Chen Tianhe

Chen Tianhe (1911～1955) was a Chinese composer. Born on December 8, 1911 in Yongjia, Zhejiang Province, and died on October 23, 1955 in Tong County, Hebei Province (now part of Beijing). He entered Wenzhou Private Art College in 1928 and Shanghai National Music College in 1930, where he studied composition under Huang Zi. In 1934, he taught at Wuchang Art College. In 1936, he engaged in music creation and teaching at Shandong Provincial Theater. In 1940, he served as composition professor and academic director of the National Conservatory of Music in Chongqing. Later, he moved to Nanjing with the conservatory. In 1949, he served as professor of the National Fujian Music College. After 1951, he worked as a composer at the Beijing People's Art Theater and the Central Experimental Opera House.

Chinese name: Chen Tianhe

Alias: Chen Qidong

Nationality: Chinese

Ethnicity: Han

Birth Place: Yongjia, Zhejiang

Date of birth: December 8, 1911

Date of death: October 23, 1955

Occupation: Composer

Graduation schools: Shanghai National Music College, Wuchang Art College

Main achievements: Composition

Representative works: "Sang of Mulberry Picking", "Street Fighting Song"

Personal profile

Chen Tianhe, formerly known as Qidong, was born in Yongjia County, Zhejiang Province on December 8, 1911. He died of illness in Tong County, Hebei Province on October 23, 1955. He graduated from the No. 10 Middle School of Zhejiang Province in 1927. In 1929, he studied in the music section of the Shanghai Fine Arts College. He was expelled for participating in the student movement, so he changed his name to Tian He. In 1930, he was admitted to the Shanghai National Music College and studied theoretical composition under Huang Zi, and was highly regarded by Huang Zi. Due to his poor family background, he dropped out of school three times. After 1932, he successively taught at Shanghai Xinhua Art College, Wuchang Art College and Shandong Provincial Theater. After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, he returned to Shanghai to join the Chinese Composers Association and engaged in the creation of anti-war songs. In January 1939, he went to Chongqing. Worked in the Music Education Committee of the Ministry of Education of the National Government. He taught at the National Conservatory of Music in 1940 and later served as the academic director of the conservatory. From January 1949 to July 1950, he was transferred to professor at Fujian Music College. After 1951, he successively engaged in music creation in the Central Song and Dance Ensemble and the Central Opera and Dance Theatre. After liberation, he successively held creative positions at the Beijing People's Art Theater and the Central Opera House. He began to create music while studying at a music college. After the September 18th Incident, he wrote songs such as "Recognize the Enemy", "We Want to Retake the Lost Land", "We Want to Pick Up the Spirit", etc., showing strong patriotic enthusiasm. During the Anti-Japanese War, he composed many Anti-Japanese War songs, such as "August 13th Battle Hymn", "Defend Shanghai", "Eight Hundred Lone Soldiers Guarding Song", etc., which played a certain role in promoting the Anti-Japanese War and inspiring fighting spirit. In particular, his "Street Fighting Song" is widely circulated. He also donated t-shirts for Shanghai soldiers to perform, and wrote the opera "Peach Blossom Spring" (written by A Ying). He also wrote the piano piece "Blood Debt", which reflected the indignation of the Chinese people at the time when they were bombed by enemy planes.

He has written numerous songs for primary and secondary school textbooks, such as "Song of Swallows", "Spring Outing", "Dedication to National Humiliation", "Tender Shoots", "Beige White", etc., to instill patriotism into young people. , democracy, love of labor, love of science and other ideas. He has also written many artistic songs, such as "Pastoral", "In the Mountains", "Autumn Dream", "Qing Ping Le", "Where Will Spring Return", etc. These works are fresh in style and vivid in image. He has also written works such as the opera "Jing Ke" and the oratorio "Farewell in Heliang".

After liberation, he further developed his creative enthusiasm, composing "Forest, Green Ocean", "Song of Peace and Friendship", etc., and composing dance music such as "Tea Picking Lantern" and "Lotus Dance". Adapted the guqin piece "Guangling San" as an orchestra ensemble. From then on, he focused on composing opera music, hoping to produce several decent operas. But his ideal was not realized, and the disease claimed his life. He is Huang Zi's student. Influenced by Huang Zi, his creations have a simple style, refined materials, rigorous structure, and are full of national flavor, so they are welcomed by the masses.

In addition to creation, he also made achievements in music education and trained many musical talents. Chen Tianhe's creations are mainly songs. There are about 100 song works (including accompaniments for folk songs and ancient songs), including "Lamenting a National Liberation Fighter" and "Sulberry Picking Song" written for the death of Lu Xun. "Street Fighting Song", "Defending World Peace", "Forest!" Green Ocean" and so on have a greater impact. He was quite strict in his choice of lyrics. In the process of creation, he attaches great importance to starting from the poetic content, and the music changes with the change of poetic meaning. Therefore, most of his lyrical songs, such as "Pastoral", "In the Mountain", "Autumn Dream", "Qing Ping Le·Where Spring Returns" and "Jiangchengzi·Xicheng Willows Soft in Spring", are fresh in style and simple in melody. ,beautiful. In addition to being published in various music publications, his songs have also been collected into books such as "Collection of Memories" (1937) and "Collection of Sword Sounds" (1943). Chen Tianhe also wrote the operas "Jing Ke" (1937, unfinished), "Peach Blossom Spring" (1939), the oratorio "Farewell in Heliang" (civilized by Lu Qian), and the piano piece "Overture" (which was published by A.N. Repnin) won the second prize in the competition for Chinese-flavored piano music), "The Accusation", as well as the soundtrack for "Lotus Dance" and the band arrangement of "Guangling San", etc.

List of works

Main works include the songs "In the Mountains", "Jiangchengzi", "Mulberry Picking Song", "Street Fighting Song", "Cold Clothes", and the chorus "Forest" , Green Ocean", piano music "Overture", "Blood Debt", oratorio "Farewell in Heliang", dance music "Lotus Dance", "Tea Picking Lantern", "In That Faraway Place" (accompanied by Qinghai folk song Chen Tianhe in 1945 Singer Liu Guofeng, piano accompanist Qiu Yi), etc.

"In That Distant Place" was not created by Wang Luobin. In fact, he was just the inheritor. Composer Chen Tianhe (1911-1955) adapted "In That Distant Place" and created a piano accompaniment to make this folk song a work worthy of recognition. "In That Distant Place" was composed by Chen Tianhe in order to support the activities of the folk song club. The work was created in 1945 and became popular throughout the country after it was sung by singer Yu Yixuan in 1947. Chen Tianhe's "In That Distant Place" was published in "Music Art New Edition" (Collection) from 1948 to 1949.

Ms. Chou Huiying, an important figure in Taiwan's art and political circles, was a student of Chen Tianhe. In the mid-1940s, Chou Huiying went to Chongqing from Xining to study vocal music at the National Music College (Qingmuguan National Conservatory of Music). I studied under Teacher Chen Tianhe. Mr. Chen often uses his spare time to tutor her in basic theory. Mr. Chen thought that Chou Huiying was from the northwest frontier, so why not sing northwest folk songs to the best of his ability, and then let him record the music and promote it, which would be a joy in the music world. Chen Tianhe first recorded and compiled "In That Distant Place" sung by Chou Huiying. The most famous coloratura soprano singer in the Chinese music scene at that time, "Mrs. Guan" sang this song, which was extremely sensational and soon spread throughout the country. ("Mrs. Guan" is Ms. Guan Yu Yixuan. She took her husband's surname and called her Guan Yu Yixuan. She was commonly called "Mrs. Guan" at that time and had a great reputation. She is a famous vocalist in the history of modern vocal music in my country. After liberation, she served as deputy director of the Central Conservatory of Music. long).

Ms. Chou Huiying has never agreed that "In That Distant Place" was written and composed by Wang Luobin. This matter was published in the second issue of "Chinese Music" in 1994. Lu Cheng, the author of "How It Produced".

"Son of Music" is the biography of Mr. Chen Tianhe. In 1993, vocalist Mr. Zhao Meibo, who was far away in the United States and taught at the Shanghai National Music Academy in the 1930s, wrote the preface to this book at the invitation of Mr. Chen Tianhe's eldest daughter, Ms. Chen Dunxiu.

Two things are mentioned in the book:

1. Chen Tianhe has been forgotten for a long time. His name is not even on the "List of Chinese Musicians", edited by the Chinese Musicians Association and published by Guangxi People's Publishing House. ——"Preface"

2. We also found many harmony exercises in his 1936 manuscript. There is a piano creative piece dedicated to Mr. Huang Zi. This is just what he thought he was proud of. part of the exercise, and the rest were discarded on the way to half of China.

——"Shanghai Times"

Personal Works

"Unknown" (Mourning for Teachers, Thinking of Old Friends)

Music: Chen Tianhe

Words: Uncle Liao Fu

Ephemeral flowers are fleeting,

The dead are like this, human affairs,

Personnel affairs

How depressed .

Unforgettable recitation sub-topics,

Prize for clear songs.

The laurel is withered,

The sky is so drunk.

Music world, music world

Adds loneliness.

The most painful thing is to pray alone

My eyes are dull.

Personal article

A letter from Mr. Chen Tianhe:

Brothers Dingxian, Xue'an and Luting: I just came back from a Chinese funeral parlor. It's very heavy. Master Huang's pale face and countless pairs of moist eyes appear in front of my eyes. I wish I could hug you and cry now! According to the cloud: Master Huang's mother once fell to the ground in grief. Mrs. Huang was in agony. This sorrow belongs to them, to us, and to the entire Chinese music industry. We will never hear such a visionary and sincere talk again! In the next twenty to thirty years, China's music industry lost its axis. God cruelly took away Huang Shi, who was still in his prime, and left this poor and weak field barren. Alas! Master Huang! His loyalty to music and art can make people cry! According to Mrs. Huang, when Mr. Huang was ill, every time after his classmates went to visit him, he would cry quietly alone. How can we repay Mr. Huang's love and care for us?

My younger brother Tian He, May 10th.

——"Sudden changes in the situation-Shanghai Anti-Japanese War: 19. Lost the mentor"