Chapter 67 66. Xian Xinghai—Ode to the National Spirit of the Yellow River

Xian Xinghai (1905-1945), formerly known as Huang Xun and Kong Yu, was born in a poor boatman's family in Macau with his ancestral home in Panyu, Guangdong.A famous modern Chinese musician and Chinese composer. When Xian Xinghai was young, he lived in Malaya with his mother to make a living. After returning to China in 1918, he successively entered the High School Affiliated to Lingnan University and Lingnan University, and loved music. In 1926, he entered the Institute of Music Transmission of Peking University. In 1928, he entered the Shanghai National Institute of Music to study violin and piano. In 1929, he went to Paris for a work-study program, under the tutelage of the famous violinist Pani Obedofel and the famous composer Paul Ducasse. In 1931, he was admitted to the Paris Conservatory of Music with honors and studied in the advanced composition class. The first Chinese candidate in decades.During his stay in France, he created more than ten works including "Wind", "Wandering Zi Yin", "Violin Sonata in D Minor".

After returning to China in 1935, he actively participated in the anti-Japanese and national salvation movement in Shanghai. Taiping Heavenly Kingdom", "Thunderstorm" and other compositions.When participating in the Shanghai Federation of Students' propaganda activities for national salvation in the suburbs, the Kuomintang authorities sent security teams to the scene to stop the students, and the confrontation was tense.At this time, the young poet Sai Ke handed over a poem he wrote to Xian Xinghai.Filled with anger, Xian Xinghai recited it twice, and leaned against the wall to write the score in just 5 minutes——"Muzzle facing outward / march forward in unison / don't hurt the common people / don't hit your own people /..." this song "Song of the National Salvation Army" was sung among the students on the spot, and then the common people present and even the soldiers of the security team also sang along. Many people wept while singing.

After the outbreak of the National Anti-Japanese War in 1937, he joined the Second Wartime Theater Team of the Shanghai drama circle to carry out anti-Japanese literary and artistic propaganda.He arrived in Wuhan in October of the same year, and soon joined the Third Hall of the Political Department of the Military Commission of the National Government led by Zhou Enlai and Guo Moruo, and participated in hosting the anti-Japanese music work.He went deep into schools, villages, factories and mines, taught and sang anti-Japanese songs to the masses, and held anti-war singing activities, which played a powerful role in mobilizing the masses.During this period, he composed famous anti-Japanese songs such as "Defend the Marco Polo Bridge", "Guerrilla Army Song", "On the Taihang Mountains" and "Go Behind the Enemy".

At the end of 1938, Xian Xinghai arrived in Yan'an and later served as the director of the Music Department of Lu Xun Academy of Arts. In March 1939, the "Yellow River Cantata" written by the poet Guang Weiran and composed by him became the eternal swan song of the Chinese nation.This work is divided into 9 movements including "Ode to the Yellow River" and "Defend the Yellow River". It praises the fighting spirit of the Chinese people, shows the magnificent picture of the War of Resistance Against Japan, and shapes the heroic image of the Chinese nation.The whole song is majestic, closely combining the spirit of the times, national spirit and popular art forms, and has become a musical epic reflecting the Chinese national liberation movement. On April 13, 1939, "Yellow River Cantata" was performed in the auditorium of Yan'an North Shaanxi Public School. On May 11, at the party celebrating the first anniversary of the founding of Yan'an Luxun Academy of Arts, Mao Zedong and other central leaders watched the "Yellow River Cantata" performed by Xian Xinghai and praised it repeatedly.After Zhou Enlai returned to Yan'an from Chongqing to watch the performance, he wrote an inscription on July 8: "Shout a roar for the war of resistance, and make a cry for the masses!" This musical epic full of revolutionary heroism inspired countless passionate young people to devote themselves to national liberation He rushed to the forefront of the anti-Japanese war, which greatly encouraged the anti-Japanese fighting spirit of the soldiers and civilians across the country.

Under the difficult conditions in Yan'an, the Party Central Committee decided to give Xian Xinghai a monthly allowance of 15 yuan, while the monthly allowance of Commander-in-Chief Zhu De was only 5 yuan.In addition, Lu Yi's teaching assistants get 6 yuan, and teachers get 12 yuan.Xian Xinghai can eat meat twice a week, rice twice, and add an extra soup to each meal.These all reflect the party organization's respect for special talents. In June 1939, Xian Xinghai joined the Communist Party of China with honor.Xian Xinghai not only joined the party in terms of organization, but also reached a new level in artistic creation.In the absence of a piano in Yan'an, he completed most of the major works in his life and trained a large number of music cadres for the party.It should be said that this is precisely the result of the influence of the revolutionary environment around him.Like Nie Er, Xian Xinghai regards music as a weapon to fight for the liberation of the masses, and the people will always remember them in their songs.

In May 1940, he was sent by the Party Central Committee to the Soviet Union to compose the soundtrack for the large-scale documentary "Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army".Before leaving, Mao Zedong invited him to dinner at home in his busy schedule and bid farewell to him.Soon after arriving in the Soviet Union, the Great Patriotic War broke out.It was difficult for him to return home due to the war and traffic barriers.In the meantime, using music as a weapon, he wrote the symphonies "National Liberation" and "Holy War", and the orchestral suites "Man Jianghong" and "Chinese Rhapsody", praising the anti-fascist war of the Soviet people and expressing his deep nostalgia for the motherland.Due to long-term fatigue and malnutrition, his lung disease worsened, and he died in Moscow in October 1945.People from all walks of life in Yan'an held a memorial service for him, and Mao Zedong wrote an inscription: "Sorrow for the people's musician Xian Xinghai".