Music show dedicated to five Nghe An composers

The best songs of five famous composers, Nguyen Van Ty, Nguyen Tai Tue, Hong Đang, Nguyen Trong Tao and An Tuyên will be performed at a special concert entitled Mach nguon vi-giam (A source of vi-giam singing).

These composers come from the central province of Nghe An and have greatly contributed to Vietnamese music.

Nguyen Van Ty (1925-2019) is one of the five founders of the Vietnam Musicians’ Association. He spent a lot of time traveling around the country, and left many popular songs: Me yeu con (Mother’s love), Nguoi di xay ho Ke Go (The person who built Ke Go Lake); Mot khuc tam tinh nguoi Ha Tinh (A piece of the heart of Ha Tinh people)…

Composer Hong Dang (1936-2022) left over 1,000 musical works with many favorite songs for generations. In 2001, he was awarded the State Prize for Literature and Art and the Bui Xuan Phai Prize for the Love of Hanoi.

People's Artist Le Tien Tho will be the director of the program. Photo: Ngo Minh

Composer Nguyen Tai Tue (1936-2022) had many songs inspired by the vi-giam folk singing of Nghe Tinh province (now Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces). Although he was not properly trained in music schools, he had many famous works.

Composer Nguyen Trong Tao (1947-2019) made his mark through songs embracing popular images of his homeland, like rivers and wharves. He was considered "the one who came out of the folk song", and "the musician of the Vietnamese homeland.”

Composer An Thuyen (1949-2015) is one of the musicians who has skilfully developed the quintessence of Nghe Tinh folk singing in his works: Ca dao em va toi (A folk song of you and me), Ha Tinh minh thuong (Ha Tinh I love).

The program is organized by Nghe An Compatriots Association to pay tribute to talented composers of Nghe An Province. They are also prominent composers of the country.

Chairman of the association, Le Doan Hop, former Minister of Information and Communications, said it’s a meaningful event to pay tribute to famous composers and commemorate President Ho Chi Minh’s 113th birthday (May 19).

Singer Thanh Lam will star in the show. Photo courtesy of the singer

“We decided to choose Mach nguon vi giam as the theme of the show because all of the composers find inspiration from the homeland’s vi-giam singing. They grew up with vi-giam lullabies, and their songs are influenced by melodies of vi-giam – which UNESCO recognized as intangible cultural heritage,” said Hop.

People’s Artist Le Tien Tho will direct the program. It will draw performances of famous singers: Thanh Lam, Pham Phuong Thao, Anh Tho, Duc Long, Vu Thang Loi, among others.

The show will take place on May 14 at Cultural Palace, 91 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi. It will be broadcast live on Nghe An Television (NTV).

According to UNESCO, vi-giam songs are sung without instrumental accompaniment while people cultivate rice in the fields, row boats, make conical hats, or lull children to sleep. Vi-giam lyrics use the dialect and linguistic idioms of the Nghe Tinh region, and practitioners sing with the particular singing voice of local people. Many songs focus on key values and virtues, including respect for parents, loyalty, care and devotion, honesty, and a good heart in maintaining village customs and traditions.