Two emails came in this morning announcing the passing of two important men.
Phạm Duy, one of the most important figures (some would say “the” most important figure) in twentieth-century Vietnamese music, and Stanley Karnow, the author of one of the most influential books in English on the Vietnam/American War, both passed away.
Phạm Duy’s life was intimately connected to many of the major events in Vietnamese history in the mid-twentieth century, and his songs were the soundtrack to countless people’s lives.
Stanley Karnow was a reporter in South Vietnam for many years during the Vietnam/American War, and his Vietnam: A History sold millions of copies.
Stanley Karnow wrote pages about the strategies and plans of generals and politicians. Phạm Duy wrote songs about, among many other things, the feelings and emotions of people who tried to live their lives in a world made difficult by generals and politicians.
Two men, both giants in their own ways, who understood and appreciated the world in different ways.
Hỡi, hỡi ôi!
Thân phận làm người.
Alas, alas!
Such is man’s fate.
Thanks for the post. If you have the chance to read Pham Duy’s autobiography, then please do so. It will tell you so much about his life and what he experienced (from his perspectives) through many major events in Vietnamese history. I have also learnt so much more about other great musicians and poets of Vietnam through his writing, such as Van Cao and Hoang Cam. He wrote about his time in Viet Bac (chien khu) and To Huu, etc.
Pham Duy talked about Van Cao, Quang Dung and Hoang Cam as his soulmates. These artists were elite and their talents were among the greatest of all. He said both Van Cao and he wrote songs about the Lo River (Song Lo) and about “Lang toi” (My Village) among others, but humbly acknowledged Van Cao’s music as being at a higher level than his.
He wrote about his in-law family who cooked delicious “pho” and who nurtured their children’s great music talents, among whom were Pham Dinh Chuong and Thai Thanh. I was fortunate to have a few CDs of Thai Thanh singing Pham Duy’s music which were recorded before 1975.
So so much more…
I’ve always wanted to visit Pham Duy once in my life, but it is not possible any more :(.