The origin of harmony in poetry and music.

Poet Hoai Vu and musician Truong Quang Luc are certainly no strangers to poetry and music lovers, as both have had famous works for decades. Among them is "Vam Co Dong," a beautiful poem that was given wings by music and has become an indispensable symbol of Long An province. These two natives of Quang Nam, who had never met, found a shared emotional connection to Long An, leading to an artistic flourishing collaboration.

Poet Hoai Vu and musician Truong Quang Luc are two sons of Quang Nam province who have a deep affection for their homeland , Long An.

"I consider myself a son of Long An."

Over the centuries, the poem and song "Vam Co Dong" have been deeply ingrained in the consciousness of the people of Long An. And then, the Long An countryside gradually became the " second home " of two sons of Quang Nam: poet Hoai Vu and musician Truong Quang Luc . "I have a deep connection with Long An and have a lot of affection for this land. I also consider myself a son of Long An," shared poet Hoai Vu. Perhaps it is precisely because he considers himself a son of Long An that Hoai Vu has such deep affection for that region. Quite a few of his works reflect the feelings and sentiments he has for the land and people of Long An.

No matter where you go or how far away you are,

I still see your image amidst the vast expanse of mangrove trees.

I can still see your eyes on the lush green leaves of the melaleuca tree.

He still hears the scent of melaleuca blossoms stirring in his ears, the fragrance of your love.

(The poem "Walking in the Scent of Melaleuca").

No matter where he goes, the son of Quang Nam still carries in his heart the image of the green melaleuca leaves and "her gentle eyes"! Those eyes, believed to belong to revolutionary cadre Bay Nhan, a talented young writer who attended a training course for young writers in the Long An battlefield in 1968, taught by the poet himself. The love story, expressed only through that affectionate gaze, further nurtured the poet Hoai Vu's love for Long An. He poured all his affection for the land and people of Long An into emotionally rich poems such as "Farewell at Sunset," "You at the Head of the River, I at the End," "Whispering to the River," "Walking in the Scent of Melaleuca," "Fragrant Maiden,"...

Then, those sincere emotions resonated with many musicians who set them to music. Musical works such as: Vàm Cỏ Đông (music by Trương Quang Lục); Anh ở đầu sông em cuối sông (music by Phan Huỳnh Điểu); Đi trong hương tràm, Thì thầm với dòng sông (music by Thuận Yến);... contributed to helping friends everywhere learn more about this homeland, known for its "courage and resilience, where the entire population fought the enemy."

Whispering to the River is a collection of poems that vividly expresses the love for Long An by poet Hoai Vu.

Empathy in art

Composer Truong Quang Luc shared: “Hoai Vu is one of the poets with the most works set to music in the country. Perhaps it's because his poems are so rich in musicality and emotion. It was also because I empathized with the sweet question, 'Do you know that far away on the Red River, my homeland also has a river?' that I composed the song 'Vam Co Dong' in just one hour. Later, I realized that Hoai Vu and I have many similarities; we're from the same hometown, after many twists and turns in life, we both work in journalism and both love our hometown of Long An.”

The song "Vam Co Dong," with its gentle, profound melody and deep love for the homeland, quickly became an icon in the revolutionary music of Southern Vietnam. Truong Quang Luc's music breathed life into Hoai Vu's poems. The melody combines the lyrical, poignant spirit of Southern Vietnamese folk songs with the heroic, unwavering spirit of the people of Long An during the resistance war. This skillful blend of poetry and music created a vibrant "Vam Co Dong," naturally and deeply touching the hearts of listeners.

Besides Vam Co Dong, composer Truong Quang Luc also set to music the poem "Nang Thom" by poet Hoai Vu. The song, with its smooth and gentle melody reminiscent of the fragrant fields of Nang Thom in the lowlands, has created a unique charm for the piece.

Oh, how I love the rice plants in our fields!

The Fragrant Maidens, golden and shimmering

Like a person who will not give up even an inch.

Stay with us throughout this protracted resistance war.

At the age of 90, musician Truong Quang Luc still doesn't mind the long distance; he often takes the time to visit Long An, meet old acquaintances, and share his songwriting experiences and affection for the land of Long An.

The love of these two talented sons of Quang Ngai for Long An is clearly expressed in their poems and songs. Their poems and musical works have promoted the image of Long An throughout the country. Long An recognized these contributions with the prestigious Nguyen Thong Award for poet Hoai Vu and musician Truong Quang Luc.

The land of Long An, known for its "courage and resilience, where the entire population fought the enemy," can be seen as a "fated encounter" where two sons of Quang Nam found common ground in their artistic sensibilities, leading them to create works that are considered symbols of Long An.

Thu Lam

Source: https://baolongan.vn/khoi-nguon-su-dong-dieu-trong-tho-va-nhac-a194110.html