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| CELEBRATING HCM CITY: Songs about HCM City and its people by famous artists are featured in the songbook Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh – Thành Phố Tôi Yêu (Hồ Chí Minh City – My Beloved City), which has been released by the HCM City Music Association.— Photo courtesy of the association |
HCM CITY — A songbook featuring songs about the history and culture of HCM City by Vietnamese artists from 1975 to today has been released.
The book, Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh – Thành Phố Tôi Yêu (Hồ Chí Minh City – My Beloved City), celebrates the 50th anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Reunification (April 30).
It is collected, edited and published by the HCM City Music Association.
The book includes 30 of the best songs that the artists have written and composed in the past 50 years.
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| HCM CITY’S SONGBOOK: The cover of the songbook called Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh – Thành Phố Tôi Yêu (Hồ Chí Minh City – My Beloved City), a production featuring 30 songs about the history and culture of HCM City by Vietnamese artists from 1975 to today. The book has been released by HCM City Music Association. — Photo courtesy of the association |
Each of 1,000 copies of the book goes with a music video (MV) featuring the song 50 Năm Thành Phố Sáng Tên Người (50 Years Since Sài Gòn named after late President Hồ Chí Minh) – a pop song by musician Ngô Duy Thanh.
The MV highlights HCM City and its people, and their love and respect for President Hồ Chí Minh.
It features young singers Đông Triều and Duyên Quỳnh, and the dance group Đại Dương.
The MV will be released on YouTube and other online platforms.
A group of the association’s members spent two years on the songbook and MV. They selected many songs from different artists about the city and people, their history, culture and lifestyle in different periods.
The book includes famous songs from the 1980s-90s by veteran musicians such as Trương Quang Lục, Phạm Minh Tuấn and Nguyễn Văn Hiên. Their art is still fresh today.
Highlighted works feature tài tử music, which is considered the prototype for vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes) and cải lương (reformed opera) – the 100-year-old genres of traditional music of the South.
Tài tử is associated with farmers who sing while working in the fields or relaxing at the end of a hard day. Tài tử songs are often performed at traditional festivals, weddings and death anniversary events in the region. It was recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2013.
Works about love and youth by young artists like Nguyễn Văn Chung and Hoài An are also featured.
Chung’s Bức Tranh Thành Phố Mới tells the stories of young people of the South, who work hard daily to develop their land, prosperity and wealth.
Chung is famous for his works combining pop and R&B, with Vietnamese folk elements. He has written several hundred songs about love, women and children.
The songbook, Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh – Thành Phố Tôi Yêu, will be presented to schools, universities, and cultural centres in the city.
“We hope our songbook about HCM City and its people can improve the minds and souls of young people,” said musician Nguyễn Quang Vinh, chairman of the association, at the book’s launching ceremony in HCM City. — VNS
Read original story on Vietnam News