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Serge Prokofieff
&
Xian Xinghai
The Symphony Classique, Opus 25
vs.
the Yellow River Piano Concert
By: Sheilouise Sarain & Kimm Hernandez
Serge Prokofieff (1891-1953)
Born 1891 Sontsvka, Ukraine
Personality: Stubborn, ill tempered and unfriendly
Places lived:
England
Japan
USA
France
Moscow
Biographics
Influences:
Mother was pianist that encouraged him to be involved in music
Private lessons with Reinhold Gliere
Entered St Petersburg Conservatory studying under Lyadov –
also taught by Rimsky-Korsakov and Tcherepnin
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Work: Wrote first opera at age 9
(age 13—composed four operas, one symphony, two sonatas,etc)
Traveled abroad round during start of Russian revolution (1917)
–world tour
Map of China
Hwang He River flows through a large portion of China
Xian Xinghai (1905-1945)
Born: (June 13, 1905 – October 30, 1945)
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Born in Macau in 1905.
Moved frequently in his childhood with his mother
as his father died before Xian’s birth.
In 1926, he joined the National Music Institute at
Peking University to study music and in 1928 he
entered Shanghai National Music Conservatory to
study violin and piano.
In 1929 he went to Paris under government
sponsorship and in 1934 he was the first Chinese
student admitted to the Paris Conservatory to study
·One of tne of the earliest generation of
Chinese composers influenced who fused
elements of western classical music and
chinese traditional elements.
He is best known for his Yellow River
Cantata upon which the Yellow River
Concerto for piano and orchestra is based.
Yellow River Cantata vs. The Yellow River Concerto
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The Yellow River Cantata is the original
version by Xian Xinghai.
It was composed in Yan'an in 1939 during
the Second Singo-Japanese War. It was
inspired by a patriotic poem by Guang
Weiran.
There are four alternate versions of the
Yellow River Cantata.
The current arrangement of the Yellow
River Cantata has eight separate
movements. However, most performances
only use seven, omitting the fourth. The
cantata is meant to be performed by a full
Western orchestra with some Chinese
instruments, and a full SATB choir.
The premiere of the Cantata only had 2-3
violins and twenty+ Chinese ethnic musical
instruments. The rest of the products were
improvised (diesel barrels for bass strings
and washbasins for percussions.
The Yellow River Concerto is an arranged
collaboration between Yin Chenzong and
Chu Wanghua.
Yellow River Piano Concert
Waterfall in Hokou
The Yellow River
The Yellow River Piano Concerto
I. Prelude: The Song of the Yellow River Boatman
The song depicts the tumultuous waves of the Yellow River. The flowing parts of the song
describe the ebb and flow of the tides.
II. Ode to the Yellow River
Sung to glorify and honor the Yellow River as the symbol of cultural pride of the Chinese.
III. The Wrath of the Yellow River
Inspired by the Jiangnan melody of the Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto but rewritten in the
style of northwest Shanbei folk idioms. Combines references to other culturally influencing
Chinese songs such as the melody from the Ballad of the Yellow Rivers and Lament of the
Yellow River.
IV. Finale: Defend the Yellow River
The finale of the concerto, uses references to the tune from The East is Red. Has a dramatic feel
that epitomizes the pride of the Chinese.
The Yellow River Piano
Concert
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Along with the Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto, these
works are important because they combine
internationally known Chinese works with Western
music methodology and influences.
The Yellow River Cantata Intro
In 1935, Xian returned to China to the Japanese occupation of
Manchuria. Xian used his music as a way to motivate the
people to fight for their country. Throughout the SinoJapanese War, he wrote various other pieces including Saving
the Nation, Non-Resistance the Only Fear, Song of
Guerrillas, The Roads Are Opened by Us, The Vast
Siberia,Children of the Motherland, Go to the Homefront of
the Enemy, and On the Taihang Mountains. He worked for
film studios before going to the Communist headquarters in
Yan'an, where he became dean of the Music Department at
Lu Xun Institute of Arts in 1938. It is at this time that he
composed the famous Yellow River Cantata and the
Production Cantata
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Context of the Yellow River
Cantata
It is an eight-movement piece in which he used
traditional folk-melodies and evoked the image of the
Yellow River (Hwang He) as a symbol of Chinese
defiance against the Japanese invaders.
Based on the perception of the Chinese Communist
Party, after the Wuhan fell to Japanese invaders in
November 1938, Guang Weiran led the 3rd Squad of the
Anti-Enemey Troupe across the Yellow River east
towards the communist anti-Japanese headquarters. At
the ferry near Hukou, the waters of the yellow river
formed a magnificent waterfall which inspired Guang
Weiran to write his patriotic poem, Yellow River.
Context of the Yellow River
Cantata
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The poem, Yellow River, was then recited during the Chinese
New Year celebrations which portrayed Chinese oppression
under Japanese invaders and called for action to unite
against their captors. Xian Xinghai was present at the recital
and was thus inspired to write the Cantata.
According to Xian’s daughter, the composition took only 4
days to complete all 7 movements. It was written in a cave
performed by a primitive orchestra and forty person choir
and inspired all listeners to participate in the anti-Japanese
war.
The Cantata reflects the patriotism of the Chinese people
during the war and uses Western textures blended with
Chinese elements to narrate the story of the Chinese people.
Context of the Yellow River
Cantata
• The Yellow River Cantata was intended to evoke feelings
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of nationalism and uprising against Japanese invaders.
Like the Yellow River, majestic in its beauty and
powerful, the Chinese people must unite against the
invaders.
During the Cultural Revolution, the Cantata was banned
from Performance during the Cultural Revolution. The
Central Philharmonic Orchestra was forbidden to
perform any Western orchestral pieces.
Context of the Yellow River
Piano Concerto
• Under the times of oppression from the Cultural
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Revolution, a pianist Yin Chengzong drove to Tiananmen
Square to accompany the revolutionary songs and
activities.
Under orders of Madame Mao, musicians from the Central
Philharmonic Society including Yin Chengzong, Liu
Zhuang, Chu Wanghua, Sheng Lihong, Shi Shucheng, and
Xu Feixing rearranged the cantata into the piano concerto.
The concerto was essentially a sign of rebellion under the
repressive regime.
Context of Symphony
Classique
Works Cited
"http://library.thinkquest.org/22673/prokofiev.html"
"http://www.rsno.org.uk/maestromusic/resources/2012/prokofiev_classical_s
ymphony.pdf"http://www.rsno.org.uk/maestromusic/resources/2012/prok
ofiev_classical_symphony.pdf
"http://www.myaskovsky.ru/?id=22"
http://www.myaskovsky.ru/?id=22
http://www.beijingifc.org/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl
e&id=92:xian-xinghai-yellow-river-cantata&catid=40:concerts&Itemid=150
http://www.interkultur.com/xian-xinghai/
http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_artqa/2003-10/23/content_43954.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_River_Concerto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_River_Cantata
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xian_Xinghai
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07082008094928/unrestricted/dissertation.pdf
https://circle.ubc.ca/bitstream/handle/2429/6290/ubc_1996090574.pdf?sequence=1