Lu Nhat Vu: talented revolutionary musician, devoted his whole life to national art

Musician Lu Nhat Vu, whose real name is Le Van Gat, was born in 1936 and is a native of Binh Duong. He devoted his entire life to the revolutionary folk music of the South. He is also a musical icon in the hearts of many generations.

For more than 60 years, he and his wife, his soulmate - poet Le Giang - have traveled the length of the country, from the South to the North, blending into the rhythm of life in all regions through many ups and downs. Life experience, knowledge of music and folk culture, especially of the Southern region, have been accumulated over the years, like alluvium that nourishes Lu Nhat Vu's music. Thanks to that, many of his works have content and melodies rich in images from the time of reclamation, resistance to the day the country was at peace.

In 1955, he left his family and friends to go to the North to join the Youth Volunteers. Having been away from home since his youth, he was always homesick for the South.

After the Tet Offensive and Uprising in Hanoi, the musician wrote "The Saigon Gir.l Carrying Ammunition". Regarding the context of the song's creation, the musician once said: "At that time, I was very troubled when my fellow countrymen asked me what I had written for Saigon. But my previous compositions were so outstanding, I didn't know what topic to use to write a new song". And then, he happened to read an article about Saigon girls who had never held a gu.n but were still enthusiastically participating in the resistance. "The Saigon Gir.l Carrying Ammunition" was later broadcast on Voice of Vietnam Radio in September 1968.

The work was performed by many art troupes and loved by audiences nationwide thanks to its familiar lyrics, lively rhythm, and depiction of the youth and bravery of girls on the battlefield. Musician Nguyen Quang Long commented that the song has a clear Southern sound, a source of emotions that permeated Lu Nhat Vu's personality, and was performed by him in a natural and sincere way.

Another highlight in Lu Nhat Vu's composing career is the song Song of the Southern Land (1997). The song's lyrics, rhythm, and sound recall a time of reclaiming land in the West.

The song was composed by him from his wife's poem, opening with a gentle, mournful melody and reaching a clima.x in the chorus. According to musician Truong Quang Luc, the song was built in the Oan rhythm of Southern folk music, carrying a poignant feeling. Poet Le Giang once said that he and his wife traveled through hundreds of fields in the West to gather emotions for the work. It was the soundtrack of the film Dat Phuong Nam (directed by Nguyen Vinh Son), but later, the song held an independent position in the music industry and with audiences.

Lu Nhat Vu and Le Giang - "the artistic couple" as their literary friends often call them - spent decades traveling all over the country collecting and preserving folk songs and folk songs. They went on field trips across the country to search for and preserve ancient cultural and spiritual values. Many documents were compiled into works such as Ben Tre Folk Songs, Kien Giang Folk Songs, and Ho in Vietnamese Folk Songs. In 2005, the research work Vietnamese Lullabies by Lu Nhat Vu - Le Giang received an awar.d from the Vietnam Musicians Association, and was considered the most elaborate and complete about lullabies.

In addition to conveying the lifestyle and soul of the Southern people, Lu Nhat Vu also succeeded in the field of revolutionary music. His compositions about soldiers were not simply propaganda but were the most profound and sincere thoughts about the beautiful ideals of a generation that experienced war, the desire for peace for the homeland and country.

The song "Please rest assured, mother" is such a piece of music. In 1978, he and poet Le Giang saw their son Le Anh Trung off to join the army in the southwestern border campaign. At the moment of parting, Le Anh Trung said: "Mom and Dad, please rest assured about me". The words immediately gave them the idea to write the song. The chorus with emotional messages: "Mom, please rest assured/ No matter how many hardships there are/ Truong Son or faraway islands/ Our group is determined to protect/ We are always by your side/ Day and night, steadfastly walking in the army".

In the memories of his colleagues, Lu Nhat Vu was a simple person, close to the young generation, willing to teach them his experience in writing music. "He helped us know how to apply seven musical notes to Southern folk songs to create a unique identity. His way of writing rhythms is modern, easy to listen to, and goes deep into the hearts of the public," said musician Nguyen Ngoc Thien.

On the day Lu Nhat Vu passed away, Nguyen An Ninh Digital Library - Southern section posted an article in tribute to him: "Now that he has passed away, musician Lu Nhat Vu's contributions to the Southern land in particular and Vietnamese music in general will remain." The musician was one of the first people to support the project, handing over his and his wife's field research works to the digital library for storage, serving readers, especially young people.

With musician Nguyen Van Hien, Lu Nhat Vu helped the HCM City Youth Union musician class "approach and write many songs close to the people of the Southwest in the first years of national reunification".

Musician Nguyen Nhat Huy remembers that when he first started composing in the 2000s, although he loved folk music and admired Lu Nhat Vu, he did not dare to meet big names like him. One time, Nhat Huy received a call from him praising his new song for being youthful and full of national character. "I heard it but did not believe it was true because a 'big tree' spoke directly to me and even praised my two new compositions. That was a great motivation for me to seek out folk culture as a source of creative inspiration like he did," Nguyen Nhat Huy said.

Recently, Musician Lu Nhat Vu breathed his last on March 29, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, at the ag.e of 89. His passing left endless sorrow in the hearts of relatives, friends, colleagues and many Vietnamese music fans.

In his final years, musician Lu Nhat Vu had to deal with many old-age diseases. Despite his declining health, he maintained an optimistic spirit and passion for music. He always took time to chat and share memories of his life and career with relatives and friends.

The funeral of musician Lu Nhat Vu was solemnly held at the Southern National Funeral Home. Many artists, musicians, singers and fans came to pay their respects to him, expressing their condolences and respect for his great contributions to Vietnamese music.

The passing of musician Lu Nhat Vu is a great loss to Vietnamese music. His songs will forever live in the hearts of his fans, as a precious legacy of Vietnamese revolutionary music.

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