Tran Tien tells music stories about Van Cao and Trinh Cong Son

trần tiến.jpg — Tran Tien sings at the announcement of The Legend Live Concert - Come here, four birds of the sky. Photo: Producer NGOC VIET

On December 28th at the National Convention Center in Hanoi , The Legend Live Concert - Come here, four birds of the sky will be held. This is a special music program that combines for the first time four great names of Vietnamese music: Van Cao, Pham Duy, Trinh Cong Son, Tran Tien.

The name of the program is inspired by a line in the song Dan Chim Viet (Vietnamese Birds ) (Van Cao) - Come here when the monsoon is fragrant, oh wandering birds … The music of the four musicians has gone with time, with the souls of Vietnamese music lovers for nearly a century. Each of them has a huge musical legacy in both scale and stature, becoming an important part of Vietnam's musical life.

The music night featured performances by singers: Hong Nhung, Ha Tran, Tan Minh, Doan Trang, Pham Thu Ha, Le Hieu, Tuan Anh, Lam Bao Ngoc... with solo and choir performances. The program was directed by Cao Trung Hieu, with Hoai Sa as music director. The crew hoped to create a music night that both honored classical values and conveyed the contemporary spirit of free souls.

Yesterday, at the meeting to announce The Legend Live Concert - Come here, four birds of the sky, People's Artist Tran Tien - the only musician still healthy - emotionally expressed that if the program is done well, it will create history in Vietnamese music because there is a very strange connection between the four musicians and the four people respect and love each other very much.

tran tien 2.jpg — Tran Tien shares unforgettable memories about musicians. Photo: Producer NGOC VIET

Appearing in stable health after a period of cancer treatment, People's Artist Tran Tien at the age of 78 still clearly remembers old stories with musicians. He told the first memory associated with musician Van Cao from the age of 18, when as a singer of a performing troupe, Tran Tien was once sent to ride a bicycle to his house to ask for Tien's song to bring back to Hanoi to arrange. And that meeting completely changed Tran Tien's life.

“He asked me what do you do? I offered to sing for him songs I composed such as Thanh nien ra tien tuyen , Co gai Sam Neua... Mr. Van Cao didn't say anything, just listened silently and occasionally took a sip of wine. I was trembling with fear. After a while, he said, "Stop singing and learn to compose. Standing in front of a famous senior, I was overwhelmed. I was too young, only 18 years old. My legs were shaking, my body was sweating with fear", musician Tran Tien recalled.

Tran Tien added: “I remember the day I held my wedding, musician Van Cao arrived late, waited for all the guests to leave, then gave me a wedding gift of a handwritten notebook of all the experiences of the French composer and organist - Olivier Messiaen. And that notebook became an extremely precious gift to me.”

Later, musician Tran Tien worked hard to live and study in his own way. When he met musician Trinh Cong Son, he told him that he was studying symphony and temporarily stopped writing music, but was advised: "10 bad symphonies are not as good as a good folk song. Tien writes well, don't pursue opera music anymore. You haven't even been a soldier yet, you want to be an official." Therefore, Tran Tien followed this advice.

After completing his studies at the Conservatory, Tran Tien went to the South to seek opportunities to learn. He spent nights sleeping in parks, with nothing but his love for music and youthful passion. Tran Tien said he still remembers the time when Trinh Cong Son asked his younger brother to find him and live with him. In particular, he also "influenced" the organizing units to send his salary to Tran Tien, encouraging him to pursue the career.

TIEU TAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tran-tien-ke-chuyen-am-nhac-van-cao-trinh-cong-son-post817505.html