"Nhút" reminds me of "green tea"!

(Baonghean) - Composer Phan Thanh Chuong shared with Baonghean Newspaper his memories of composer An Thuyen on the day he bid farewell to his colleague and great friend as he departed to the eternal realm.

I am two years older than composer An Thuyên, but I studied a basic music course one year after him at the Provincial School of Arts, now the Nghe An College of Culture and Arts. Back then, there were fewer students in each course, and activities were concentrated in one place, so the students were very close-knit. The learning and professional life of those working in culture and arts in the 1970s was very difficult and arduous. Looking back, it feels incredibly precious and worthy of respect.

An Thuyên was one of the most enthusiastic field-learners, collectors, and researchers. He immersed himself in folk songs and ballads, captivated by the traditional dances of the mountainous regions. At the age of 21, he wrote "I Choose This Path," a gentle, humble yet resolute declaration of a philosophy of life. Composer An Thuyên left a respected mark on the hearts of his friends and colleagues. To me, An Thuyên was truly a great friend, close to me, but in our hearts, he was already an idol.

When composer An Thuyên wrote "Listening to the Boatman's Song at Night, Remembering Uncle Ho," every word, every line was poignant, brimming with affection, simple yet elegant, humble yet sophisticated. To write about Uncle Ho and capture the image of "his trousers rolled up at the knees standing at the riverbank," and "going with the villagers to listen to the singing at night"—it was so skillful, so extraordinary! When singer Lệ Thanh first sang it, in 1979, we were stunned because so many people had written about Uncle Ho already, yet An Thuyên's version still felt so relatable and beautiful...

From then on, I became increasingly fascinated by An Thuyên's way of formulating ideas and his music, like a serious addict. I considered him my mentor in composition. And I followed, anticipated, and was filled with admiration and happiness each time I welcomed the "spiritual children" of composer An Thuyên, such as "Hue Thuong," "Ha Tinh Minh Thuong," "Ca Dao Em Va Toi," "Neo Dau Ben Que," "Me Viet Nam Anh Hung," "Tho Tinh Cua Nui," etc. After each such "masterpiece," I rejoiced that An Thuyên had truly become a public figure, a source of pride and affection for everyone. How happy I was that, with his friends and colleagues, he remained the same, and their feelings even grew stronger and more heartfelt.

Composer Phan Thanh Chương was shocked to hear the news that his friend and mentor, An Thuyên, had passed away. Photo: TH

I remember that in early 1980, during a field trip to the northern mountainous region, I finished writing the song "My Mother's House Has a Picture of Uncle Ho" to the tune of the Northwest folk song played on the zither. Upon returning to Hanoi, I immediately gave it to composer An Thuyên and poet-composer Nguyễn Trọng Tạo. An Thuyên praised it as "unique and beautiful." Then they took me to singer Thanh Hoa's house to have her sing it, and afterwards, it was frequently used by the Voice of Vietnam Radio.

I am fortunate to be known for the song "Thanh Chuong Invites You to Visit." That song expresses my affection for my hometown, Thanh Chuong, where I was born and raised. My hometown is also affectionately called "the land of pickled jackfruit." Pickled jackfruit is a simple, rustic dish, easy to make, with readily available ingredients from jackfruit, and it can be stored for a long time, especially during floods. This dish also reflects the difficult life in the countryside, and it's found everywhere in Thanh Chuong. There's a folk saying, "Thanh Chuong pickled jackfruit, Nam Dan soy sauce"... When writing "Thanh Chuong Invites You to Visit," I wrote, "The land of Thanh Chuong has salty and sour pickled jackfruit/ Perhaps that's why you dislike it/ Perhaps that's why you don't come back." To be honest, I'm still haunted by my self-doubt, but luckily, that (it seems) has become endearing, and my song has fortunately resonated with many people.

In 1995, when I went to Hanoi to produce the music video "With Thanh Chuong," I asked composer An Thuyen to review it. Looking through the song list, An Thuyen unexpectedly asked, "Where is 'Thanh Chuong invites you to visit'? Why didn't Phan Thanh Chuong include it on this video?" At that point, I confessed that I still felt a bit "insecure" because that song seemed somewhat "old-fashioned." An Thuyen suggested I include "Thanh Chuong invites you to visit" on the disc. But the music had already been arranged. An Thuyen said it wasn't a problem. Then he invited singer Bich Ngoc, who was then studying at the Military College of Culture and Arts (later the Military University of Culture and Arts), to sing. Surprisingly, he asked composer Duc Trinh to play the organ accompaniment for Bich Ngoc's singing (Major General Duc Trinh later succeeded An Thuyen as the Rector of the Military University of Culture and Arts).

Many listeners of the video "With Thanh Chuong" thought I intentionally chose to perform the song "Thanh Chuong Invites You to Visit" in my own unique style to create something special. But that's a beautiful memory in my artistic life. Later, thanks to that, "Thanh Chuong Invites You to Visit" was broadcast on Vietnam Television and warmly received by people from my hometown living everywhere. That memory is also a debt of gratitude I can never forget. Composer An Thuyen helped me bring the song from my "hometown" further...

On July 3, 2015, when I heard the news of An Thuyên's death, I was utterly shocked. His songwriting career was truly immense, something any artist would dream of, yet An Thuyên's creative energy remained strong, and the public and his colleagues were still eagerly awaiting his new works. At that moment, as I sipped my green tea, I involuntarily burst into tears like a child. In "Folk Songs of You and Me"—a masterpiece by An Thuyên and of the folk-influenced music genre—An Thuyên wrote such beautiful lyrics, like "On a hot summer afternoon, we call out to each other, sipping green tea." I believe An Thuyên deserves to be credited with bringing the rustic green tea into Vietnamese music in the most lyrical, evocative, and endearing way.

From his childhood days in the countryside of Quynh district, to his field trips and practical experiences, the cups of tea in Quynh district, or the Gay tea from the western part of Nghe An province, the times he spent with his colleagues at the Department of Culture, the Provincial Propaganda and Arts Team, or the Military Arts Troupe of Military Region IV... who would have thought that they would permeate his soul and mind, accompanying him throughout his travels, imbuing him with the unique flavor of tea from each region across the country, and then entering the world of his works. With his extraordinary talent, he has bestowed upon the cup of green tea a very enduring cultural life in the world of art.

On July 9th, his memorial service was held in Hanoi. Due to my current health and unfortunate circumstances, I was unable to travel to Hanoi to pay my respects. My heart ached as I listened to his lyrics, "One day is worth hundreds of years, my friend," especially considering the close bond and shared memories we had.

I think, if I were lucky, I would only dare compare my music to the simple, limited flavor of fermented bamboo shoots, while your music, your stature, is as vast as the green tea that seems indispensable to every region of Vietnam. On the day we said goodbye to you, Nghe An seemed more subdued, and the hot, dry winds of Laos were less fierce. Sitting before a bowl of green tea, I dreamt of the phrase "take me back to the one I love," and all I could do was weep and call out to you in my mind like children in my village calling out to each other: "The fermented bamboo shoots love the green tea so much! Oh, green tea!"

Ngo Kien - Canh Nam

(Recorded based on the account of musician Phan Thanh Chương)