Musician Van The: Immersed in the music of his homeland

(Baonghean) - Approaching his 80s, he is still tirelessly traveling and passionately playing music. The artist travels to absorb more immense “melodies of life”, then refines them to continue writing passionate “melodies of the heart”. And for him, his homeland is an endless inspiration for his compositions…

One day at the end of May, Thanh Vinh was filled with sunlight, red phoenix flowers and purple lagerstroemia flowers dyed the streets, cicadas were singing in the bushes, he made an appointment to meet me in a small house near the city gate. Different from my initial image, despite his old age, he was still healthy and alert, his way of talking was simple but no less attractive. “More than 60 years away from my homeland, the people, the landscape and the village are always imprinted in my heart, sometimes I miss my homeland to the point of longing. In my small soul, there is always a picture of my homeland, it always urges me to move forward and helps soothe all the pain and hardship” - musician Van The began the story….

Musician Van The.

His full name is Vo Van The, he was born in 1937 in Dua village, now Tuong Son commune (Anh Son). His parents were famous tailors in the area. Since he was a child, his parents taught him every stitch and how to cut and sew with the hope that when he grew up, he would become a worthy successor. That wish would have come true if the boy Vo Van The had not been passionate about singing and the cultural and artistic movement. Actively participating in the local youth movement, Van The became an outstanding "artist", the "core" of the propaganda team. The elders of Dua village still clearly remember that in those days, any exchange, performance and propaganda with Van The present were successful and attracted everyone. Because he had a clear and strong singing voice, played the role very well every time he acted and his flexible arrangement and organization really left an impression on the people of his hometown. Perhaps, that is why his singing talent was not only limited to the Coconut Village but also known to people in the communes in the area. When he left his hometown, following the Nghe An Performing Arts Troupe, his neighbors came to his house to see him off and did not forget to remind him: "Go far away but never forget this Coconut Village!"

In Van The's memory, the Coconut Land is a prosperous village along the Lam River with ancient moss-covered communal houses, with a towering banyan tree at the village entrance and a bustling river wharf every afternoon. In particular, there is a place whose name exudes a romantic and evocative atmosphere: Ben Hat. That is a section of the countryside river wharf that winds along the sandbank, with a grove of rustling green bamboo and a soft stream of water. This river wharf has become a gathering place for the people of the Coconut Village, people come to fetch water, wash rice and do laundry, many relationships are also formed here. On cool, windy nights with clear moons, young men and women often invite each other to Ben Hat to sing and respond, to make love. The folk songs and vi melodies resound simply, rustically but no less affectionate, deep and blend with the murmur of the wind and the river to create a captivating harmony.

Perhaps, the lyrics, folk songs and folk melodies of the homeland gradually permeated Vo Van The's blood, and then transformed into the life's luggage of the son of Dua village on long journeys. After that, he was transferred to the Nghe An Song and Dance Troupe, and was assigned the important position of conductor. Then he was sent to study Composition at the Vietnam Music School (now the National Conservatory of Music). Studying in a formal environment with famous teachers, Van The's eyes seemed to open up a new horizon, where sounds and melodies always beckoned and greeted. With the life and musical experience accumulated over a long time, he wished to write songs that moved people's hearts.

Collection of songs "Lam River, Uncle Ho's love" by musician Van The.

After graduating from the Vietnam Music School, Van The returned to join the Nghe An Cai Luong Troupe and was assigned to conduct the orchestra. Then, five years later, in 1975, he was transferred to the Nghe An Folk Song Experimental Team (the predecessor of the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage today). Together with his fellow countryman - musician Thanh Luu, Van The was one of the founding members of the Nghe An Folk Song Experimental Team. The team's mission was to collect, research and adapt folk songs into staged works. At the same time, it organized scientific seminars to evaluate the role and position of Nghe Tinh folk songs in the development process and cultural life of the homeland.

During the years of working in the province's art troupes and especially participating in the Folk Song Experiment Team, Van The had the opportunity to travel to many places and meet many artists who are preserving the precious folk songs of Vi and Giam. From there, he collected many more valuable things, the depth of experience and the "maturity" of emotions were cultivated. And those trips also left unforgettable memories, showing his deep attachment to his homeland, to the folk songs and Vi melodies. Once, when he returned to Duc Son commune (Anh Son) to do the work of collecting folk songs, Van The met artist Nguyen Van Yen, a famous singer in the area. Mr. Yen sang a Giam song with a very evocative melody, both rustic and soulful, making the collector fascinated. Because this was an ancient Giam tune, artist Nguyen Van Yen could no longer remember the name, Van The named this tune Giam Duc Son. Since then, this name still exists, and Duc Son people always remember him, because he attached the name of his hometown to a folk song of Nghe An.

Later, Van The was transferred to the Nghe An Department of Culture, then the Provincial Culture and Information Center and was assigned to be in charge of mass culture. Due to the nature of his work, he continued to travel, collect and compose songs. His works became more and more popular, loved by the public and highly appreciated by his colleagues. In 1990, Van The was admitted to the Vietnam Musicians Association, a recognition of the contributions of a man who devoted his whole life to folk music. Currently, he is also a member of the Literature and Arts Association and the Nghe An VNDG Association. And in his songwriting career, he has won many awards.

Born and raised in the land of Coconut, Van The was immersed in the flow of his homeland's culture with its sweet and full folk songs. Perhaps, that is why in his compositions, the musician has devoted a great affection to his homeland as a form of gratitude. Van The's songs about his homeland are often very pure and passionate, both innocent and rich in experience: "Listen, my dear, the wind is whispering/ First Kinh Ky, second Dua Lang/ My hometown people have deep love and heavy duty/ Once here, at first strange, then familiar..." (Coconut - my beloved motherland). And these are the lyrics in the song "Anh Son, my homeland": "The Lam River has waves lapping/ Young corn intermingles with green beans/ Who goes to Cay Chanh, who goes to Duc- Vinh/ With the wind, we will sail smoothly to Tao- Linh with you/ Come back and see together/ Anh Son, my homeland is changing day by day...".

Besides songs written about homeland and country, musician Van The also has many works written about

Beloved Uncle Ho. Three years ago, he published the song collection “Song Lam Tinh Bac”, a collection of 15 songs about Uncle Ho that he composed himself. In particular, in 1968, Van The set to music a poem wishing Uncle Ho a happy new year (Celebrating Uncle Ho's Spring Poetry) and was praised by comrade Le Duan for being good and deeply expressing Uncle Ho's feelings and will.

Before leaving, musician Van The shared his plans: “While I still have strength, I will continue to travel and continue to compose. I will select and collect my most favorite compositions to print into a book, considering it a gift to life and my homeland to express my gratitude.”

Cong Kien