On July 2, sponsored by the National Radio and Television Administration and hosted by the China Radio Art Troupe, the large-scale theme concert "People are the River and Mountains" - Singing in the New Era was staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts. As the first performance of the fourth China Radio Art Troupe Art Season in 2023, the concert brought a special auditory feast to the audience with a magnificent symphonic vocabulary, innovative integration of vocal singing, instrumental performance, chorus, recitation and other forms of expression.

After the performance, Liu Xuejun, member of the CPPCC National Committee and head of the China Radio Art Troupe, and Zhang Gaoxiang, deputy head of the China Radio Art Troupe, shared the creative story behind the theme concert.

"Harmony without Distinction" Chinese and Western instruments play "Home" together

Gasps went up as the four musicians entered the concert hall with the morin qin, classical guitar, saxophone and accordion, as if the audience were surprised that all these instruments were on stage at the same time.

After taking his place, Chaokjiltu, a Matouqin player dressed in Mongolian costume, nodded to Fan Tao, the orchestra's conductor, who then waved his baton. Under the performance of four musicians and the China Film Orchestra, the symphony "Homeland", which expresses China's vision of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, completed its premiere in the concert hall of the National Center for the Performing Arts.

"Home" was created by Zhang Shiyue, a young composer of the China Radio Art Troupe. Chinese and Western Musical Instruments of different regional cultures and different musical colors have a passionate collision and dialogue, showing the concept of "harmony but diversity" in Chinese culture. This piece of music is also an important part of the China Radio Art Troupe's "gift" to the Party's 102nd birthday.

"As a national-level art troupe with diverse artistic categories, we have fully integrated symphony, vocal music, chorus, folk songs, opera, recitation and other art forms to create a special concert for everyone." The concert producer Liu Xuejun said in an interview with our reporter.

There are six chapters in the whole performance, in addition to the prelude and the epilogue, the four theme chapters are "Guiding China", "One hundred years of beauty", "People's Country" and "Splendid chapter". There are well-known red songs, but also innovative arrangements of the era melody. In the selection, arrangement and performance of the links, the China Radio Art Troupe spent a lot of thought.

Folk music "point description" expresses the uniqueness of Chinese music

In the unit of "One hundred years of beauty", the four red songs of "Red Mountain", "Ten Sending Red Army", "Wanquan River" and "Shandanhua Blooming Red" are presented in a joint singing mode. Singers interpret several classics based on different singing methods, and the addition of pipa and flute adds a different national color to them.

"The four songs show the historical stories of the Communist Party of China in different periods and regions." Zhang Gaoxiang introduced.

Zhang Gaoxiang is the general director of the concert. When talking about the use of pipa and flute, he explained: "Compared with a huge symphony orchestra, the addition of national instruments is a kind of point drawing, which can better render national colors and express the uniqueness of our music."

Zhang Gaoxiang believes that the Chinese national music, folk songs, opera and so on are unique elements of Chinese music. National Musical Instruments rooted in the innovation and development of traditional culture have their own heritage of Chinese culture.

In addition to folk instruments, the concert also showcased another name card of Chinese culture -- Peking Opera.

"When we mention the keywords' modern Peking Opera 'and' Communist Party of China, 'what comes to mind first?" Zhang Gaoxiang said, "Most people's answer must be 'The Taking of Tiger Mountain'".

The last performance of the first half of the concert, Jinghu and the orchestra, "Red Heart and Loyalty", was adapted and composed by composers Wu Hua and Ma Jun from the famous modern Peking Opera "Taking Tiger Mountain". When Jiang Kemi and Zhang Xuguang, the Hu qin players, appeared on the stage, the audience expressed their joy at the addition of Jinghu and Beijing Erhu to the performance with warm applause.

When talking about the composer's innovative adaptation of this well-known verse, Zhang Gaoxiang said that inheritance and development are the eternal theme of folk music creation. "On the basis of inheriting the spirit and charm of Peking Opera, the composer boldly expanded the application of Jinghu performance skills, and expanded and reshaped the form structure, which made great innovations in the musical language of the whole program."

New singing of old words, new playing of old songs, the bold innovation of artists has given the classic works more vitality.

Beijing Opera artists Zhang Xinyue and Fu Xiru's interpretation of the opera song "Zhonghua" shows the fusion of traditional Peking Opera voice and modern musical vocabulary. Based on Beijing Opera music, this work combines song structure with Beijing Opera plate cavity, and forms a distinct artistic personality and characteristics through symphonic music, Beijing Opera ensemble and chorus.

The new compilation of the old song "Happy news" sings national unity

The orchestral piece "Good News from Beijing to the Border Village", composed in the 1970s, was presented in the form of symphonic chorus at this concert. Different from the past, this performance was also composed by lyricist Wang Xiaoling and composer Hu Tingjiang based on the original song, "Good News from the Border Village to Beijing".

"Before, only the good news of Beijing reached the border village, but now the good news of poverty alleviation in the border village area also reached Beijing." According to Zhang Gaoxiang, the music expresses the joy of the border people for a better and better life, so as to show the unity of the Party Central Committee and the people of all ethnic groups in China.

Enthusiastic melody, sonorous and bright accompaniment, adult chorus and children's chorus "you come to me to" duet, the audience can glimpse some minority folk songs shadow.

An interlude played by Wang Xiaomei, a performer in Miao costume, is the "finishing touch" of the whole song. At the start of the performance, she got up and did a little Lusheng dance. In the cheerful atmosphere, the audience seemed to be taken thousands of miles away by the artist to the border village, and the Miao young boys and girls who played the Lusheng in the mountains and fields sang and danced with abandon.

While presenting a pure and unique music event for the audience, the China Radio Art Troupe also tries to explore the emotion and value of music and the current era with classic melodies.

In Liu Xuejun's view, there are two indispensable conditions for a concert to impress the audience, one is excellent musical works, and the other is the performer's deep interpretation and exquisite expression of the work. He said: "As a large national art troupe, the China Radio Art Troupe should have this responsibility. While building a big cultural IP and carrying forward the main theme, we also need to be very down-to-earth and send good cultural works to the people."

The concert came to an end in the chorus of "Singing the Motherland", and the "2023 Fourth China Radio Art Troupe Art Season" has just begun. It is reported that the original opera "Mogao Grottoes" concert, "Peach and Plum Fragrance" special concert, "New crosstalk works Evening" and "Stars" crosstalk special evening will be on the stage from August to October.