On June 23, Ma Ziyue, the first generation singer of "Long March Suite", Yu Naijiu, the second generation singer, Ye Cui and Zhang Dawei, and the soldier male choir of the Beijing Armed Police Corps gathered at the National Centre for the Performing Arts to relive the story behind "Long March Suite". As one of the series of activities of the National Centre for the Performing Arts to celebrate the centenary of the founding of the Party, "Tribute to the Long March - Large-scale Vocal Suite "Long March Suite"" brings together three generations of artists to pay tribute to the great spirit of the Long March.
From October 1934 to October 1936, the Communist Party of China led the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army in an unprecedented 25,000-mile long march. "The Long March is the highest embodiment of patriotism and revolutionary heroism." Shao Weizheng said in an interview that today, the spirit of the Long March will continue to inject inexhaustible motivation into our party and army to overcome difficulties and move forward with courage and determination.
The birth of "Long March Suite Song" is a product of the times and a musical classic that is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. In 1965, Xiao Hua, who had participated in the Long March, recalled his real experience in the Long March and completed 12 epic poems with clear images and sincere feelings in 3 months, "Long March Group Poems - The Red Army Is Not Afraid of Expeditions". Subsequently, composers Chen Geng, Sheng Mao, Tang Hao, and Yu Qiu chose 10 of them, "Farewell", "Breaking through the Blockade Line", "Zunyi Conference Shines", "Four Crossings of Chishui Surprise Soldiers", "Flying Over the River", "Crossing the Snowy Mountain Meadows", "To Wuqi Town", "Zhu Jie", "Annunciation" and "Assembly Division", composing a group of songs, 10 interlocking scenes of combat life, skillfully integrating the folk tunes of various regions with the tunes of the traditional songs of the Red Army, and finally converging into a film with a distinct theme, rich content, and novel form. A large-scale vocal suite with a unique style, "Long March Suite".
"The Long March Suite song has gone through 56 spring and autumn seasons. When I was a young man, I sang a classic in Beijing on August 1, 1965, and I did not expect that this classic would accompany me all my life. Speaking of the "Long March Suite Song", Ma Ziyue said emotionally, "This is a line of poetry written by General Xiao Hua with the story in his blood, which summed up the whole picture in only 680 words." At that time we sang about this hard life, learning from the heroic spirit of the Red Army, and now we are singing about the culture and spirit of the Long March. Ma Ziyue loves collecting, and for decades, he has collected a large number of precious materials such as photos, program lists, posters and other precious materials about "Long March Suite Songs", and interviewed many main creative artists. It can be said that "Long March Suite Song" has been integrated into the blood of Ma Ziyue. "When we sang the "Long March Group Song", we understood the Long March, we read the Long March, and we understood the original intention and mission of our communists. This year is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the party, and I am also very honored to receive the 'Glorious 50 Years in the Party' commemorative medal, I feel very honored." This is a responsibility, and we must pass on the spirit of the Long March from generation to generation, and sing the "Long March Suite" from generation to generation. ”
Ye Cui said: "At the great moment of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party this year, Singing this work again, I will incorporate more pride and self-confidence into it." I want to continue to study the history of the Long March, and through study, I will carry forward this spirit of inheriting this Long March. Through the interpretation of this work, we will carry forward and inherit the spirit of the Long March. Zhang Dawei said: "Today's young people have not experienced the arduous years of the Long March. What we can do is to inherit and carry forward, and take the long march of our own new era. ”
After that, the series of activities of "Party History in Literary and Art Classics" will continue to be carried forward through artists' lectures and art exhibitions, with the idea of "works as the point, party history as the program, and spirit as the soul", using classic literary and artistic works to connect the hundred-year course of the Communist Party of China, carry forward the spirit of the Communist Party, gather strength, and inspire people's hearts.
Photography / Liu Fang
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Tian Wanting
Editor/Bow Lifang