The birth of The Yellow River Cantata.
During War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period, after the fall of 1938 1 1 Wuhan, the famous modern poet Guang William. J of China (namely Zhang Guangnian) led the Third Anti-Japanese War Zone Team to cross the Yellow River eastward from Hukou, Yichuan County, Shaanxi Province, and transferred to Luliang Mountain Anti-Japanese Base. On the way, I visited steep canyons, rapids, turbulent eddies and reefs and waterfalls, witnessed the Yellow River boatmen struggling forward in the stormy waves, and listened to the long and powerful songs of the boatmen. The poem Yellow River has been brewing since it arrived in Yan 'an in June, 5438+the following year 10, and was recited at the New Year's Eve party in 1948. Xian Xinghai was very excited after hearing this, and said that he would create The Yellow River Cantata for the crew and complete this large-scale vocal masterpiece. On April 13, it premiered in Yan 'an Northern Shaanxi Public School Auditorium (conducted by Wu Xiling), which caused great repercussions and soon spread all over China. The work * * * has eight movements, with music recitation at the beginning of each chapter. 1. Song of the Yellow River boatman (mixed chorus, original male chorus) 2. Ode to Huang He (tenor or baritone solo) 3. How does the water of the Yellow River flow out of heaven (recited with musical poems, accompanied by three strings) 4. Huangshui Ballad (Female Chorus, Original Chorus) 5. Riverside is opposite to Song Dynasty. At the concert, three female singers are often added according to the revised draft. ) 7. Defend the Yellow River (singing in turn) 8. Ho, Yellow River (mixed chorus)
Piano Concerto from The Yellow River Cantata to Yellow River
The Yellow River Cantata provided a brilliant example for China's modern large-scale vocal music creation. In the late 1960s, this vocal work was adapted into a piano concerto. 1One day in June, 968, Yin Chengzong came to the Central Conservatory of Music from the Central Orchestra to see posters. With the piano accompaniment experience of A Red Lantern, Yin Chengzong wants to take a new step in the piano revolution. At this time, the poster of Ms. Chen Lian was posted on the west wall on the second floor of the Central Conservatory of Music. (Chen Lian wrote a letter at 1964, which was supported by Mao, and replied that the letter was well written. Then Jiang Qing met him. In this poster, Chen Lian revealed for the first time that Jiang Qing once told her, "The Yellow River Cantata is very imposing and can be written as a piano concerto. Later, Yin Chengzong wrote to Jiang Qing, intending to rewrite Xian Xinghai's The Yellow River Cantata into a piano concerto. After reading the letter, Jiang Qing replied: "Very good. The Yellow River Chorus can leave a song without words. "The lyrics in front of the lamp inspired Xian Xinghai's creative impulse and inspiration, and naturally inspired and germinated the imagination and musical thoughts of the members of the piano concerto creation group of the Yellow River today. Since 1969 was established in February, the members of the Yellow River Creation Group have been constantly changing. After Du Mingxin left, Yin Chengzong seconded composer Sheng from the Central Conservatory of Music to preside over the orchestration of the band. At that time, the author of this article was in the Piano Department of the Central Conservatory of Music, specializing in the creation of piano teaching materials. In the past, Yin and I had similar aspirations in exploring the creation of China's piano works. This time, he made great efforts and seconded him to the Central Orchestra as a partner. Xu Peixing is a young piano accompanist who has just been assigned to the Central Orchestra. He is one of Yin's students. Yin left him in the group and asked him to help with some daily work and participate in some discussions in the creative group. In the next few months, Shi Shucheng, a young pianist, also partially joined the activities of the creative group, because he was a soloist in Group B of the Yellow River Piano Concerto. Knowing the creative intention of The Yellow River, he can better understand and play this work. The two of them also expressed some good opinions based on the intelligence and sensitivity of young people. But they don't do any practical creative work. Yin Chengzong invited another woman, Liu Zhuang, when he was ordered to form the Yellow River Creation Society.
By the early summer of 1969, the first draft of the Yellow River Concerto had been completed. During the audition, Li, (the authoritative conductor of the Yellow River Chorus), Du Mingxin and the symphony orchestra of the Central Orchestra were invited. Yin Chengzong plays the piano solo and Chu plays the second piano (that is, the band part). From August of 1969 to February of 18, after completing the brewing scheme, experiencing life, collective discussion by the masses and the adoption of the first draft, it entered the second stage of the overall operation, that is, the writing stage. Yin Chengzong, Chu, Liu Zhuang and Sheng wrote the piano concerto "Yellow River" and fought day and night. Every note of the Yellow River Piano Concerto can be traced back to its original intention. It was written and finalized. Hundreds of discarded old draft papers are produced in indoor drawers and wastebaskets ... with the cohesion of collective wisdom and the efforts of creators to study, select and refine. The appearance of this work is the crystallization of the artist's collective wisdom. 1970 On New Year's Day, Yin Chengzong gave a piano solo, and Li conducted the first performance of the Central Orchestra in Beijing-the Political Bureau of the Central Committee reviewed the piano concerto "Yellow River" in the Auditorium of the Great Hall of the People. Just after the music ended, Premier Zhou Enlai excitedly shouted: "Xian Xinghai is alive!" The central government decided to test the Yellow River for several months to solicit the opinions of workers, peasants and soldiers. 1 970 may1day, the piano concerto "Yellow River" was officially performed in Beijing National Culture Palace. The program arrangement is to play the piano and sing "The Red Lantern" first. Due to long-term fatigue and busy writing and performing, Yin Chengzong sprained his waist and couldn't move while playing The Red Lantern, but he gritted his teeth until the end and was taken to a nearby hospital immediately after the performance. The doctor treated him urgently, gave him an injection and bandaged him, and then rushed back to the Cultural Palace to perform "Yellow River". There is an armchair in the theatre in case he falls. In this situation, the piano concerto "Yellow River" was first staged. 197 1 year, Yin Chengzong visited six European countries with the Central Ballet Company, performing ballet "White-haired Girl" and "Red women soldiers", with piano concerto "Yellow River" added before each performance. This is the first time that the piano concerto Yellow River has been performed abroad. 1September, 973, conductor Eugene Oman and American Philadelphia Orchestra came to China to give a performance of Yellow River, with Yin Chengzong performing solo. This is the first time that the piano concerto Yellow River has been performed by a foreign orchestra. After that, more foreign orchestras played the piano concerto Yellow River, including the young conductor abbado and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Analysis of Piano Concerto of Yellow River
At the beginning of the first movement "Song of the Yellow River Boatman", the trumpet and violin played trumpet-like motives with great momentum, and woodwind music quickly went up and down on the chromatic scale, depicting the scene of the boatman fighting with stormy waves to death. At this time, the band appeared "Paiyo, go forward!" Music language. The sudden arpeggio of the piano set off a huge wave, followed by a firm and powerful boatman's horn, which showed the boatman's fighting spirit of one mind and one mind and symbolized the indomitable fighting spirit of the Chinese nation. . With the continuous development of music, a cadenza of piano was introduced, depicting the surging torrent of the Yellow River and the boatmen rushing through it. At this time, a melodious and lyrical melody appeared, as if seeing the dawn of victory in the difficult and dangerous struggle, and the music was more confident. Finally, in the powerful scraping sound of the piano, the music reproduces the intense theme tone, and the whole song returns to the tense scene of the boatman fighting with the stormy waves. In the second movement "Ode to the Yellow River", the profound cello played a slow and solemn melody, which attracted repeated recitation by piano soloists. This is a trace back to the long history of the Chinese nation: there are kind and hardworking people living on both sides of the Yellow River, who have worked hard, lived and struggled in this rich land for thousands of years. The sonorous chords of the piano played the grand finale of the music, and the march of the volunteers played by the brass symbolizes that the awakened Chinese nation has stood in the east of the world. The crisp sound of bamboo flute in the third movement "Yellow River Anger" blew out the simple and broad overture melody of the northern Shaanxi Plateau, and the solo piano imitated the guzheng and played the theme of national style briskly. After the bright and broad development of the band, the deep and depressing chords of the piano and the muffled sound of brass music showed the enemy's trampling on the motherland's rivers and mountains, and the people suffered greatly from it in hot water. With the progress of the tone of suffering, the musical mood of resistance struggle is brewing in the music. With the upsurge of musical emotion, piano solo excitedly played a grand tone symbolizing national grief and indignation. Finally, the band reappeared the theme tone of the national wind with brilliant momentum, which was the raging waves of the Yellow River and full of the grief and indignation of the Chinese nation. The introduction of the fourth movement "Defending the Yellow River" is the theme of the summoning battle melody played by brass music. The motivation of "Dongfanghong" in the tone symbolizes the call to battle issued by Chairman Mao's Party Central Committee. After the colorful phrases of the piano, the melody theme of Defending the Yellow River appeared. This is a March with high morale, which shows the heroic and unyielding dedication of the Chinese nation. With the continuous development of music theme, music shows a heroic picture of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. The horses galloped, the smoke filled, and the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians fought bravely to kill the enemy. Music emotions come and go, and when the theme of "Dongfanghong" appears, the whole music reaches its climax. This is a celebration of Mao Zedong Thought's great victory. Before the end, the music skillfully combined Defending the Yellow River, Dongfanghong and Internationale, showing the organic connection between China and War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the world anti-fascist war. Only the people of China led by China can win the great victory of this war.