The Yellow River Piano Concerto - Origins and Story
It is prevalent in history that tumultuous times make inspiring music.
APRIL 24TH, 2021
The 1930s Japan invasion had seen China in its most arduous time in its modern history. Yet China found an outlet for its sufferings through music.
The Yellow River Piano Concerto is a stirring instance of the renowned composer Xian Xinghai giving voice and hope amidst hardship and struggles.
Falling nothing short of extraordinary, The Yellow River Piano Concerto is one of the best internationally known musical compositions that combine Chinese source materials with Western music methodology. The famous piano concerto was adapted from the Yellow River Cantata, which was composed by poet Guang Weiran in 1939. The poet was inspired by the wild power of China’s mother river, the Yellow River, when he identified similarities in the river’s strong movement and the heroic national spirit of China’s people.
The Yellow River Piano Concerto was written by a committee of six composers and premiered in 1969 during China’s Cultural Revolution. It is a four movement piano concerto consisting of:
1. Prelude: The Song of the Yellow River Boatmen (黄河船夫曲),
2. Ode To the Yellow River (黄河頌),
3. The Yellow River In Anger (黄河憤),
4. Defend the Yellow River (保衛黄河).
Despite its triumphant musical acclaim in China and Chinese diasporas around the world, the Yellow River Piano Concerto has yet to have many appearances on western stages.
Set to be performed for the first time over two decades on Australian soil, this musical performance of China’s cultural and musical pride, courage and patriotic history, is definitely a night that cannot be missed.
Ticket information please see www.imagechina.com.au/tickets.
Watch a compilation of orchestra’s around the world perform the Yellow River Piano Concerto here:
See Lang Lang playing Yellow River Concerto here:
