In 1959, the violin concerto "Liang Zhu", composed by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang, was first performed in Shanghai. The most famous violin concerto ever made in China erected a monument to the nationalization of symphonic music, and one of the composers, He Zhanhao, was also known as the "father of Liang Zhu".
After 62 years, He Zhanhao, who is 88 years old, has a new work of national symphony music staged. On April 4, He Zhanhao will bring the world premiere of the Guzheng Concerto "Heroic Tears" at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. He Zhanhao will personally conduct the premiere concert, and together with the Shanghai Hanzheng Symphony Orchestra, he will bring a number of classic guzheng and symphonic works, with the theme of "Centenary of the Founding of the Party", and recreate the glory years through musical chapters.
"Tears of Heroes" commemorates revolutionary martyrs
How was the Guzheng Concerto "Hero's Tears" born? He Zhanhao said that the predecessor of this work was created 20 years ago, originally as an erhu concerto, and the creation was inspired by a touching scene in the TV series "Zhou Enlai". During the Period of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Mao Zedong sent his son Mao Anying to the Korean battlefield, but Mao Anying unfortunately died on the battlefield, and Mao Zedong, who heard the news, could not help but shed tears, but patiently enlightened Mao Anying's fiancée: "Fighting always requires death. Chinese Volunteers have sacrificed the lives of so many commanders and fighters, and their sacrifices are glorious. Kishi Is an ordinary warrior, don't take it as a big deal just because I'm my son..."
This scene deeply touched He Zhanhao. "Chairman Mao's tears deeply impressed me, his tears are not only sad, but also hatred for the enemy, grief and resentment intertwined in the heart. What a great sacrifice this great founding leader and his family made for the cause of the revolution! So I started working on Tears of Heroes. He said.
He Zhanhao read a large number of Chairman Mao's poems and carefully understood Yang Kaihui's deeds, so the conception of "Heroic Tears" was also influenced by Chairman Mao's poems. "I think of Chairman Mao's writing in "Butterfly Loves Flowers and Answers Li Shuyi", 'I lost my pride in Yang Jun and lost my willow, and the willow fluttered lightly and went straight up to the ninth of the heavy xiao.'" I couldn't help but feel sad and emotional. Drawing on the artistic conception of Chairman Mao's poems, he began to compose this romantic folk music concerto with strong national characteristics to show the inner world of the revolutionary leader. The word "tears" in "Tears of Heroes" is not only the tears of leaders, but also the tears of thousands of parents for the children who sacrificed on the battlefield. Those martyrs who went forward for the cause of the liberation of the motherland are heroes that we should respect. ”
"Tears of Heroes" has been staged many times in the form of erhu concerto and national orchestra, and this time He Zhanhao chose guzheng to re-create, interpreting the rich inner emotions of the characters with completely different compilations and timbres. "The guzheng can be both lyrical and eloquent, and it is more comfortable in expressing the inner emotions of the characters." He Zhanhao believes that compared with the erhu or other ethnic instruments, the three-dimensional and comprehensive musical expression of the guzheng can give him plenty of space to create.
The world premiere of the Guzheng Concerto "Tears of Heroes" invited Luo Jing, a guzheng player and professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Luo Jing was the premiere of the 1993 Guzheng Concerto version of Liang Zhu and the premiere of He Zhanhao's first zither song" Jasmine Fragrance. Luo Jing said that it was He Zhanhao who taught her how to interpret music and give musical emotions: "What kind of music you want to express, what kind of techniques you must use, and you must be able to use 'love' to move people." Teacher He's works have accompanied my growth, and I have different feelings every time his works are played. ”
More than 60 years of creative "love" has been consistent
As one of the first musicians trained in New China, He Zhanhao's creative career of more than 60 years has been innumerable. He has been exploring the creative path of "nationalization of foreign forms and modernization of national music", not only creating the violin concerto "Liang Zhu", a model of National Symphony in China, but also creating hall-level Chinese music masterpieces such as "Lin'an Hate" and "Western Chu Bawang".
In 2021, He Zhanhao, who has been in the party for 65 years, especially brought together his painstaking creations of the past 60 years and dedicated this concert as a gift to this special year. The concert special conductors Peng Fei and Lin Zhiqiang conducted the Shanghai Hanjing Symphony Orchestra and performed other classic works of He Zhanhao.
All along, he Zhanhao's ideological purpose when he created it revolved around one word - "love". The "Tears of Heroes" concert to be held at Dongyi is also divided into two chapters with the theme of "love". In the first half, the "children's love" will be the mainstay, and a number of musical works based on historical figures will be selected. The opening song "Hu Teng Dance" depicts Fan Li sending off Xi Shi. Symphonic Yue opera "Xi Shi and Fan Li: Farewell" presents a new breakthrough in musical form with the combination of symphony and Yue opera, and Zhejiang Zhuji Yue Opera Troupe, Yue opera actor Cai Tieping, Yue opera actor Huang Hongyan, and Yue Hu performer Xu Yan'an will also join the performance. The Guzheng Concerto "Lu You and Tang Wan" describes the unexpected reunion of Lu You and Tang Wan in Shen Garden after several years of separation.
In the second half, the theme is "Home and Country Conditions", and the poems written by heroes are used as the source of inspiration, including the symphonic poem "Longhua Pagoda" commemorating the 24 martyrs of Longhua, and the new work "Tears of Heroes", which deeply praises the spirit of selfless dedication of revolutionary pioneers to the cause of the liberation of the Chinese nation. He Zhanhao believes: "Family and country conditions and daughter love, no matter what kind of love, every note has a story, I hope these stories can resonate with the audience." ”
Column Editor-in-Chief Zhang Qi
Responsible Editor Liqi Ni
Image source Courtesy of the interviewee