The music consists of an introduction and four main parts: the first part uses the melody of "Ode to Red Plum" as the theme to develop variations, praising the character and optimistic spirit of red plum. The second part is a short fast version. The erhu and the band performed the brisk melody of the sub-theme, expressing an ideal and optimistic spirit. The third part develops from Sanban, using drawl elements in opera music, and then moves from the deep lyricism of the adagio to the climax of the allegro in the erhu. After a cadenza of erhu solo, it enters the fourth part. The fourth part is the reappearance of the theme. The theme of "Ode to Red Plum Blossoms" unfolds in the band's magnificent performance, showing the spirit of struggle. Finally, the erhu and the band play intertwined and fast, ending with strong momentum.

"Red Plum Caprice" is a single-movement erhu concerto composed by composer Wu Houyuan in 1980. It uses the theme song "Ode to Red Plum" and part of the melody from the opera "Sister Jiang". The material was conceived and created. The sound of the erhu and the Chinese orchestra are arranged in a unified manner, and the lyrical first-person writing method is used to describe the ups and downs of the protagonist's inner emotions.

Introduction part

The melody of the introduction begins with the Erhu playing the core theme straight to the point, and it is extended and advanced four times with various pitches, plus The band's echo and contrast bring the music into the first movement like an overture, and also bring the audience's emotions into the artistic conception suggested by the music.

First Movement

The first movement takes the melody of "Ode to Red Plum Blossoms" as the musical theme. The erhu plays the beautiful and complete theme at medium speed, and further changes and develops it. , followed by the band playing the theme. By depicting the noble temperament of red plum blossoms blooming in the cold and proud of the frost and snow, it praises the simple and noble character and optimistic spirit of red plum blossoms. It not only sublimates the beauty of the inner world, but also praises the brilliant and brilliant career.

Second Movement

The second movement is a lively Allegro. Accompanied by the band’s enthusiastic rhythmic patterns, the erhu plays the sub-theme, depicting an idealistic optimism. The spirit of communism expresses Hongmei’s unyielding spirit in the face of difficulties.

The third movement

The third movement starts from Sanban, uses the drawl of opera music, and extends the core theme. It is an affectionate outpouring, like recalling and looking forward to the beautiful things. future. The music develops from a lyrical Adagio to a tight and slow-sung Allegro, and gradually reaches a climax, and introduces the cadenza of Erhu solo. Erhu's affectionate outpourings and slow and mournful passages express condolences and longing for loved ones.

The fourth movement

The fourth movement is the recapitulation, which is the reproduction and summary of the whole piece. The band played the theme music of "Ode to Red Plum Blossoms", the theme song of the original opera "Sister Jiang", praising the red plum blossoms' character and courageous fighting spirit of "What are you afraid of the severe cold in March and September", thus pushing the whole song to a climax. Finally, the reappearance of the secondary part on the main key is used as the presto ending, and the struggle between the erhu and the band becomes more intense. The band played the theme at the end, ending with the majestic momentum of thousands of troops and thunderous force, and ending with the presto core theme tone, indicating that the unyielding red plum spirit will eventually win, just like "the red plum blossoms are blooming, Blossoms shine." Character is the core of a work. Although some works are mainly based on landscapes, they are always inseparable from the local customs and customs. The author uses the scenery to express his inner emotions. The character description of an excellent erhu work is very important. Composers use various methods to make the musical image in the work vivid, and one of the important ways is to use different string methods to shape the musical image. . The famous erhu piece "Red Plum Caprice" is a successful example of the important influence of string technique on shaping the image of music. Composer Wu Houyuan is very familiar with the characteristics of the Erhu string method and applies it appropriately in the music, successfully combining the musical image and the Erhu string method.

The influence of various string methods in the excerpts of "Red Plum Caprice" on shaping the different images of the characters in the work: The tune is bright and broad, which is suitable for some more exciting and tragic musical images. The introduction in "Red Plum Caprice" uses exactly this stringing method. The music of this stringing method is bright in color and shows Sister Jiang's majestic and bold temperament.

The tune is soft in tone and color, suitable for expressing the gentle character of the character. The lyrical Adagio in "Red Plum Caprice" uses this string method, so the first melody is softer and smoother, fully expressing the unique tenderness of women. The tune is light in tone and color, suitable for expressing the character's lively and decisive character. The fifth section of the Allegro in "Red Plum Caprice" uses this string method. The erhu plays a flowing and fast sound pattern with a resolute and decisive temperament. The first two sentences are played by inner strings, which are stronger, reflecting the protagonist's perseverance and decisive character. The last two sentences are played by outer strings, which are weaker and reflect the protagonist's light and jumping character. "Red Plum Caprice" is based on the creative basis of traditional Chinese music, and at the same time draws on many composition methods of Western music, opening up a new way for the creation of modern erhu music. The composer mainly used four string methods: sol and re strings in G key, re and la strings in C key, do and sol strings in D key, and mi and si strings in B flat key. The use of these different string methods reflects the multi-faceted character of the protagonist Sister Jiang. The creative feature of this work is the use of five different string methods in the second part, which frequently modulates the key to describe the different personalities of the characters. The above examples show that different erhu stringing methods can produce different artistic colors and play a decisive role in shaping the musical image in the work. Only when the composer is familiar with the characteristics of the erhu stringing method and applies it properly can he create the musical image. Only by successfully combining it with the Erhu string method can the musical image be shaped more perfectly.