How did musician Quoc Dung's talent astonish his younger colleagues?

Beginning the article, Vo Thien Thanh recounts a touching story: "I still remember Quoc Dung telling me about his life, that he was so fascinated by Paul Mauriat that he wrote a letter to him. He wrote it just for the sake of writing, without expecting a reply. But one day, he received one. Paul Mauriat himself wrote the letter to Dung, handwritten in his own handwriting. He was so surprised and happy. It turns out that masters often reveal a great character through seemingly trivial things. The true story of musician Quoc Dung showed me the intensity of his passion for learning and explained why his arrangements are always so valuable, down to every intro, every chord he places, every timbre he chooses, always perfectly placed. It's like a problem with many solutions, and his 'solution' is always the best."

Composer Quoc Dung. (Photo: Archival)

Vo Thien Thanh recounted that when he was a high school student in the coastal region, he often went to a coffee shop just to listen to cassette tapes of Go Cong music arranged by composer Quoc Dung, featuring songs by composers Hoang Phuong and To Thanh Tung, sung by Bao Yen and Nha Phuong. "I was always amazed at how beautiful the intros of many songs were. Quoc Dung's arrangements always had irreplaceable and inseparable intros, with the instrumental lines used gracefully and perfectly. Try listening to 'Chieu Ha Vang' (Nguyen Ba Nghiem) again, and you'll see how incredibly beautiful the intro is!" - composer Vo Thien Thanh shared.

One interesting aspect of composer Quoc Dung that also astonished composer Vo Thien Thanh was that, despite studying Western music , he was a master at harmonizing Vietnamese folk melodies: "That 'mastery' doesn't mean incorporating all the folk music elements to prove that it's folk music, that it's Vietnamese essence. His mastery lies in blending them into a sweet, gentle nectar that can captivate anyone who loves Bao Yen's lyrical country music, regardless of their region. This reminds me of the 'Vietnamese essence' in Pham Duy's music: a blend and permeation so skillfully and naturally, like breathing."

Composer Vo Thien Thanh. (Photo: Archival)

Composer Võ Thiện Thanh also mentioned the outstanding songwriting career of composer Quốc Dũng, affirming: "Composer Quốc Dũng was a pioneer with songs in a modern and youthful style in the post-liberation period. Remembering the years from 1978 to 1998, listeners usually had three segments to choose from: pre-war music, revolutionary music, and foreign music. His songs like ' Homeland, Love and Youth ' and 'Spring Chorus' resonated throughout music venues and cafes, representing the youthfulness and aspirations of Southern Vietnamese pop music."

In the final part of the article, musician Vo Thien Thanh once again reiterated his respect and gratitude for musician Quoc Dung: "Somewhere, perhaps Quoc Dung is meeting Paul Mauriat, a gathering place of masters with a calm, kind, and humble demeanor. Perhaps for Dung, Paul Mauriat was a master. But for me, he was a master whom I always admired, respected, and considered a role model to follow on my musical journey. Many of us in the profession are influenced by him, a respected master who has just passed away."

Composer Quoc Dung passed away at 9:00 AM on September 24th at his home in Ho Chi Minh City at the age of 72. On the afternoon of September 25th, his family bid farewell and took his remains for cremation at Binh Hung Hoa crematorium (Ho Chi Minh City).

Source: https://danviet.vn/tai-nang-cua-nhac-si-quoc-dung-khien-dan-em-kinh-ngac-nhu-the-nao-20230925102101782.htm