In p>195, Li Shutong wrote the lyrics of Song of the Motherland as a singing textbook for the Shanghai Society. This song, based on China folk music "Lao Liu Ban", expressed strong patriotic enthusiasm and was well received by young students. It was soon sung in other cities from Shanghai and had a great influence. In 195, Li Shutong published the Collection of Songs of Chinese Studies, and the lyrics were The Book of Songs, Lisao, Tang and Song poems, which showed the author's profound "Chinese Studies" and his emphasis on Chinese Studies.
In p>196, Li Shutong founded Music Magazine in Japan, which was printed in Japan and sent back to China for distribution. Although this magazine has only been published once, it is the first music magazine in China's modern music history. This magazine includes pictures, illustrations, music history, music classics and other columns. Except for the music classics, three lyrics and some illustrations, the other contents (including cover design and watercolor painting) are all written by Li Shutong, with the signature "Xi Shuang". He wrote in the "preface" of the magazine: "Gai ponders morality and promotes the perfection of society; Cultivate temperament, feel the beauty of spirit, and the power of utility, it is better to have extreme! " He discussed the different sounds and feelings given by various kinds of acoustics in nature, and thought that if the acoustics in nature were processed into "music", it would play a huge social function. This preface also embodies Li Shutong's music enlightenment education thought and music view.
This magazine also published three music songs written by Li Shutong: Sui Di Liu, My Country and Running in the Spring Suburb. "My Country" is based on the lyrics he wrote when he was in Shanghai, and he chose a Japanese music < P > to compose it. The heroic and magnificent lyrics are full of patriotic passion, expressing his strong desire for the motherland to be rich and strong. When Li Shutong played and sang this song, he was worried about the motherland insulted by the great powers and the people known as the "sick man of East Asia". "Spring Suburb Race" adopts the score of the German song "Trojan Horse", and the lyrics write: "Run, run, run! Let's see who gets here first. The willows are green and the peach blossoms are smiling. Everything is spring, and men are young. Run, run, run! The championship was won. " Filled with the breath of spring and healthy and happy feelings.
Li Shutong also compiled the biography of Le Sheng Bi Du Fen, an introduction to the great musician Beethoven, based on the materials in the History of Western Music written by Saburo Ishihara, and carefully drew the statue of Le Sheng Bi Du Fen with charcoal pen. Li Shutong was not only the first China native to introduce Beethoven to Chinese people, but also the first person to address Beethoven as a "saint of music". Li Shutong also put forward his own views on musical notation and staff in the article Yesterday's Record. He thinks, "A collection of songs from Japan ten years ago, or those who used the notation of 1234. Today, since singing in kindergarten, they all use five-line music spectrum. Most of the recent singing collections in our country and music professors in various schools use simple music scores, which seems inappropriate. " He also regretted that his newly published Collection of Songs of Chinese Studies failed to use the staff personally: "Last year, I compiled Collection of Songs of Chinese Studies at the request of my friends. So far, it is the first thing to think about it. I have written to my friends before, and I will not sell it again and destroy the edition to thank me. "
In p>1913, Li Shutong edited Baiyang magazine when he was teaching in Zhejiang No.1 Normal School. In the magazine, he published articles introducing western musical instruments and his own chorus "Spring outing". This publication also includes articles on literature and fine arts. From the musical point of view, it can be regarded as a companion piece of Music Magazine.
Li Shutong is an enlightenment musician and music writer in modern China. Modern music in China originated from "School Songs" which were mostly written with foreign music scores, and Li Shutong was an important author of "School Songs". There are nearly one hundred pieces of Li Shutong's lyrics and music selections, and the exact number has not been verified. Fifty Famous Chinese Songs edited by Feng Zikai and Qiu Menghen are mostly music songs written by Li Shutong from 1912 to 1918. Once published, the collection of songs was selected as a teaching material by schools all over the country, and it was reprinted ten times in a row, becoming one of the collection of teaching songs with the longest dissemination time and the largest circulation in modern China. Feng Zikai pointed out in the preface of this song collection: "Mr. Li has a deep heart and both literary talent and musical talent, so only Mr. Li was able to write music and lyrics at that time." Although it is inevitable to praise the teacher, it also reflects Li Shutong's position in the creation of music songs in a certain sense.
Li Shutong's thought of music education also runs through his music and song creation. Li Shutong's music songs reflect his musical ideas of "promoting the perfection of society" and "feeling the beauty of spirit", which have far-reaching influence. As early as 194, when the Shanghai Society was held, Li Shutong invited Shen Xingong to set up a music and song class in the cultural cram school of the Shanghai Society, and he also listened to the lectures and received the enlightenment education of music. At that time, the country was in the midst of internal troubles and foreign invasion, and it was necessary to vigorously carry forward the spirit of patriotism. The Song of the Motherland, which was taught by Li Shutong in Shanghai Society, has appropriate lyrics and songs, distinctive theme and rich national music characteristics, which praises the ancient Chinese civilization and expresses the national spirit of self-improvement. After he became a monk, although he devoted himself to studying and promoting Buddhism, he was still invited to write patriotic songs under the guidance of the idea of "remembering Buddhism and saving the country". His works during this period were collected as Cool Songs, which was published by Shanghai Kaiming Bookstore in 1936.
Li Shutong's music and songs are of high artistic level, especially in multi-voice chorus songs. His "Spring Tour" is the earliest three-part vocal music work in China, and it is also the earliest exploration for China composers to create multi-part music by using western composition techniques. The harmony and melody of this song are very neat, beautiful and natural, which is a model of campus songs.
One of Li Shutong's most popular and influential songs is Farewell. The lyrics of "Farewell" are actually a true portrayal of his "mixed feelings of sadness and joy" life, which is touching and perfectly matched with the music score of American composer Odway with a slight change. One of the lyrics has produced different versions in circulation: some people use the phrase "Let's leave Meng Han tonight with a gourd ladle", some people sing the phrase "gourd ladle" as "song", and some people sing it as "welcome" or "pot". In this regard, it is difficult to identify because the lyrics of "Farewell" written by Li Shutong have not been seen so far. The first published version of Farewell is Fifty Songs of Famous Chinese Songs co-edited by Feng Zikai and Qiu Menghen. The lyrics of Farewell in this book are "Let's leave Meng Han tonight after a spoonful of turbid wine". Later, Feng Zikai compiled The Collection of Li Shutong Songs, which included 32 songs composed or written by Li Shutong. The lyrics were all written by Feng Zikai's brush. In the lyrics of Farewell, this sentence is also "a spoonful of turbid wine is full of joy". Therefore, some people think that the reliability of "Feng Zikai Edition" is beyond doubt and should be regarded as the authentic original. But "ladle" is generally used to scoop water or pinch flour and other utensils; However, the "water bottle" was an ancient wine container. On this basis, some people question the reliability of Feng Zikai's version, and think that the shape of "Zhang" is similar to that of "Piao", which may be because Feng Zikai made mistakes in the writing process.
In the process of its dissemination, Farewell appeared in several versions, such as "Zhang", "Piao", "Hu" and "Hu", but there is no consensus. However, I don't agree with the versions of "welcome" and "pot" in this sentence. First, there is no basis. Second, a scholar like Li Shutong is unlikely to use "welcome" or "pot" in his lyrics.
This song was also selected as an episode and a theme song by the movies Early Spring in February and Old Things in the South of the City respectively, which spread widely and has been sung for a long time. It is also one of my favorite songs for decades.
Li Shutong changed from a rich playboy and literary celebrity to a student studying in Japan who cut off his braids and put on a suit, to a newspaper editor in a suit and gold-rimmed glasses, to a teacher wearing robes, jackets and shoes, and finally converted to Buddhism in middle age, ending his life as an ascetic ... It can be said that Li Shutong played his role in all stages of life to the extreme. Therefore, I always regard him as "modern Tang Bohu". The difference is that Tang Bohu did not become a monk. However, Li Shutong impressed me deeply, or his song "Farewell", which was never tired of singing.
Li Shutong returned from studying in Japan and became a monk in 1918, which was the most important period for his art education and music creation. In China, music education has just started, and there are still different opinions on whether music education is needed. He resolutely chose music and art education and devoted himself to it, which is very commendable. It can be said that Li Shutong is a pioneer of modern music education in China and a versatile enlightenment musician.