Farewell to musician Lu Nhat Vu - author of "Song of the Southern Land"

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - The passing of musician Lu Nhat Vu, author of timeless songs such as "Song of the Southern Land," "Saigon Girl Carrying Ammunition," etc., leaves a deep sense of loss among his colleagues and music lovers.

Speaking to a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper , a source close to the family of musician Lu Nhat Vu confirmed that he passed away at 9:30 AM on March 29th due to a serious illness, at the age of 89.

Composer Lu Nhat Vu was the life partner of poet Le Giang, and both made significant contributions to Vietnamese art. His passing leaves a deep sense of loss among Vietnamese artists and music lovers.

Musician Lu Nhat Vu (Photo: Screenshot).

Composer Tran The Bao expressed: "I am deeply saddened by the passing of this talented composer, author of 'The Saigon Girl Carrying Ammunition,' 'The Song of the Southern Land,' and many other research works and collections of Southern folk songs. My deepest condolences to poet Le Giang and his family, and may composer Lu Nhat Vu rest in eternal peace."

Singer Quoc Dai emotionally shared: "Another great loss! My deepest condolences."

Xẩm singer Nguyễn Quang Long wrote: "He left behind a vast body of research on Southern Vietnamese folk music , especially folk songs. Many popular folk songs today owe their collection to his efforts."

Composer Lu Nhat Vu, whose real name is Le Van Gat, was born in 1936 in Phu Cuong, Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong Province. He was awarded the 45-year Party membership badge in March 2024.

During his career, he served as Deputy Secretary General of the Ho Chi Minh City Music Association, 11th term (1981), Secretary of the Vietnam Musicians Association, 3rd term (1983), and Director of the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts in Ho Chi Minh City.

He graduated from the Composition Department of the Vietnam School of Music (now the Hanoi Conservatory of Music) in 1962, worked at the Southern Song and Dance Ensemble and the Liberation Arts and Culture Agency, and then at the Institute of Music Research until his retirement in 1997.

He composed many famous songs such as: "Saigon Girl Carrying Ammunition," "Beside the Monument to Uncle Ho," "Rest Assured, Mother," "Song of the Southern Land," "Evening in the Hmong Village," "The Goods She Brought to the Trenches," "The Sound of the Gong Crossing the Waterfall," "Hon Khoai," etc.

He is the author of timeless songs such as: "Song of the Southern Land", "Saigon Girl Carrying Ammunition"... (Photo: Screenshot).

In particular, he left his mark with a series of research works on Southern Vietnamese folk songs, in collaboration with Le Giang, Nguyen Dong Nai, Thach An, Nguyen Van Hoa, Quach Vu, and others.

Notable works include: Understanding Southern Vietnamese Folk Songs (1983), Vietnamese Folk Songs in Southern Vietnam (1986), Lu Nhat Vu's Song Collection (1995), Music and Life (1989), 300 Southern Vietnamese Folk Song Melodies (2002), Chanting in Vietnamese Folk Songs (2004), Vietnamese Lullabies (2005), Ly in Vietnamese Folk Songs (2006), Reciting Poetry - Reciting Rhymes - Falling Poetry in Southern Vietnam (2010), Liberation March (2011)...

He received many prestigious awards such as the State Award for Literature and Arts (2001), the First Class Anti-American Resistance Medal, the Second Class Victory Medal, and the First Class Labor Medal.

He was also recognized by the Vietnam Book of Records Center as "The musician with the most works collecting and researching Vietnamese folk songs".

The musician's remains are laid in state at the National Funeral Home in the South (Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City). The embalming ceremony will take place at 7 PM on March 29th, and the funeral procession will begin at 6 AM on April 1st. Afterwards, his remains will be interred at Binh Duong Hoa Vien Cemetery (Binh Duong Province).

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/vinh-biet-nhac-si-lu-nhat-vu-tac-gia-bai-ca-dat-phuong-nam-20250329134952000.htm