The Shanghai Summer Music Festival has come to an end, with 82 year old legendary pianist Yin Chengzong playing the Yellow River
On the evening of July 20th, at the closing concert of the Shanghai Summer Music Festival, 82 year old pianist Yin Chengzong took the stage and collaborated with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, led by young conductor Huang Yi, to perform the piano concerto "Yellow River". This is the first piano concerto in the history of Chinese music, which has been played and performed in more than 50 countries worldwide. It enables Chinese people to understand the piano and also showcases the indomitable spirit of the Chinese nation to the world through the piano. As the adapt and premiere of "The Yellow River", Yin Chengzong has performed this song thousands of times on both domestic and foreign stages since 1970. Even in his eighties, his fingertips are still surging.
At this point, the 2023 Shanghai Summer Music Festival has come to an end. The opening concert, directed by the post-2000 conductor Jin Yukuang, featured futuristic performances of "The Three Body Problem" and "The Metaverse"; At the closing concert, legendary pianist Yin Chengzong brought timeless Chinese classics. Masters and rookies, past and future echo each other. In the past 14 days, a total of 31 performances have been held consecutively at Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall, TRI Third Space, Shanghai Urban Lawn Music Square, and West Coast Art Museum Outdoor Square. Artists from all over the world have jointly created an unforgettable musical memory. A total of 26000 live viewers arrived at the scene, with a total of 15 live broadcasts with over ten million viewers.
The Yellow River depicts the past, present, and future of the Chinese nation
Yin Chengzong was born on Gulangyu Island in Xiamen. He held a concert on the island at the age of 9, was admitted to Shanghai Conservatory of Music Affiliated Middle School at the age of 12, went to study in the Soviet Union at the age of 18, and won second place in the second Tchaikovsky International Music Competition at the age of 22.
He still remembers the scene when he studied in Shanghai. At that time, learning from Soviet experts and preparing for competitions, practicing the piano for 12 to 14 hours a day on weekends. "There are only 24 hours in a day, and I have to do too many things, so I learned to multitask: while reading, practicing the piano, and even washing the quilt under my feet." Even now, Yin Chengzong still insists on practicing the piano for 4 to 5 hours every day. "The older you get, the more you need to practice and resist aging, otherwise it will deteriorate quickly."
During half a century of Yin Chengzong's life, he couldn't escape the Yellow River. Looking back at the creative process of "The Yellow River", Yin Chengzong said, "We specially visited the Yellow River, walked all the way from the waterfall to Yan'an, carried our luggage, listened to many stories, and saw many scenes of life." Yin Chengzong did not expect that "The Yellow River" could be passed down to this day, winning the love of audiences both at home and abroad. What impressed him the most was when an Australian audience member heard "The Yellow River" and said that it, like Beethoven's music, gave them inspiration and strength. Tracing back the success of "The Yellow River", Yin Chengzong believed that it was attributed to his creative ideas: "Instruments and techniques are only forms, and the most important thing is music."
The original purpose of creating "The Yellow River" was to make the piano speak Chinese. In the view of Emperor Yin Chengzong, regardless of the shape of this Western musical instrument, it is ultimately necessary to "make foreign things serve China and ancient times serve the present.". He once proposed to establish the Chinese Piano School, which is based on the history and culture of the Chinese nation. "Creation must have roots. I have learned a lot of ancient Chinese opera and Peking Opera, and many techniques in" The Yellow River "use ethnic languages. In addition, creation must come from the people and write their stories. I look forward to more young people creating excellent Chinese works."
The Yellow River, which made its debut at the Shanghai Summer Music Festival, was replaced by suona in the symphony orchestra by Yin Chengzong. "As soon as the suona is played, it exudes a strong atmosphere of the Loess Plateau. The ending of 'The Yellow River' is still moving forward, as it depicts the past, present, and future of the Chinese nation."
After living abroad for more than 30 years, Yin Chengzong returned to his homeland. He said, "Because it's rooted here, as long as my body allows, I still have a lot of things to do."
Let music penetrate the urban texture and become a way of life
In the past 14 days, the Shanghai Summer Music Festival has become a "arena" for international celebrities and bands to compete in the air, adding vitality to the Asian performing arts capital. The most talked about by music fans is the second day of the opening. That evening, the Italian musician ensemble, known as the "best chamber orchestra in the world" by Tuscany, took to the stage of the Shanghai City Lawn Music Square. At the same time, a New York Philharmonic concert was held in the main hall of Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall, 4 kilometers away. In the performing arts hall separated by a wall, the Daniel Ottensamer clarinet trio concert is presented by musicians from Vienna Philharmonic and Berlin Philharmonic.
The actors and audience who persevere in the pouring rain, the MISA student festival band that formed in 10 days, 88 young people who have gained their first professional experience, international artists who reunite after a long separation, and the new force of Chinese music that has stirred up the big beam; On and off stage, in front and behind the scenes, music is like a bond that connects people together. Zhou Ping, the head of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, said, "The Shanghai Summer Music Festival is a music party belonging to this city. We hope that every citizen and tourist can fully enjoy the joy and emotion brought by 'classical additives'."
"Both medicine and music make people healthy," said Shao Shuai, Vice President of Shanghai Pharmaceuticals. Shanghai Pharmaceuticals has always firmly supported MISA and resonated with the city of Shanghai. "The Shanghai Summer Music Festival is a feast of music, which has the power to soothe people's hearts. This is essentially the same as the pharmaceutical industry ensuring citizens' physical health."
This year, the Shanghai Summer Music Festival stepped out of the concert hall and reached a wider audience. Metafilm has opened up a new scene for the music festival in the "metaverse", where "classical music throughout the city" allows the melody of music to roam the streets and alleys of the city. A unique city stroll that connects old buildings in the music district, telling stories related to music. A night run with music fans, along the wutong street with swaying trees, to feel the joy of music and sports.
"Every city with culture has its own cultural symbol, whether it is a drama festival, film festival, or music festival, it will become a landmark symbol of this city and showcase its cultural temperament." Yu Long, the initiator of the Shanghai Summer Music Festival, said, "Shanghai is the birthplace of Chinese classical music with rich musical traditions. The Shanghai Summer Music Festival is not only a concert, but also a way of life and memory."
