songs: "Old soldiers meet again, a story without beginning or end / With gray hair, we still address each other informally as before / Joy and sorrow pass by / Life's many pains / Memories of many years / Where have they gone now? / A soldier's life of selflessness / ... Holding hands, we vow to cherish the old memories / Warm camaraderie."

Composer Nguyen Van Don discusses the song "Motherland Truong Sa, Hoang Sa" with the singer.

Along with themes of soldiers and the praise of camaraderie, composer Nguyen Van Don also composed songs praising his homeland, a land of hardship and difficulty but also of deep affection. Nguyen Van Don's song "Motherland of Central Vietnam" left a lasting impression on music lovers: "In Central Vietnam, mother returns from the market, the sun bending the ends of her carrying pole / Footprints buried in the sand, bitter cactus flowers blooming on the hillside /... Motherland of Central Vietnam / Mother raises her children with two carrying poles, hoping her children will be strong and resilient..." This emotion is a passionate and graceful feeling about the qualities, spirit, and resilience of the people of Central Vietnam: brave, strong, and full of vitality. Whenever the song is sung with its proud melody, it stirs the hearts of those born and raised in this land of hot winds and white sands. Journalist and photographer Tran Hong once said, in essence, that the lyrics of "Motherland of Central Vietnam" can be "captured, held," meaning the lyrics are rich in imagery, vivid, and full of thought. With his own life experiences and wisdom, Nguyen Van Don offers a unique voice in praise of his homeland, leaving behind a distinctive and valuable mark.

Lyrics of the song "Night Festival in the Deep Bua" by composer Nguyen Van Don.

Like many Vietnamese people, Nguyen Van Don's heart yearned for the distant sea, where the sacred islands were turbulent. He then encountered the poems of Dang Phi Khanh, found a connection, and decided to infuse music into poetry, giving wings to verses that would soar beyond millions of hearts throbbing before the stormy seas. The verses and lyrics shine with an undying faith: “The seagulls, the schools of fish turn their heads towards Vietnam / The motherland in Hoang Sa bursts forth with the rhythmic waves crashing against the shore / Oh Vietnam, humanity and righteousness for thousands of years /... These islands resound with the call of the nation / Holding hands, sharing the same bloodline of Lac Hong / Uncompromising in the face of invasion / Wearing the flag, our hearts grow stronger / Oh Vietnam! Life dedicated to Truong Sa / Oh Vietnam! Life dedicated to Hoang Sa” (Motherland Truong Sa, Hoang Sa).

Approaching 65 years of age, Nguyen Van Don remains dedicated to propaganda work, daily receiving news articles, editing, and handling the printing and distribution of the Veterans Association's newsletter. He also devotes time to gathering and compiling materials for publication on traditional documents, and composing songs praising the Party, the beloved President Ho Chi Minh, and his homeland.

Cong Kien