Yellow River Cantata" is Xian Xinghai's most representative and most familiar work. The music was born in the most tragic days before the Japanese War, which was after the fall of Wuhan in November 1938. The famous poet Guang Weiran (Zhang Guangnian) retreated with the three anti-enemy drama teams and passed the Yellow River, triggering the poet creative inspiration. When he arrived in Yan'an in January of the following year, his long-simmering poetic passion exploded. He wrote the Yellow River Poems and gave a recitation performance on the Lunar New Year's Eve. In a small cave dwelling, I wrote it for six consecutive days while ill. It was completed on March 31 of the same year. On April 13, Wu Xiling directed the Anti-Enemy Team No. 3 to have its public premiere at the Northern Shaanxi Auditorium, and again on May 11. The Lu Xun Performance Troupe was performed by Xian Xinghai.

The famous composer Li Huanzhi, who is now the chairman of the Chinese Musicians Association, recalled the performance of the "Yellow River Cantata" in Yan'an and had this very vivid description: "In the border area where material conditions are extremely scarce, It was impossible to form a complete band. At that time, all the instruments were used as much as possible. In addition to three or four violins, they were erhu, sanxian, dizi, six-stringed harp and percussion instruments. If there was no music stand, wooden boards were used. I set it up as a music stand. I didn’t have a bass instrument, so I made it myself. Look at the band’s right corner, and there is a new “weapon”, which is a bass harp modified from a gasoline iron barrel. It produces a powerful and powerful sound. The sound of metal guns singing the majesty of the Yellow River; if you look at the side of this new "weapon", there is another new "weapon". It is a large enamel jar with more than a dozen pots in it. Twenty spoons for eating. When the "Yellow River Boatman Song" is recited, "Then you listen! "As soon as he finished, the conductor waved his arm, and the new percussion instrument made a "crash, clatter, clatter" sound, singing in unison with the orchestra, gongs and drums, and matching the chorus's "Ahem, row!" ...", highlighting the momentum of thousands of horses galloping.

The first performance of "Yellow River Cantata" that year was divided into eight sections, but for some reason it used three-string accompaniment, and the third section of the human voice recited "Yellow River Cantata" "Water and Heaven Come Up" was often omitted from the performance. It is said that it was difficult to find actors who could recite this part during the war, so it was omitted and not performed. Over time, it became a routine. In terms of creative techniques, Xian Xinghai used Western techniques. The "Cantata" form and choral harmony writing skills were used to create "Yellow River"; in terms of subject matter, reality and people's lives were artistically processed and shaped, which made "Yellow River Cantata" a song with Chinese characteristics. A work of art with a Chinese style and a sense of the times. Today in the 1990s is completely different from the era and life background when "Yellow River" was born half a century ago, but the spiritual inspiration of this work to the Chinese nation still exists. , it is still exciting every time I sing it and listen to it. The reason is this.

Perhaps today I can review "Xian Xinghai", which he wrote in the Soviet Union between 1943 and 1945. "Creative Notes" about the process of creating "Yellow River Cantata" will give you a deeper understanding of appreciating this work:

"This cantata was written on March 26, 1939. Completed on March 31st, it was written at the Yan'an Lu Xun Art Institute in the anti-Japanese base area of ??northern Shaanxi. When the third drama team came to Yan'an, Comrade Guang Weiran wrote the lyrics of Yellow River and gave it to me to compose. After it was written, Wu Xiling of the third team conducted it. On April 13th, he performed for the first time at Yan'an Shanbei Public School. The performance was performed in the auditorium, followed by two performances at the Luyi Anniversary Gala on May 11th and 12th, both of which were well received by all walks of life in Yan'an.

In the future, there will be big parties in Yan'an, such as welcoming Vice Chairman Zhou, Commander-in-Chief Zhu, General Deng Baoshan, Mao Dun, Shen Zhiyuan and Mongolian representatives, as well as the National Government's investigation team, condolences team, northwest photography group, etc. They are all centered on the "Yellow River Cantata". This song was written in a small cave dwelling in Luyi (the former site of Luyi). Because the third team was about to leave, I wrote the score and chorus in five or six days. Since this cantata is welcomed by all places, both on the front and rear, I have long been interested in writing it into a five-line notation and using a symphony orchestra to accompany the chorus. But in the spring of 1941, I completed it successfully. This orchestration method can be used by Europe, the United States and other countries. It is more international than the previous simplified musical notation, but at the same time this work is a national form and has advanced techniques.

I conducted this chorus many times when it was performed in Yan'an. The chorus increased from 100 to 500, and the band consisted of more than 20 people, mostly using Chinese instruments. The auditorium could barely hold it, and the sound could be heard far away.