“The grand river never stops flowing as it forms unique dragon-shaped twists.” The Yellow River Cantata was staged on April 4th and 5th in the Music Hall of Science and Arts Center jointly performed by Students Chorus of XMU and XMU Philharmonic to celebrate the 93rd anniversary of the university. Wang Haojie, former chairman of university council and current director general of the General Alumni Association, Zhang Ping, Executive Deputy Director of Publicity Department, Lin Dongwei, vice chairman of university council, Zhan Xinli, Vice President, leaders of XMU departments and alumni from home and abroad enjoyed the concert together.

The Yellow River Cantata consists of seven chapters such as “the Song of Boatman at the Yellow River”, “Ode to the Yellow River”, and “Ballad of Yellow Water”. The grand and magnificent chorus of varied voices, soprano solos, rhythmic antiphonal singing, along with other various vocal forms and musical imagery helped audience members review history. The audience felt the strong will and heroic quality of the Yellow River dearly.  

The 75-minute performance vividly reproduced Chinese people’s effort to survive against the Japanese invasion. The Chinese suffered tremendously, fought bravely, and tried their utmost to defend the Yellow River. The audience responded with warm applause at the end of each song after immersed in the history by the music. The show didn’t finish until the director returned to the stage and added songs like Dance of Malaysia, the Wave of Gulangyu Islet, Jasmine Flower, etc..

The Yellow River Cantata, created during the war against Japanese invasion, is the most important and influential symphony representative work of Xian Xinhai, the well-known contemporary composer in China. The song chant the praises of the honorable history of Chinese people and the unremitting fighting spirit of Chinese people, exhibits the grand picture of the war against Japanese invasion, and rallies China and the whole world to pursue national liberation. XMU expanded and adapted the artistic content of the Yellow River Cantata upon the nature of chorus to make it more heroic. The ending “Ode to Peace” was exquisitely composed by Huang Fei, a young teacher in XMU, which echoed the magnificence of the Yellow River Cantata. Both centered on the unchangeable themes of upholding good tradition, overcoming sufferings, wishing for global peace and harmony.

After the celebration of the 93th anniversary of XMU, a special concert, the Yellow River Cantata, will tour to Singapore and Malaysia.

(Text by Cao Yijie, Office of Communications; Photo by Zhuang Hua, Office of Communications)