What is new and unique is that for the majority of the public, especially the young, they have never had access to a program introducing the outstanding contributions of musicians from Quang Nam, along with some typical works that have contributed to making the Vietnamese music picture more brilliant.
Pioneering and unforgettable
For the Central region, 2024 will be a year of favorable weather, avoiding big storms and floods. In late autumn, flowers will bloom along the riverbanks. The country roads are dry with white reeds blowing in the wind, but the picture is still gentle and beautiful in a classical way. That day, on a day with little sunshine, we crossed the Thu Bon River and felt like "walking" in an old song by musician Le Trong Nguyen: "Passing the old ferry, the leaves and flowers return in the afternoon / Coldly and softly swaying in the sparse sunlight / When reaching the end of the village, my feet are soulless / I miss you so much, I miss you from my childhood...". Suddenly, I realized that this is the author's hometown.
Quang Nam, a land rich in cultural traditions, is not only the birthplace of many famous people, but also the cradle of many talented musicians. Even before 1945, modern music began to flourish in Hoi An with the birth of the Hoi An Music Association (La Societe Philharmonique de Faifo) founded by musician La Hoi. This event marked an important turning point, paving the way for many other talented musicians to appear and shine. Names such as Lan Dai, Duong Minh Ninh, Truong Dinh Quang, Le Trong Nguyen... together created a vibrant and enthusiastic music community.
Among the outstanding musicians, we cannot fail to mention Le Trong Nguyen (born in 1926 in Dien Ban). As a successful businessman, he still devotes his passion to art, contributing profound and sophisticated musical works to the public. Although the number of compositions is not much (about 40 songs), each of his works has high artistic value, most of which are written in major keys with modern Swing, Bigband, Ballade melodies, demonstrating the outstanding talent of a pioneer musician.
Songs such as "Afternoon Sun", "Leaves Falling on the Threshold", "Nong Sao" have become immortal melodies, loved by many generations. In particular, "Afternoon Sun" has been translated into many languages and popular in many countries around the world, a clear testament to the everlasting value of Vietnamese music. The success of "Afternoon Sun" becomes even more admirable when considering the complexity of translating polyphonic, nuanced Vietnamese songs into other languages.
Musician Tran Que Son, the "author" of this music night program, said: "Because no one has made a separate program to honor Quang Nam musicians, I tried to do it. Many people, many generations, have loved and known the famous melodies of modern Vietnamese music like blood and flesh, but not everyone pays attention, knows the author and the context to write those beautiful lyrics originated from the homeland of Quang Nam, especially today's young generation."
Tran Que Son is a famous musician in Ho Chi Minh City, also originally from Quang Nam. He is known for many typical works such as "Tre Viet Nam", "Khi mot minh", "Tinh que", "Cong me di choi", "Yeu cai muon ma", "Em gai que minh", "Yeu em nhung hon nang Xuan", "Li xi nhe"... Besides composing, Tran Que Son is also a musician, arranger, singer and organist. However, he is also modest: "I belong to the younger generation, later, so I will not include any of my songs in this program."
The sublime melodies
And indeed, not disappointing the audience, a series of improvised songs were introduced and reviewed, bringing a sense of pride to the Quang Nam audience. Because, besides the musicians of the previous generation, Quang Nam also has many names that have created unique marks in the Vietnamese music industry. Among them, musician Tram Tu Thieng (born in 1937 in Dai Loc), with a diverse style, not limited to the academic or chamber framework, has composed hundreds of songs of many genres, from lyrical pop music to commercial music. Works such as "The Story of a Broken Bridge", "Endless Scent", "Ten Years of Loving You" ... have left a deep impression in the hearts of listeners.
Phan Huynh Dieu, a great Vietnamese musician, originally from Quang Nam, has also left behind a huge musical legacy with many rich themes. From revolutionary music (Liberation Army, Winter Soldiers) to folk music (Ko Nia Tree Shadow, You at the Head of the River, I at the End of the River), love music (O Hai Dau Noi Nho, Thuyen and Bien), he has demonstrated his outstanding talent. Sweet melodies, folk-style vibrato, along with the ingenuity in choosing good poems to set to music, have created songs that are lyrical and close to life.
Other musicians such as Dinh Tram Ca (Ru con tinh cu), Vu Duc Sao Bien (Thu hat cho nguoi) and Tran Quang Nam (Muoi nam tinh cu) have also contributed to making Quang Nam famous on the Vietnamese music map. Each has their own style and mark, but all share a strong love for music and their homeland. They are precious gems, shining brightly, contributing to the unique and rich musical identity of Quang Nam.
What is special is that the music program "Quang Nam Musicians" was organized for the first time and was performed by all singers from Quang Nam. Even the production crew, program director, band and MC... were all friends and relatives from Quang Nam. There, they spoke with a thick Quang accent, spontaneously and freely, but created many sublime emotions, bringing the hometown audience to a very new experience through songs that seemed old.
(Article from the Central Highlands - Central Spring Labor publication 2025)
