Singer Huy Luân (right) performs in Âm Nhạc Việt Nam Những Chặng Đường (Vietnamese Music in Different Periods), airs on Việt Nam Television. It includes shows featuring the history of Vietnamese music and songs composed by veteran artists of the 20th century. — Photo courtesy of the producer

HCM CITY — A TV programme featuring Vietnamese music and veteran composers of different periods is airing on Việt Nam Television’s VTV3 channel.  

The programme, Âm Nhạc Việt Nam Những Chặng Đường (Vietnamese Music in Different Periods), includes a series of shows featuring the history of Vietnamese music and songs composed by famous artists of the 20th century.

The programme has received support from the National Archives Centre 2 and the Việt Nam Centre for Arts Research and Cinematography Archives, as well as cultural researchers and music experts across the country.

The producers researched more than 74,000 music albums and CDs, and films.           

The first show on Monday featured music by late composers Dương Thiệu Tước, Hoàng Quý and Nguyễn Văn Khánh from the 1930s and 50s. These artists are among the north’s leading contemporary musicians.

The highlighted artist Tước began his career in 1935 in Hà Nội, and composed more than 50 songs, most of them with western-style influences.

He is recognised as a pioneer of tiền chiến (pre-war) music, a genre of Vietnamese contemporary music which carries with it an air of nostalgia.    

His famous songs, including Thuyền Mơ  (Dream), Tiếng Xưa (Old Melody) and Kiếp Hoa (Youth), have been performed by music idols from different generations such as Thanh Thúy, Thái Thanh, Ánh Tuyết and Hồng Nhung.      

At the show, his music was featured by singers Hương Giang, Triệu Long and Huy Luân, all of whom are graduates from prestigious music schools.  

“Our programme aims to introduce Vietnamese music and talented artists and singers,” said composer Nguyễn Quang, the show’s art director. Quang and his staff travelled and talked with many cultural researchers, historians, musicians and singers.

“Our shows also aim to restage famous music works and songs that have been performed by different generations. We hope to encourage young people to learn more about Vietnamese music,” he said.

The second show will feature late musicians Văn Cao, Phạm Duy and Trịnh Công Sơn.

Music researcher, musician and singer Duy, together with musicians Văn Cao and Trịnh Công Sơn, played a role in the development of Vietnamese music.

Phạm Duy began his career as a composer in 1942 after working as a singer for the troupe Đức Huy-Charlot Miều in Hà Nội.

He worked with talented artists such as poet Lưu Trọng Lư and composer Lê Thương. He was one of the leading musicians who began and developed contemporary music in Việt Nam. PhạmDuy composed more than 2,000 songs, epics and music pieces.

The series, Âm Nhạc Việt Nam Những Chẵng Đường, airs at 4:25pm on VTV3 every day. It will be rebroadcast at 6pm on VTV4. — VNS