Editor's press
Red memory is an eternal monument. An inspiring revolutionary song, a touching revolutionary story, exist deep in the memory of generations. In Xian Xinghai’s 40-year short life, he contributed immortal musical masterpieces to the entire nation’s war of resistance. He used many excellent musical works to show the Chinese national spirit of self-improvement and tenacious struggle in times of crisis. He used practical actions to interpret one The musician's love for the motherland, the people, and life.
On the 75th anniversary of the death of People's Musician Xian Xinghai. We specially push the "Yellow River Child-Xian Xinghai" series of tweets, in memory of this people's musician who used music as a weapon and actively participated in the anti-Japanese and national salvation movement, relived that period of prosperous years and the legend behind it, and inherited the red gene. Carry forward the revolutionary spirit and arouse our surging force to move forward courageously.
Yellow River Child-Xian Xinghai (6) | Singing for the People
In the summer of 1936, preparations for the filming of the salvation film "Rising Clouds", which reflected ethnic contradictions, began, and Xinghai served as the soundtrack and composition. Before Xinghai returned to China, Nie Er did most of the soundtrack and interlude work that described the People’s War of the People’s Labor and Anti-Japanese Salvation. After Nie Er died, many left-wing musicians regarded Xinghai as Nie Er’s successor. Although Xinghai had never met Nie Er, he admired him very much. Nie Er's anti-Japanese songs influenced Xinghai to a large extent. The salvation songs "Salvation March" and "Salvation Army Song" composed afterwards were regarded as the continuation of Nie Er's creative style by the Left League.
Xian Xinghai and Sheng Jialun (left)
"Rising Clouds" is an important chapter in the history of Chinese film, reflecting the warlord's melee period. Under the force of warlords' iron hooves and natural disasters, farmers in Yellow River City left their homes in exile and lived hard. Finally, when their homes were rebuilt, their children and grandchildren encountered the beacon of "September 18". When the bullying of Japanese invaders fell on them again, the hearts of these poor farmers ignited a flame of anger, and they finally became the spark of a prairie fire. Throw yourself into the torrent of anti-Japanese and national salvation. Xinghai, who grew up in the southern water village, has never been in contact with the life in the rural areas of North China. When I first composed the episode "Lap Lige", only a few northern friends provided some labor chants for reference, so it always sounded too heavy for the sentiment of the water village. It lacks the vigorous atmosphere of the northern plains.
In the fall of 1936, Wu Yonggang, the photographer of this film, was going to Zhengzhou, Henan Province for location shooting, so he suggested Xinghai to go with him. In this way, Xinghai will not only have the opportunity to get in touch with the rural life in the north, the natural environment and customs in the plains of the Yellow River Basin, make up for the lack of northern flavor in his creation, but also enrich his personal life experience, which is beneficial to future creation. Xinghai readily accepted.
Facts have proved that this time gathering in North China not only allowed Xinghai to complete the creation of "Song of Pulling a Plow", but also accumulated his creative materials, making preliminary preparations for the majestic and vigorous immortal movement "Yellow River Cantata".
Xinghai was busy collecting data during this time when he was out collecting the wind. He went to the fair to the temple fair and listened to the singing of folk artists; he went to the ferry along the Yellow River and listened to the boatmen's chants; he also liked to stand on the embankment of the Yellow River and listen to the endless waves of the Yellow River. According to Wu Yonggang's later recollection of this life: "Song of La Li" may be a starting point for Xinghai's future works. His love of work and love of life gave birth to creative impulse at that time. Xinghai grew rapidly in the revolutionary struggle and continued to create in the revolutionary struggle. Z1z
Xinghai mostly composes songs, dubbs, and teaches singing for leftists in Shanghai's cultural, drama and music circles. He has written the episodes of the drama "Resurrection" "The Vast Siberia" and the episodes of "Mo Ding", "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom", "Tanfu Music" and "Dajiangshan", as well as "Song of Pillars" in "Sunrise". In addition, he wrote songs such as "Children Without the Motherland", "Drought Song" and "Lu Xun's Mourning Song", dubbing all episodes of "Big Thunderstorm". At the beginning of 1936, Xinghai created two solo songs "Old Horse" and "Broken Chapter" following the model of European art songs. Xinghai called this multi-tone style with ethnic forms "artistic lyrics" and presented them as gifts. To my friend Sheng Jianyi. Many of the works of
"Broken Chapter" manuscript
Xinghai are derived from the actual needs of the revolutionary war, and the direction of music creation is fully clarified in this process. After the full-scale outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, all walks of life across the country supported the War of Resistance against Japan in different ways. In this massive anti-Japanese national salvation movement, literary workThe writers took up literary and artistic weapons, and actively and enthusiastically devoted themselves to the work of propaganda and agitation for united resistance. Xinghai participated in the second wartime mobile drama team of the Shanghai Drama Circle Salvation Association, went to various places to carry out anti-Japanese propaganda, and became a pioneer of anti-Japanese literature and art. During this period, he created "Guerilla Army", "Praise of New China", "On the Taihang Mountains", "Going Behind the Enemy", "Making Cotton" and "March in the South of the Yangtze River" and other widely circulated excellent works.
Xinghai did his best to use music and salvation singing activities to inspire and serve the war.
From Shanghai to Wuhan, from Xuzhou to Henan, wherever Xinghai went, Xinghai devoted himself to the work of literature and art. Whether it is singing songs or organizing a chorus, whether it is teaching salvation songs or composing songs, Xinghai has an extremely passionate sense of national responsibility and the confidence of the Chinese people to win.
"The Second Drama Team" set off from Xujiahui, Shanghai by boat (Xian Xinghai on the left) to Qingpu
Xinghai to actively participate in the anti-Japanese and national salvation movement. His creation and even the improvement of his ideological realm are very good tempers. In addition to teaching singing and acting, Xinghai also actively wrote and published articles such as "Songs of Salvation in Luoyang" and "The Mission of Salvation Music in the Anti-Japanese War" in order to further promote the salvation singing during this period, explaining that singing is useful for propagating anti-Japanese war The positive role of national salvation:
salvation singing is one of the important tasks in the rear, as important as text propaganda and acting propaganda, and can also arouse people's emotions against the enemy. The current situation of the Chinese nation is in a period of struggle for liberation. The salvation song is a contemporary art produced by actual needs, and it bears the responsibility of building public national defense. The stronger its voice, the greater its influence; in other words, it was the only spiritual comforter of our nation at that time, an underdog The nation cannot lack the voice of salvation.
Reference materials:
1. "Mao Zedong Literature and Art", People's Literature Publishing House, December 1958, 1st edition.
2. Lei Hongwei, "Yellow River Trumpeter Xian Xinghai", Southern Press, April 1997 edition.
3 Qiu Xuan, "People's Singer Xian Xinghai", Life·Reading·Xinzhi Sanlian Bookstore.
4. Picture from Xian Xinghai Memorial Hall, Lanhe Town.
