A story told through the ages and a soft and affectionate melody touched the hearts of many lovers. The violin concerto "Butterfly Lovers" is one of the outstanding music works in China that fascinates the audience.

A brief analysis of the background of works creation;

This is a single-movement violin concerto based on the widely circulated folk story Liang Zhu and Yue Opera music. Now it has been included in the world famous song Butterfly-loves.

The violin concerto "Butterfly Lovers" (hereinafter referred to as "Butterfly Lovers") was created by Chen Gang and He He during his study in Shanghai Conservatory of Music. It was made in the winter of 1958 and premiered in Shanghai in May the following year, with Lina Yu as a violin solo. The theme is a well-known folk story. According to the tune in Yue Opera, this single movement and titled violin concerto was successfully created. Described the sincere love between Liang and Zhu, angrily accused and lashed feudal ethics, reflecting people's anti-feudal thoughts and feelings and deep sympathy for this love tragedy. The structure of music is sonata form, which consists of introduction, presentation, expansion and reproduction. The story selects three main plots, namely, "Worship on the Grass Bridge", "Anti-marriage of Yingtai" and "become a butterfly at the Grave", as the content of music presentation, development and reproduction respectively. Using the sonata form in western concerto, the contradiction and conflict in drama are well expressed. And absorbed the rich expression techniques in China traditional opera, making it both symphonic and national.

Let's appreciate the work according to the structure.

Introduction:

At the beginning of the music, the flute played a colorful melody, showing a scene of beautiful spring, birds and flowers. The theme sound of oboe performance is taken from the music of Yue Opera.

Demonstration department:

Theme-Accompanied by the harp, the violin played a simple and beautiful "love theme".

This piece of music plays an important role in the whole work. How many people are intoxicated by a melody. The author took great pains in choosing this topic. At that time, they were students in the composition department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He is an actor of Hangzhou Yue Opera Troupe. He is familiar with and loves Yue Opera music. When he wrote "butterfly lovers", the story spread all over Zhejiang, and Yue Opera is a representative opera in Zhejiang. He is determined to draw material from Yue Opera music. According to the usual observation, many famous actors of Yue Opera, no matter what repertoire they perform, will win warm applause from the audience as long as they sing a aria. The author takes this aria as the basic tone of "Love Theme" in Butterfly Lovers. This theme is the keynote of the whole song. )

Sub-theme:

In sharp contrast to the soft and lyrical theme of the main part. Music became a lively and cheerful Rondo. Solos and bands appear alternately, describing the life scenes of Liang Zhu's students when they are studying. (Legend has it that Zhu Yingtai disguised herself as a man to go to school and met Liang Shanbo on the way. They hit it off and became brothers. The theme of this song is to show the scene of Liang Zhu's students studying and playing for three years. After this allegro, the music turns to Adagio, which is the end of the theme in minor. Under the background of string vibrato, Liang Zhu and his classmates will be separated for three years, and the music shows the attachment of Eighteen Bies and Long Ting. Legend has it that when they left, Zhu Yingtai pretended that there was a sister at home who wanted to marry Liang Shanbo, and invited Liang Shanbo to visit. The story goes on like this. )

A low voice indicates that something ominous is about to happen.

Extended department:

It consists of three parts: anti-marriage, balcony meeting and mourning for the grave. (Zhu Yingtai's father forced Zhu Yingtai to marry Ma Wencai, a bureaucratic groom, while Zhu Yingtai refused to marry. ) brass music played the main theme of cruel feudal forces. Then the violin adopted the rhythm of the national drama "scattered board" and played the anxious and painful mood of Yingtai. The band played a rebellious theme with a strong and full performance, which set off the violent syncopation and chords of the lead violin. Gradually formed the climax of the conflict, more and more intensified, but the music suddenly stopped, and then turned to the adagio-"Loutai Club" (Legend has it that at this time, Liang Shanbo came to visit his family and learned that Zhu Yingtai was a woman and also Zhu Yingtai's pain, so they met on the balcony and told each other their feelings. ) At this time, the answer technique of cello and violin is "question and answer", like a crying song. Next, the music took a sharp turn for the worse-crying. The music used the technique of pulling tightly and singing slowly in traditional Chinese opera to express Zhu Yingtai's sad feelings to the fullest. Legend has it that Liang Shanbo died shortly after returning to China. Zhu Yingtai was very sad when she learned that she had decided to choose a path. She agreed that her father would wear plain clothes and sit in a sedan chair to pay homage to Liang Shanbo's grave. His father agreed. On that day, Zhu Yingtai came to the grave, cried to the sky, then struck the stone tablet and committed suicide. ) Gong, drum, pipe and string are played in unison, indicating that the whole song reached its climax and the band played a tone of praise.

Reproduction Department: Music material with an introduction is no longer the beauty of the world, but brings us into a deified artistic conception. "Become a Butterfly" (Zhu Yingtai hit a stone tablet, the tomb burst open, and after Zhu Yingtai plunged in, a pair of butterflies flew out of the tomb), and we heard the familiar "love theme" again. Many artists use different artistic forms to express this touching plot.

All the people were moved by Liang Zhu and his wife and sympathized with their fate. People are not satisfied with the tragic ending, because we are all looking forward to a better life in the future. A pair of colorful butterflies danced and flew to the distant sky, looking for their true happiness and leaving infinite reverie for the world.

We have the same fate as the hero in the story. It is touching music that arouses our emotions and makes us happy, sad, sad, longing and so on. The emotions that a person can experience in his life are limited, and our life will be enriched by being in music. Through this work, it also tells us that the most precious thing in the world is true feelings.

Introduction to butterfly lovers Violin Concerto Music: Lina Yu/BBC Concert Orchestra/Conductor Li Jian/Duration: 25'43)

Butterfly lovers is a sonata-style violin concerto, which condenses folklore into seven main plots: Worship on the Grass Bridge, Three Years of Classmates, Parting in the Pavilion, Forced Marriage, Loutai Club, Throwing Graves and become a butterfly.

introduce

The piano brings out the beautiful timbre of flute (0'45) and the performance of strings, showing a world of music and painting with beautiful spring scenery and flowers.

1. Worship on the Grass Bridge (1' 12) starts at 1' 12 seconds.

The violin plays melodious and soft music. (1'53) With the close connection of cello sounds, (2'38) developed into a concerto for violin and violin, which seemed to be congenial brothers. (3'08) The unison of strings pushed this profound emotion to a climax, (3'59) The music lasted for some time. To understand music from the theme of love, it is better to understand it from the story of "Grass Bridge Becoming sworn". The simple and implicit love theme of solo violin is really fascinating.

Two, "three years in the same class" (4'5 1)

With cheerful, jumping and passionate music for three minutes, it tells the story of three years of classmates' study and inseparable friendship.

III. Farewell to the Pavilion (7'33)

Butterfly lovers's parting message in the pavilion was very emotional and tearful.

Fourth, forced marriage (10' 18)

Uneasy music brings out the violent theme of brass instruments, which shows the threat of feudal forces represented by Zhu Yuanzhang. (1 1'2 1) The tone of the violin played in the form of a pine board reveals Zhu Yingtai's painful mood. The rebellious tone composed of strong syncopated chords, alternating with violent themes, (12'20) led to the climax of anti-marriage music in Britain and Taiwan, and the rumbling drums showed surging emotions and angry confrontation and ended the movement.

Verb (abbreviation of verb) "Loutai Club" (14'07)

The dialogue movement between violin and cello is a mutual confession when Liang Zhu and his wife meet on the balcony, which is difficult to give up and euphemistically emotional.

VI. "Grave" (16'32)

The plummeting music, which borrows the Sanban and Allegro movements from China's traditional opera, is an indictment of Yingtai to heaven in front of Shanbo's grave. In the silence, (19'33) only one violin solo played a sorrowful sonnet, and (19'46) the sad and tragic sound of cymbals and gongs was heartbreaking. (20'09) Followed by orchestral chorus, eulogizing the anti-feudal spirit of Yingtai.

Seven, "into a butterfly" (20' 18)

The crystal harp and (20'38) crisp flute bring people into a beautiful artistic conception, and (2 1'25) the solo violin with mute reproduces the theme of love, making it a magical finale. Music shows people's beautiful hopes and wishes for Liang and Zhu become a butterfly.

The story of Liang Zhu:

During the Yonghe period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there was a village of Zhujiazhuang in the south of Shanjuan Mountain with beautiful scenery. There is a well-off family in the village called Zhu Yuanwai. Family rules, property is passed from man to woman. Because I wish you no son, and in order to inherit the family property, I wish you to dress your daughter Yingtai as a man's dress from an early age. Both English and Taiwan are talented, intelligent and eager to learn. When he reached the age of studying, Mr. Zhu sent Yingtai to the nearby Bixian Temple to study. When I was studying in Bixian Temple, a classmate named Liang Shanbo lived in Liangjiazhuang, and the mountain was five miles northwest. Two people hit it off and became bosom friends, so after the good roll, Dongcaoqiao and Jin Lan became best friends, and the brothers encouraged each other. Yingtai and Shanbo have been classmates in Bixian Temple for three years. During this period, they went to Qilu to pay homage to Confucius and went to Soochow to study together. They eat together every day, sleep together at night and sing harmoniously. Shan Bo not only received higher education, but also was honest and upright, which won the admiration of Zhu Yingtai. However, in the past three years, Yingtai has been undressed. Although Shan Bo raised many questions, they were all put off by Yingtai. Shan Bo never knew Yingtai was a woman.

After three years of classmates' life, Liang Zhu was affectionate, and Zhu Yingtai fell in love with Liang Shanbo. Three years later, Liang Shanbo will continue to study in Yuhang. I hope my father will not let Yingtai go because of his age and accident. The two reluctantly gave each other tokens. Shanbo gave Yingtai a guqin sword, and Yingtai returned Shanbo a gold-plated folding fan, and wrote the word "Bixian" in person. Shan Bo went to Hang Cheng, and Yingtai sent him eighteen miles. On the way, Yingtai borrowed things many times to express her feelings and hinted at her affection. But honest and simple mountain people don't know or understand its meaning. Before leaving, Yingtai and her nine sisters made a false promise to Liang Shanbo, and agreed to invite him to her house to be a guest and propose marriage.

After Yingtai returned to China, his parents had betrothed Yingtai to Ma Shi in Yixi Whale Pond. When Shanbo came back from studying in Yuhang and visited Jia Zhu, Yingtai greeted her with red makeup and green sleeves and a fan. Shanbo knew that she was a woman. When I learned that Yingtai hired Ma Shi, I was heartbroken and very sad. When he left, he made an oath: "Life can't be married, and death must be in pairs."

After Liang Zhu shed tears, Shanbo became depressed and died soon, and was buried in Xihu Bridge Village. Yingtai was heartbroken at the news and decided to die a double suicide. On the day he left the cabinet, he insisted on paying tribute to Qiao Hu. When the sedan chair reached the tomb of Qiaohu Mountain, the British platform hung in front of it and wailed and crashed into the monument. Suddenly, the wind blew hard, the sky was in chaos, sand and stones flew, the ground suddenly cracked and the British platform fell in. When the wind and rain stopped, the rainbow hung high, and two huge butterflies were flying. They were spread by spirits from Liang Zhu and Liang Zhu. The black one is Zhu Yingtai, and the yellow one is Liang Shanbo. The two lovers are inseparable, flying with me between heaven and earth.

As for Liang Zhu, the author has seen some records that Liang belongs to the Ming Dynasty and Zhu belongs to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, separated by thousands of years. Zhu Benben was a chivalrous woman who robbed the rich and helped the poor. She once went to Ma Taishou's house to steal money. Finally, Ma Zhong's son Ma Wencai was ambushed and died by the sword. The people were buried with a heavy burial, and a monument was erected in front of the grave, with "Zhu Yingtai's Female Tomb" engraved on the front and recorded in detail on the back. Over the years, the monument sank underground. Liang is the magistrate of Yinxian County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. He is honest, middle-aged and childless. When he was buried after his death, he dug up his tombstone. Many people felt sorry for it, but it seemed inappropriate to bury Liang, so they buried it together and set up a monument. The black one is Liang, and the red one is Zhu ... Since then, the legend of sending people has been perfunctory.

In recent years, Chen Yi, a descendant of Fu School of Zhejiang Yue Opera Troupe, starred in Sacrifice to the Grave and become a butterfly in the new edition of butterfly lovers.

In short, classics are classics, as if there are endless stories, endless rhymes and endless sighs.

Chen Gang, now a professor at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, said: Although countless Chinese and foreign violinists have played Butterfly Lovers so far, I think there are three most representative ones. The first one is Lina Yu. When butterfly lovers 1959 premiered in Shanghai Art Theatre in May, it was 18 years old who started to play the violin solo, and Lina Yu was still a student of Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Lina Yu's performance is characterized by devotion, rich body language and expressions, and a strong sense of presence. At present, more than 2 million copies of her butterfly lovers records, tapes and CDs have been released. The second is Takako Nishizaki, a Japanese violinist. As early as 1979, Takako Nishizaki recorded the first violin concerto record of Butterfly Lovers. In order to let overseas audiences know more about butterfly lovers, Takako Nishizaki changed its name to butterfly lovers. Takako Nishizaki adopts the international violin playing language, with beautiful timbre and good strength. So far, she has recorded and released six versions of records, tapes and CDs, with nearly100000 copies. The third is Lv Siqing, a young violinist living in the United States. Lv Siqing has a high understanding of China culture, plus his first-class playing skills and sense of the times. His unique interpretation of butterfly lovers is deeply loved by a new generation of young audiences.