Music about Quang Binh lives forever

- Reporter: Considered as “a carrying pole connecting the two ends of the country”, Quang Binh is always an attractive subject of literature and art, especially music . In your opinion, what factors in Quang Binh have created that attraction?

- Artist Pham Ngoc Khoi: Quang Binh is known as a land with a rich cultural and historical tradition. Not only does it possess many famous landscapes, landscapes, and tourist attractions, it also preserves many important historical relics and is the homeland of outstanding celebrities, including General Vo Nguyen Giap - the legendary general of the nation.

During the two resistance wars against France and the US, Quang Binh was considered a resilient "fire line". In the midst of the war, the image of the people and this land was deeply imprinted in the souls of artists and writers, inspiring them to create musical works that will last forever. Right from the years of the resistance war against France, Quang Binh soon appeared in Vietnamese revolutionary music. During the resistance war against the US to save the country, Quang Binh became the source of inspiration for a series of musical works, spreading the indomitable and heroic spirit of the army and people of Quang Binh and expressing love for the homeland, belief in victory and peace .

Quang Binh also possesses a unique folk culture treasure, especially folk melodies such as Ca Tru, Le Thuy Ho Khoan... which are valuable materials for artists to exploit for their compositions. It can be said that Quang Binh is a "fertile" land for artistic creation. The history, nature, cultural sources... of this land are the "sweet milk" that nourishes the emotions of artists in their artistic creations.

The land and people of Quang Binh are always an endless source of inspiration for artists in musical composition.

- Reporter: To have songs born and "anchored" in the hearts of the public is a journey of tireless and serious artistic work of the artists. How do you feel about the songs composed by artists about Quang Binh, including artists who are children of the "Hai Gioi" homeland?

- Artist Pham Ngoc Khoi: When talking about the development of Quang Binh music, we cannot help but mention the great role of artists - those who "write history with music", contributing to the spiritual appearance of this land. A typical example is Artist Hoang Van with the immortal song "Quang Binh, my hometown" - one of the most outstanding works in the "provincial song" genre in the treasure trove of Vietnamese revolutionary music. Quang Binh also has many songs that are warmly received by the public nationwide, such as: "Dem tren Cha Lo" (Pham Tuyen), "Trinh bien que huong" (Duc Minh)... Those songs not only bear the mark of the times but also become artistic "witnesses" of an unforgettable historical period.

Following in the footsteps of previous generations of artists, many Quang Binh artists have deeply exploited local cultural materials for their compositions. They not only inherit traditional values ​​but also innovate their thinking and expression. The fusion and connection between tradition and contemporary has created songs with strong regional tones, both familiar and rustic, yet profound and fresh, helping Quang Binh music reach closer to the public, enriching the treasure trove of hometown music, and protecting Quang Binh's identity in the flow of modern music.

“Although the administrative name may change with the progress of history, there will be new songs born reflecting the new spirit and name, but I believe that the presence of new works will not make the old songs disappear because the sounds, lyrics, and melodies of this land have permeated and penetrated the hearts of many generations of Quang Binh people and music lovers, who love the beloved land of Quang Binh”, affirmed artist Pham Ngoc Khoi.

A typical example of this trend is musician Nguyen Anh Tri. He has incorporated Le Thuy folk songs into each song in a subtle and emotional way, creating a unique and rich identity. His music is not only rich in themes but also diverse in approach, expressing cultural depth and affection for his homeland.

The good news is that Quang Binh has many outstanding faces who have been honored to receive the most prestigious awards and titles in the field of music such as state awards, titles of meritorious artist, people's artist, etc. This is a clear demonstration of the talent of each individual, and at the same time affirms the collective strength in artistic activities. For example, artist Hoang Song Huong (who has been awarded the state award for literature and art) is still composing regularly even though he is 85 years old. The main theme in his works is still his homeland and country. I think that such creative perseverance is not only a testament to his love for art but also a great source of motivation, a shining example for generations of young artists to follow, continuing on the path of preserving and developing Quang Binh music in particular, and ethnic music in general.

Musician Pham Ngoc Khoi (6th front row) with musicians and artists from Quang Binh.

- Reporter: In your opinion, what are the "necessary" and "must-have" factors for Quang Binh music to develop further?

- Artist Pham Ngoc Khoi: In reality, Quang Binh has many talented artists but lacks young faces and new elements. Therefore, the Vietnam Artists Association of the province needs to have a specific action plan to arouse the spirit, enthusiasm, and passion for creativity of each artist, and needs to pay attention to discovering and training the next generation, especially in areas that are lacking such as critical theory. On the other hand, it is necessary to create connections with other associations across the country so that artists have the opportunity to exchange, study, and share experiences in composing and performing.

In the past, we had the movement of “singing to drown out the sound of bombs”, but today, Quang Binh needs more “songs to build life”, there must be songs that express the new rhythm of life of a land on the rise. To do that, composers need to stick to real life, constantly study to improve their qualifications and apply well the conveniences of technology to serve artistic creation activities.

- Reporter: Thank you NS for this very interesting conversation!

NH.V (performed)

Source: https://baoquangbinh.vn/van-hoa/202505/am-nhac-ve-quang-binh-song-mai-voi-thoi-gian-2226109/