Xian Xinghai and the Yellow River Chorus: This chorus was born in the sound of artillery fire

Source: Nanfang Daily

In the spring of 1939, a historical masterpiece, the Yellow River Chorus, was born in an earthen cave in Yan'an. In the era of intertwined storms and fires, the roar of the "Yellow River" sounded the spiritual clarion call to unite the sons and daughters of China during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and to resist the enemy and save the country, and hundreds of millions of people sang "The wind is roaring, the horses are calling" and rushed to the forefront of the anti-Japanese battlefield.

This set of works composed by Guang Weiran and composed by Xian Xinghai has been regarded as a monumental musical epic that highly summarizes the great spirit of the Chinese nation for decades after its publication, and even to this day, its position in the history of modern Chinese music is still irreplaceable.

Guo Moruo once described the appearance of the Yellow River Chorus: "At that time, under the suppression of the kuomintang reactionary government, almost all the sounds in the rear area sank. However, the "Yellow River Chorus" roared and sang from the north like the water of the Yellow River from heaven. He Qifang even described it as a masterpiece as "choppy" and incomparably spectacular as the Yellow River itself.

The stirring melody of "Yellow River Chorus" is full of patriotic feelings in the heart of composer Xian Xinghai. Cheng Xingwang, director of the graduate department of xinghai conservatory of music and professor, believes that "Yellow River Chorus" has accumulated the emotional foundation for Xian Xinghai's creation for the workers and peasants. Under the guidance of the belief in music to save the country, it is prompted to use music as a weapon and closely follow the great War of Resistance of the Chinese nation to create, reflecting the firm determination and iron will of the Chinese nation to win the War of Resistance from multiple angles, so that the work becomes a declaration of faith of a nation from "suffering" to "victory".

Sing for the people

Xian Xinghai was born in 1905 in Panyu, Guangdong Province (now Lan nu town, Nansha District, Guangzhou), to a poor family in Macau. He has shown outstanding musical talent since childhood, and in his youth, he studied violin and piano at the Institute of Music of Peking University and the National Conservatory of Music in Shanghai, and studied composition theory. In the spring of 1930, he went to Paris, France, to study, and then successfully entered the advanced composition class of the Paris Conservatory of Music, which was opened by the French composer and music critic Paul Duca.

In May 1935, Professor Duka died suddenly, and Xian Xinghai was forced to return to China early after ending his study abroad life. Before leaving Paris, he made a vision in front of the tomb of his mentor to dedicate all his musical talents to his motherland.

After returning to China, Xian Xinghai traveled to Shanghai, Wuhan and other places, actively participating in the creation of anti-war songs and the music of salvation. In Shanghai, he joined the Songwriters Association founded by progressive leftists and became acquainted with musicians such as Lü Ji, Ren Guang, and He Luting, who later made important contributions to China's new music movement. "The interaction with left-wing musicians has opened a door to the vast world of the people for Sin Xinghai's music creation." Liu Disheng, vice chairman of the Guangzhou Writers Association and author of "The Soul of the Great River: Xian Xinghai and His Extraordinary Years", introduced.

During this period, Xian Xinghai had begun to consciously learn from the characteristics of Chinese national music forms and styles, and created a large number of film music and anti-war songs that were closely integrated with the current situation. Among them, film music works such as "Midnight Song" were even more popular throughout the country at that time.

What is less known is that before the birth of the Yellow River Chorus, Xian Xinghai tried to create works on the theme of the Yellow River. In 1936, when the famous film director Wu Yonggang was filming the progressive film "Top Gun", Xian Xinghai was invited to compose a song for the film that reflected the life scenes of the people in the Yellow River area, "Pulling the Plough Song". Because he grew up in the water town of the southern country, he had never been in contact with rural life in north China, and could only rely on the labor trumpet provided by his friends in the north as a reference, so the original song lacked an atmospheric atmosphere.

In the autumn of that year, the film crew went to zhengzhou, Henan province to shoot locations, and Xian Xinghai was gladly invited to accompany him. In Henan, he followed the film crew to Kaifeng, Zhengzhou and other places, and after experiencing the natural environment and customs of the Central Plains on the ground, he finally composed a new "Pulling Plough Song" that exudes the atmosphere of the Yellow River Basin Plain.

Regarding the impact of this experience on Xian Xinghai's future creations, various versions of Xian Xinghai's biography have been described in more detail. Liu Disheng explained: "No matter what kind of narrative, the focus is that the class oppression and national suffering at that time deeply touched Xian Xinghai's heart, laying the groundwork for his transformation from a French Impressionist composer to a 'people's musician'. ”

In 1937, the "8.13" incident broke out, the pace of Japanese invasion of China continued to accelerate, and the domestic situation was critical. Patriots from literary and art circles gathered in Wuhan and established the All-China Theater Industry Anti-Enemy Association. In January of the following year, the All-China Singing Association, a national singing organization established by Xian Xinghai, Zhang Shu and others, also held its inaugural meeting in Wuhan. The nationwide anti-Japanese salvation movement was in full swing, and these non-governmental organizations in the literary and artistic circles were maximizing their role in propagating the anti-Japanese resistance.

Yang Zhen, deputy director of the Xinghai Concert Hall, pointed out that this period of time in the early stage of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was a very important stage in Xian Xinghai's creative career. At this stage, he bid farewell to the depression and grief in the early days of returning to China, showed the warm and tenacious side of his personality, and created clear and majestic works such as "On the Taihang Mountain" and "To the Rear of the Enemy". In addition to the impact of the objective situation, what is even more crucial about this important change is that he has more contact with reality at this stage, has drawn closer to the masses, and has further realized the greatness of the people and the advanced nature of the Communist Party.

One day in March 1938, Xian Xinghai, who was thinking hard about his future, accidentally read the book "Northern Shaanxi in the War of Resistance" and suddenly felt enlightened. In his diary, he expressed his yearning for Yan'an, the holy land of revolution: "China is now two worlds, one sinking towards the fallen place, and the other is a hopeful upward march toward the light." Yan'an is the birthplace of China. ”

Just at this time, all the teachers and students of the Music Department of Lu Xun Art College in Yan'an sent a joint letter, warmly inviting Xian Xinghai to be a professor of the Music Department. With a yearning for freedom and progress, Xian Xinghai and his new wife, Qian Yunling, embarked on a train to Yan'an in the winter of 1938.

Compose music for the Yellow River

On November 20, 1938, Yan'an suffered its first major bombardment. Since then, Xian Xinghai's diary has many records of avoiding bombing, and sometimes even climbed down the ravine several times in a day to live in the air defense trench. In the tribulations of war and the harsh environment, Xian Xinghai still insisted on creating and never interrupted.

In mid-January 1939, the poet Guang Weiran was injured in a horse fall while marching during a performance and remained in Yan'an for treatment. Previously, Xian Xinghai and Guang Weiran had cooperated in many anti-war songs when they were in Wuhan and Anlu, and this time Yan'an reunited the two were determined to join hands again. In the hospital bed, Guang Weiran wrote a set of lyrics "Yellow River Yin" through dictation based on his feelings of crossing the Yellow River twice and marching along the river.

On February 28 of the same year, Chinese New Year's Eve the old calendar, Xian Xinghai, Guang Weiran and others held a small party at the Northwest Hostel, at which Guang Weiran recited the new works. Xian Xinghai was very excited after listening to it, and immediately said that he was sure to write well. At the end of March, after 6 days of intense assault, he completed the composition of the "Yellow River Chorus" in one go.

"This chorus was born out of gunfire." Liu Disheng wrote in "The Soul of the Great River: Xian Xinghai and His Extraordinary Years". At the first music conference in Yan'an held at Shaanxi North Public School on April 13, 1939, "The Yellow River Chorus" was officially performed for the first time. According to Wang Xin, who was studying in the second phase of the Music Department at that time, more than 150 teachers and students of luyi departments participated in the rehearsal on the playground, and instruments such as violin, erhu, sanxin, flute, military trumpet, and big drum were played together. "At that time, Japanese planes went to Yan'an to carry out the second and third major bombings... The indiscriminate bombardment of enemy planes did not cause Lu Yi to suffer losses, nor did it destroy the rehearsal activities of the "Yellow River Chorus". Comrade Xian Xinghai joined us, and we sang loudly, 'The wind is roaring, the horses are roaring, the Yellow River is roaring...' to protest the Japanese bandits' bombing of Yan'an. ”

On May 11, 1939, at the party commemorating the first anniversary of the founding of Lu Yi, Xian Xinghai personally conducted the performance of "Yellow River Chorus". With the powerful swing of the baton, the earth-shattering song shook people's hearts. At the end of the song, the audience erupted in stormy applause. Chairman Mao also praised it one after another: "The work is well written!" It's exciting! ’”

Four days later, Xian Xinghai solemnly submitted an application to join the party: "Like many young people, I am willing to dedicate myself to the party. On June 14 of that year, his application to join the party was approved. On this day, he called the first day of joining the party "the most glorious day of life" in the "Diary", "I hope to change my mind and outlook on life, to fight for the music of the proletariat!" ”

In 1940, Xian Xinghai accepted the arrangement of the central government and went to the Soviet Union to participate in the production of the documentary "Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army", and died in a Moscow hospital in 1945 at the age of 40. His ashes were placed in a cemetery on the outskirts of Moscow, and on stone boxes containing his ashes were inscribed in Russian for his three identities: a Chinese composer, a patriot, and a communist.

Now in Guangzhou, the city is commemorating this great people's musician in many ways and carrying forward the spirit of Xinghai. In 1985, guangzhou conservatory of music was renamed Xinghai Conservatory of Music; in 2005, the 100th anniversary of Xian Xinghai's birth, Panyu Museum set up a personal exhibition hall for him; on Ersha Island, surrounded by the Pearl River in Guangzhou, the Xinghai Concert Hall named after Xian Xinghai has become a literary and artistic landmark in Guangzhou. "Xian Xinghai once clearly put forward the grand goal of 'popularizing music in China' and fought for it all his life." Yang Zhen said, "Let the elegant musical works take the initiative to get close to the public, and let the Xinghai Concert Hall become the spiritual home of every citizen, which is the best inheritance of our Xinghai spirit." ”

■ Interpretation

Fusion of Chinese and Western cultures

Express the call of the times

As a great people's musician in modern China, Xian Xinghai created almost all musical genres in his short musical life, and left behind many classic works of the War of Resistance. Cheng Xingwang believes that the eternal charm of a work of art lies in the dialectical unity of its appeal and illuminating power.

Focusing on the grand realistic theme of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Xian Xinghai created a unique sound structure with eight movements that organically combine narrative lyricism, a distinct and rich national style, a catchy melodic tune, a flexible and diverse singing combination, a concise and effective polyphonic technique, and a clever and effective recitation technique, etc., creating a unique sound structure, creating a vivid and vivid artistic image, showing a huge illumination while showing the shocking appeal. This is the root of this work's ability to transcend time and space.

At the same time, Xian Xinghai's road of music creation is an innovative road opened up from the integration of Chinese and Western cultures. Cheng Xingwang said that Lingnan culture has become an inseparable part of his cultural psychological structure, and Xian Xinghai's music creation is naturally deeply influenced by Lingnan culture, which is genetically influenced.

More importantly, Xian Xinghai was not confined to the shackles of Lingnan cultural genes, but after learning and mastering Western composition techniques, he clearly proposed to organically combine traditional Chinese national music with Western composition techniques to create national music that meets the needs of the revolution and meets the interests of the workers and peasants, creates national music with Chinese spirit, Chinese style, and Chinese style, and creates the most national and world-like Chinese music. "Yellow River Chorus" expresses the voice of the times in a unique musical way, which fully reflects that Xian Xinghai's creative pursuit and creative practice are unified, and the creative results are consistent with the actual needs, and this combination of Chinese and Western creative pursuits still has great practical significance to this day.

At the same time, Yang Zhen pointed out that the core of the Xinghai spirit is the pursuit, love and firm ideal of music salvation for the music profession. Today's literary and art workers should continue to draw impetus from the spirit of Xinghai, strive to improve their own professional level, cultivate noble moral sentiments, shoulder the sense of moral responsibility with iron shoulders, persist in viewing real life with artistic feelings, express the voice of the people, and strive to create more classics like "The Yellow River Chorus" that are famous in history and have been passed down for a long time.

Southern Daily reporters Li Wenxuan, Sun Yujia, and Zhang Shumei

Coordinator: Guo Shan

Planner: Chen Zhi, Li He