The revolutionary spirit flows from "The Road of Four Seasons of Spring" to "Red Leaves".

In the flow of Vietnamese revolutionary music, the family of composers Do Nhuan and Do Hong Quan stands out as a beautiful symbol of inheritance and development. If the father – the late composer Do Nhuan – was a towering figure who laid the foundation for Vietnamese opera, then the son – composer Do Hong Quan – continued this legacy with a modern touch. However, both share a single common point: composing about the great victory of the nation and the aspiration for peace and happiness for the people.

"The Road of Four Seasons of Spring": The Song of Rebirth for a Unified Nation

After achieving peaks like "Cô Sao," "Người tạc tượng," and the fiery melodies of "Giải phóng Điện Biên ," April 30, 1975, opened a new emotional horizon for composer Đỗ Nhuận. As the General Secretary of the Vietnam Musicians Association at that time, his flight to Saigon in September 1975 and his cross-Vietnam journey in 1976 allowed him to fully experience the radiance of the nation.

Associate Professor, Doctor, and musician Do Hong Quan conducted the orchestra in the concert commemorating the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Recalling his father's musical journey and the creation of the work "The Four Seasons of Spring," Associate Professor, Doctor, and musician Do Hong Quan said with emotion and pride: "Amidst a context where many musicians chose heroic themes, musician Do Nhuan chose a folk-like, humorous style, like a dialogue between a man and a woman. The question 'Which season is the most beautiful?' received a profound answer: 'There is only one season of national reunification.' This is the fifth 'season' unique to the Vietnamese nation – the season of reunion after 20 years of separation."

The work paints an exhilarating geographical picture, from the Red River to the Mekong, from Lang Son to Ca Mau Cape. Through this, we see that Do Nhuan's music is not just melody, but a reflection of the movement of history. The fast-paced syncopation and flexible modulation reflect the bustling rhythm of life as people embark on nation-building: "Weaving the four seasons of spring with the hands of labor."

The memorial space dedicated to composer Do Nhuan displays certificates of merit awarded to his works on the 50th anniversary of reunification.

The core message of the work lies in the lyric, "Those who share the same country should love each other even more." This is a philosophy of national harmony, the ultimate goal of all revolutions.

"Red Leaves": An epic tribute to the preceding generation.

Forty years after his father wrote about the path to reunification, in 2016, composer Do Hong Quan premiered the musical drama "Red Leaves." This is not only a large-scale instrumental work but also a tribute to those who laid down their lives so that the "path of four seasons of spring" could be formed.

If composer Do Nhuan pioneered Vietnamese opera, then composer Do Hong Quan elevated it to a new level. "Red Leaves" is a seamless blend of Western opera techniques with the essence of Vietnamese folk music (ho, vi, dam).

Images from the musical "Red Leaves" - a prominent musical celebrating the revolutionary heroism of the Ho Chi Minh era.

The play recreates the story of eight young volunteers at the Eight Girls' Cave on the 20th Victory Road. The image of red leaves rustling through the Truong Son forest is not just a representation of nature, but also a symbol of the blood and youth of these "angels" who transformed themselves into the earth and rocks to clear the way for vehicles to reach the front lines.

In "Red Leaves," composer Do Hong Quan reuses familiar melodies from the war era, creating a historical resonance. He affirms that the stream of revolutionary music never breaks; it only shifts from a state of "direct combat" to one of "empathy and gratitude."

The path of art for the sake of humanity.

The connection between composers Do Nhuan and Do Hong Quan is not only based on blood relations but also on a shared aesthetic ideal: from "The Road of Four Seasons of Spring" - the first days of national reunification in 1975-1976 - to "Red Leaves" - 2016. Although separated by 40 years, their works represent a continuation of overwhelming joy, culminating in moments of quiet reflection on a glorious past and a tribute to it.

The musical material also demonstrates continuity, exploration, and creativity, from the call-and-response folk songs and simple, witty lyrics in "The Four Seasons of Spring" to the elevated and innovative classical opera of the world in "Red Leaves." However, through these works, national harmony, unity, and enthusiastic labor are all expressed; the greater message in these artistic works is the immortality of sacrifice and patriotism.

Composer Do Hong Quan and his wife, artist Chieu Xuan, at the awards ceremony for literature and performing arts commemorating the 50th anniversary of the reunification of the country.

The appearance of "Red Leaves" exactly 40 years after the creation of "The Four Seasons of Spring Road" is like a response from the younger generation to their ancestors. If the father rejoiced at seeing "our country shining brightly" on new roads, then the son returns to those legendary roads to light a candle of remembrance through music.

Both works affirm a truth: Vietnamese revolutionary art always places the people and the nation at its center. Whether it's a popular song or a classical opera, the ultimate goal remains to weave together "springs of warmth, prosperity, and happiness," a thread connecting the past, present, and future.

At the awards ceremony commemorating 50 years of outstanding Vietnamese literary and performing arts works after the country's reunification (1975-2025), receiving awards for his father's work "The Four Seasons of Spring" - composer Do Nhuan - and his own musical drama "Red Leaves," Associate Professor, Doctor, and composer Do Hong Quan shared his joy and honor: "The connecting thread between my father and my music is the national spirit - a material that never grows old in artistic contributions to the Vietnamese revolution."

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/mach-nguon-cach-vang-tu-duong-bon-mua-xuan-den-la-do-1025752