Xuetang music refers to a large number of original songs sung in music courses in new schools across China in the early 20th century. Most of these songs are notated in simplified musical notation, and the tunes come from Japan, Europe, and the United States, and the lyrics are rewritten in Chinese by Chinese people. To put it simply, it is to use foreign music and fill in Chinese lyrics (select music and fill in lyrics). The representative figures of Xuetang Lege include Shen Xingong and Li Shutong, and their representative works include "Farewell" and "Spring Outing".

School music is a singing culture that emerged with the establishment of new schools. It generally refers to the music (called singing or music) classes offered by the school or the songs compiled for school singing. It is a kind of selection. Most of the songs with lyrics were originally written by returning overseas students using Japanese, European and American tunes, and later they used folk ditties or newly created tunes. The advocates and promoters of school music are represented by enlightenment music educators such as Shen Xingong, Li Shutong, and Zeng Zhimin.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, the political reformers at that time advocated the abolition of the old education system such as the imperial examination, followed the example of Europe and the United States, and established new schools. As a result, a number of new schools were gradually established. At that time, such schools were called "schools" and the music classes offered in the schools were called "music and song" classes. Therefore, "school music songs" generally refer to school songs that appeared in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China (similar to today's campus songs). Few young people today may know them, but they occupy a very important position in the history of modern music in my country. This can be said to be one of their characteristics.

Specific concept:

Xuetang Lege refers to the singing culture that emerged with the establishment of new schools in the early 20th century. It generally refers to the music classes offered by the school or singing for the school. Compiled songs. Modern Chinese new music, represented by school music, has entered a new stage. As a new music form in the history of Chinese music, the emergence of school music not only has profound social internal causes, but also has a distinct external force. It "has played a role in enlightening school music education and promoting China's journey towards a modern society."

Background:

At the end of the 19th century, under the influence of the reform trend, the trend of "establishing new schools, introducing advanced Western education systems, and developing modern scientific education" began to rise. In 1904, the Qing government promulgated the "Regulations of the School", and in 1905, the imperial examination was abolished. New schools were established one after another, and this was the beginning of modern education in China. As a method of aesthetic education, music occupied an important position in the minds of advanced figures of that era.

Chinese intellectuals began to realize that if they did not want to be bullied, they could only "learn from the foreigners to control the foreigners." Only by studying modern Western science can we understand the gap between us, and only in this way can we catch up and narrow the gap.

The beginning:

The "Music and Songs" class offered in the new school was modeled on the educational system of Western schools. At first we learned the Japanese way of running schools. The reason why we learn from Japan is that after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, it began to comprehensively study the Western political system, science and technology, and educational system, and became a society in Asia that is a "mixture of Westernized behavior and feudal thought." In terms of comprehensive national strength, it has surpassed China in an all-round way. Therefore, in the early days, most Chinese students studying abroad chose Japan as a place to study. These early "returnees" recognized the importance of modern music education to national quality, so some began to learn this knowledge and became early music teachers after returning to China.

Creative techniques:

The creation of Xuetang Lege is in the initial stage of modern Chinese music culture. It is the result of the efforts of many serious scholars who are deeply influenced by the reform movement and reform ideas. influence. Just like learning from the West in other aspects, we should also boldly learn from the West in music creation. As long as you think it is useful, you can "use it".

Most of these songs are compiled based on existing tunes with new words, and the number of tunes composed by the writers is very small. This may be related to the fact that our country's past creation method for sung works such as poems, lyrics, and songs was to fill in new words based on ready-made tunes and tunes. It is also related to the fact that those who were engaged in writing school music and songs at that time understood the extreme level of professional composition technology. Less relevant.

Later, he gradually switched to choosing European and American songs to write lyrics. Shen Xingong once made a special statement about this. For example, Shen Xingong wrote the lyrics for "Learning to Learn" based on the melody of the American artist's song "Rosa Lee"; and the lyrics for "Stretching" written by Shen Xingong were based on the melody of the Russian folk song "Volga Boatman"; Shen Xin's work The lyrics of "Farewell" are based on the melody of the original French folk song "The Game of an Hour and a Half", and the influence of this song continues to this day. In addition, "Farewell" written by Li Shutong is based on the melody of "Dreams of Home and Mother" by American popular songwriter Ordway; "Greater China" edited by Li Shutong is based on the opera "Norma" by Italian composer Bellini. "The band march in Act 1, Scene 3 is composed to the melody; Ye Zhongleng's arrangement of "Dancing Party" is based on the melody of the British national anthem at that time; Feng Liang's lyrics for "Martial Spirit" are based on the joyful poem by the famous French Enlightenment thinker Rousseau. Lyrics to the tune of a dance in the opera "The Soothsayer", etc.

There are not many school songs with lyrics written in Chinese national tones. The representative songs include: "Encourage Women's Rights" written by Qiu Jin (the same tune as "Gymnastics" written by Hua Hangchen); Shen Xingong's lyrics "The Pain of Binding Foot" (same tune as "Fly" written by Shen Xin's work); "Tea Picking Song" written by Shen Xin's work; "Female Revolutionary Army" written by Hua Hangchen; "Women Join the Army" edited by Li Yanxing and Li Zhuo; "Peach Blossom Courtyard" composed by Wenjun; and the aforementioned "Motherland Song" composed by Li Shutong.

The reason why this situation occurs is both objective and ideological.

The objective reasons are: on the one hand, the emergence of our country's school songs was originally developed based on the experience of early Japanese school songs, and they mainly used foreign ready-made songs to fill the lyrics; on the other hand, On the other hand, most of the authors who were enthusiastic about compiling school music and songs in our country at that time were those who had studied abroad or were new-school intellectuals who actively supported the reform in my country. Most of them were not very familiar with our country’s traditional music, especially national folk music; at the same time, from this century At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, the Qing government turned to support the reform idea of ??"abolition of the imperial examinations and establishment of schools". In order to meet the urgent need for teachers in the rapidly developing new schools, it once hired a large number of Japanese teachers to teach in our country, including a certain number of primary and secondary school music teachers. Teachers and "nanny" (i.e., kindergarten nursery), they are even less familiar with our country's traditional folk music.

The subjective reason is: at that time, our country’s political, economic, and cultural reforms mainly focused on the introduction of European, American, and Japanese systems and experiences, and the main thing to be changed was the traditional old culture that was closely connected with the feudal system ( Including traditional "old music"), many intellectuals who wanted reform at that time believed that only Western music could inspire people and boost morale. Although this kind of ideological understanding was in line with the progressive views of most people who actively supported the reform requirements at the time, it seems to be somewhat one-sided today. Because in fact, songs like "The Motherland Song" and "Encouraging Women's Rights" with lyrics written in traditional Chinese tones were relatively popular school songs at the time, and they did not have any depressing effect on people. Of course, after the Revolution of 1911, this phenomenon gradually changed to a certain extent.

Representative figures

During the rise and development of school music, the earliest group of music educators in the history of modern Chinese music emerged. Most of these early music pioneers had a background of studying abroad, and music was not their major when they studied abroad. However, out of their love for music and their responsibility for the education of the motherland, they later devoted themselves to the creation and dissemination of "School Music and Songs" and made important contributions to the founding of China's general music education.

The main representatives of this period include Shen Xingong, Zeng Zhidin, Li Shutong, Ke Zhenghe, Xin Han and so on.

Historical significance:

1. Contributed a number of early excellent vocal works to the history of modern Chinese music and pioneered the creation of "new music";

2. The singing form of "collective singing" was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, laying the foundation for the subsequent mass singing movement;

3. Through the singing of music songs and school music education, basic Western music theories and skills began Systematically and widely spread in China;

4. Cultivated the earliest batch of talents in the history of modern Chinese music to spread, create, and develop school music education, and contributed to the subsequent development of modern Chinese music. made outstanding contributions.