HÀ NỘI Celebrated artist Đỗ Quốc Hưng, a leading bass singer in Việt Nam, has just released a new CD and a video album called Gửi Dĩ Vãng (To the Past).

The video album called 'Gửi Dĩ Vãng' (To the Past) includes ten love songs performed by a leading bass voice in Việt Nam, Đỗ Quốc Hưng. — Photo courtesy of the artist

This music product set includes ten love songs that have been familiar to the music-loving public for many years, composed by Ngô Thụy Miên, Vũ Thành An and Từ Công Phụng.

Although To the Past is the first love music album by Hưng, People's Artist Quốcwho was honoured with the title "People's Artist", it is not the first time he has sung love songs.

"When I was a student, I used to sing love songs in clubs to earn my tuition. I also sang at many special places in Hà Nội, and my performances were well received. Students at that time were poor, but we earned a decent income from singing," said the artist.

"When I studied at the Việt Nam National Academy of Music, I stopped singing love songs and focused on classical and chamber music. Until I was retained as a lecturer, I focused on teaching and cultivating knowledge to pass on to generations of students. When I reach a certain age, specifically now, I want to sing songs that were well received in the past," the artist said.

Đỗ Quốc Hưng is currently the Head of the Vocal Department at the Việt Nam National Academy of Music. He is one of the leading vocalists of Vietnamese opera. — Photo courtesy of the artist

Hưng is currently the head of the Vocal Department at the Việt Nam National Academy of Music. He is one of the leading vocalists of Vietnamese opera. Along with his teacher, People's Artist Trần Hiếu, he is thought to have the rarest and deepest bass voice in Việt Nam.

People's Artist Quốc Hưng is also a familiar face in concerts in Hà Nội and HCM City for years. At the same time, he also regularly appears in art shows, recalling the glorious history and praising the country.

His voice has impressed audiences with his performances of the aria Vous Qui Faites L'Endormie from the opera Faust by the famous composer Charler Gounod or Aria Figaro from the opera The Marriage of Figaro by musical genius Mozart. Some might be surprised that the leading vocalist of Vietnamese opera has launched a new music product focussing on love songs.

Composer Phạm Ngọc Khôi, vice chairman of the Việt Nam Association of Musicians, praised Hưng's new release.

"It's an opportunity for Hưng to go back in time to find old emotions and youthful vibrations and immerse himself in romantic melodies," Khôi said.

"Through the songs, audiences can understand more about the artist who is not only talented in opera singing but also performs love songs very well."

According to Hưng, To the Past album originates from his desire to find memories and be grateful for his past.

Composer Hà Trung, who arranged for To the Past, said: "I used instruments with a chamber symphony style close to vocals, not too heavily classical. Listeners will see the harmony between vocals and orchestra."

Many people think that singing love music is 'easier' than singing opera, but according to Hưng, many love songs are melodic and contain many artistic materials, so expressing the quality of these works is not simple.

"These songs require the singer to have full musical emotions and a romantic soul, to know how to turn music into a walk on his own initiative," Hưng said.

"Many Vietnamese love songs have the criteria of a romance of Western opera music, requiring the artist to have vocal techniques, a good voice and full breath to conquer."  VNS