Extending the legacy of composers Hoang Van, Hoang Long, and Hoang Lan.

Musicians Hoang Long and Hoang Lan, along with their families, Dr. Le Y Linh, and Dr. Tran Viet Hoa, at the award ceremony.

On December 10th, at the National Archives Center III, composers Hoang Long and Hoang Lan, along with the family of composer Hoang Van, donated musical legacies of various composers to the center, including many previously unpublished musical documents.

The documents donated to the center by the family of composer Hoang Van include nearly 20 publications, which are songbooks and sheet music by composer Hoang Van, along with collections of his works published from 1959 to 1991, which have been newly collected from 2022 to the present.

Among these, the documents, manuscripts, and artifacts are of particular value, specifically the handwritten manuscript "Talking about songwriting" (Hoang Van, 1964), the pocket sheet music " Quang Binh, My Homeland!" published by the Vietnamese Embassy in China, and the handwritten manuscript by musician Hoang Van for the work "Quang Binh, My Homeland!" (1964).

In particular, the handwritten manuscript "Talking about Songwriting" is a previously unpublished document by composer Hoang Van, considered a textbook on songwriting from the early stages of Vietnamese music.

Dr. Le Y Linh, daughter of composer Hoang Van, said that this document was preserved for over 60 years by the family of composer Truong Dinh Quang - who had performed a symphony with composer Hoang Van at the Hanoi Grand Opera House in 1961. His son, composer Truong Ngoc Xuyen, donated it to Hoang Van's family.

In addition, there are other documents, especially some documents about past Hoang Van performances and concerts. These are documents of particular value, contributing to enriching the Hoang Van Collection - a UNESCO World Heritage documentary.

Dr. Le Y Linh donated documents and materials belonging to composer Hoang Van.

Dr. Le Y Linh also stated that these documents and materials were collected and restored by the family over the past three years, after a long period of loss due to war and other historical circumstances. Many documents were returned to the family of musician Hoang Van by friends, colleagues, or fans of his music.

Composers Hoang Long and Hoang Lan donated 22 items to the National Archives Center III, preserved from 1957 to 2022, including creative materials (Drama, Dance, and Music; Literature and Poetry; Songs; Music, animated films; Choral works); music books; and newspaper articles about composers Hoang Long and Hoang Lan.

Dr. Tran Viet Hoa, Director of the National Archives Center III, said that it is an honor for the center to receive the "spiritual children" of musicians whose songs have stood the test of time. These are documents and materials that have been carefully preserved and cherished by their families for many years and have now been entrusted to the center.

According to Dr. Tran Viet Hoa, the documents and materials of the three musicians are not only stored in the best possible conditions, ensuring their preservation for 500-700 years, but are also digitized and stored in the musicians' own archives, protecting their copyrights. The digitized documents will be returned to the musicians' families for their use when needed.

Musicians Hoang Long and Hoang Lan signed a document donating materials to the center.

Composers Hoang Long and Hoang Lan, both 84 years old, expressed their joy at entrusting their intellectual assets to the archives. Composer Hoang Long shared: “This is the second time we’ve sent documents to the center. Each time we send documents here, our joy is multiplied many times over, because our contributions are preserved. We are fortunate that our small contributions are disseminated and known to many generations. That is a great happiness, a source of pride, and a tremendous joy for us.”

Composer Hoang Long also said that although he and his brother were 12 years younger than composer Hoang Van, they always considered Hoang Van their master, always respected him, and had loved listening to his songs since childhood.

Musical publications by composer Hoang Van.

Dr. Le Y Linh, representing the family of composer Hoang Van, shared that the second handover of original documents to the National Archives Center III is not just a procedural activity, but also reflects the family's mission in preserving and spreading Vietnamese musical heritage through historically valuable artifacts such as manuscripts, scores, and specialized publications.

According to her, this handover further affirms the importance of archiving in protecting cultural heritage, and demonstrates the family's long-term commitment to supporting research, preservation, and the dissemination of composer Hoang Van's legacy to the world.

Dr. Tran Viet Hoa stated that this is not the first time the National Archives Center III has received documents and materials from the families of musicians, and this process will continue.

These documents and materials will reach the wider public through the activities of the archives, such as opening the center for daily public access to read materials, or organizing thematic exhibitions and displays both domestically and internationally. This is also a way for future generations and the world to learn about and appreciate the valuable musical heritage of previous generations.

LINH KHANH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/noi-dai-gia-tri-di-san-cua-cac-nhac-si-hoang-van-hoang-long-va-hoang-lan-post929311.html