"The sound of the waves sounded, and the beautiful Jiangnan picture slowly opened;
Please take a wupeng boat, drink daughter’s red, and step on Qingshi Lane in the south of the Yangtze River.
Please turn into a poem of Tang and Song Dynasties and linger among the lotus flowers reflecting the sun in the south of the Yangtze River.
Please walk into Yangzhou with fireworks in March and Jiangnan in your dreams, and moisten our tired hearts in the journey of life with the humanistic atmosphere and ancient historical clouds of Jiangnan water town.
Let the charm of the south of the Yangtze River ignite the eternal heart lamp of your thoughts and friendship, illuminate our wonderful music journey tonight, and sing the eternal soul song together. "
On the evening of April 24th, accompanied by a poetic opening speech by the host Ren Luyu, "Beijing Concert of Chen Xiaoqi’s Classic Works" was sung in poly theatre.
Speaking of Chen Xiaoqi, many people may not be familiar with it. But mentioning his works "The Sound of the Waves Still", "I don’t want to say" and "How are you, Big Brother" is the memory of several generations. As a songwriter, Chen Xiaoqi is a name that has to be mentioned in the history of China pop music.
James J.S.Wong, a ci writers from Hong Kong, once said before his death: There is Chen Xiaoqi on the mainland, so there is no need to go to Hong Kong.
Chen Xiaoqi
Chen Xiaoqi, a songwriter in China, is a first-class writer in literary creation. At present, he is the executive vice chairman of the China Musicians Association Pop Music Society, the vice chairman of the Chinese Music Literature Society, the chairman of the Guangdong Pop Music Association and the vice chairman of the Guangdong Writers Association.
Since 1983, nearly 2,000 works have been published, of which about 200 have won the Golden Bell Award, Golden Eagle Award, China Top Ten Golden Melody Award and other awards.
Representative works: The Sound of the Waves Is Still the Same, How Are You Big Brother, Daughter Red in 1999, I don’t want to talk about it, Plateau Red, Cheer for Today, Baqiao Willow, Fireworks in March, etc.
Different from other concerts, there was no overwhelming noise and commotion in the whole performance, only the quiet listening of a full house of high friends.
Whether it is the "Chinese style" with ancient rhyme or the pop music that fits the times, it all reveals a sense of ritual with humanistic feelings and a sense of crossing time and space.
Towards the end, Chen Xiaoqi came on stage in a black trench coat and sang "The Sound of the Waves Still" with other singers. When he came to Beijing for a concert for the first time in his life, he was a little nervous and said with a smile, "It’s still comfortable to hide behind the scenes."
Chen Xiaoqi was filled with emotion after the performance.
"There were three major historical events 40 years ago. The first was that reform and opening up began in Guangdong; The second is to resume the college entrance examination, so that we have the opportunity to study in college; The third is the birth of China contemporary pop music in Guangdong. At this point in time, holding this concert in Beijing is not only a summary of yourself, but also a report to the audience. "
On the day of the interview, Chen Xiaoqi was dressed simply, wearing a white Chinese shirt and a pair of black-rimmed glasses, with her hair simply behind her head.
Writing is like a person, just like the "refined and fresh spirit temperament" in Chen Xiaoqi’s music works, and his manners and manners also have a quiet and wise literary popularity.
Music is my calling in life.
In 1954, Chen Xiaoqi was born in an art house in Puning, Guangdong. His mother was the director of a local cultural center and often took him to see art exhibitions. My father loves Chaozhou opera and national musical instruments, and his plays have won the Lu Xun Literature and Art Award. Influenced by his family, Chen Xiaoqi has a strong interest in literature and art since he was a child.
Speaking of the enlightenment of his classical poetry, Chen Xiaoqi was deeply impressed by one little thing. When he was a teenager, he found a collection of poems of the Tang Dynasty with no cover in the garbage (only a few years later did he know it was "Three Hundred Poems of the Tang Dynasty"), and he was fascinated by it.
At that time, these reading materials regarded as "poisonous weeds" were so sensitive that he could only hide them under his pillow and read them secretly. Later, my father found out and got a beating — — "My father is a literary lover. He once collected hundreds of novels and poems. When I lit a match with tears in my eyes, I believe his heart was also in tears." Chen Xiaoqi wrote in "30 Years of Oral College Entrance Examination".
This burnt-out collection of poems ignited Chen Xiaoqi’s fascination with classical poetry and his desire for literary creation.
But in those dark days, reading was a luxury, and Chen Xiaoqi turned to teaching himself music. Do it yourself if you can’t afford an instrument. "First, the flute and erhu, cut bamboo, burn red with sharpened iron bars and drill holes in bamboo to make flutes; Go to the mountain to hunt snakes, peel off the snake skin and dry it, and then stretch it on a bamboo tube to make erhu. The bowstring must be made of ponytail, cut and smashed with sisal, then soaked in water for a week, and the fiber is extracted to make bowstring. "
Until he went to high school and went to work in the auto parts factory, Chen Xiaoqi always insisted on writing poems, songs and organizing cultural and sports activities, and served as the captain of the amateur literary propaganda team and band leader, just like a passionate young man.
In 1977, the college entrance examination was resumed, and there was a major turning point in personal future and national destiny. "From the news of the resumption of the college entrance examination in the newspaper, everyone has the feeling of being rescued and rushing to tell each other."
In 1978, Chen Xiaoqi was admitted to the Chinese Department of Sun Yat-sen University. His literary talent was finally displayed. During his college years, he published a number of poems in publications such as Works, Haiyun, Star Poetry and Youth Poetry, and together with several poets, he founded the Bauhinia Poetry Society of CUHK, which lasted for many years. And music became a hobby of his. He joined the CUHK Folk Orchestra, playing cello and gaohu at first, and then playing dulcimer. But he is not interested in music, but dreams of becoming a real poet.
Eyes
I face everything squarely
My eyes are the vast sky.
It’s the rising dawn
I face everything squarely
Includes a palm that blocks vision.
And clouds covered with shadows
I face everything squarely
And look yourself in the eye.
I face everything squarely
And look yourself in the eye.
After graduation, I originally planned to continue my "literary dream" in this way. I never thought that the position of the publishing house I had contacted was temporarily rejected. Chen Xiaoqi was very confused during that time.
It happened that the Guangzhou branch of Chinese record company was recruiting an editor, but he signed up in desperation and set foot on the road of music by mistake.
"The tragedy of life is comedy in the end."
Many years later, recalling the inspiration of music to himself, he wrote: "On a lonely and almost dead night, a bleak moonlight shone on the bed through the window lattice, and suddenly there was a flute in the distance, and I don’t know what it was, and I wanted to say goodbye with faint resentment." In an instant, I suddenly burst into tears. I don’t know what mysterious connection it has with my life. I only know that it is a call I want in my life. From that moment on, music became my favorite, and after many years, it finally became my lifelong career. "
After getting his first recorded song, Chen Xiaoqi listened to it with a tape recorder for dozens of times at home. "At that moment, I discovered that the music score turned into sound has such breathtaking power! This sense of accomplishment has never been seen before when poetry was published in publications. "
Participants and witnesses of pop music
Chen Xiaoqi’s road to music creation began in 1983, when China pop music began to sprout in Guangdong.
China in 1980s was an age eager to explode. The lack of culture for a long time before has made many cultural products hot-sellers, and the music field is a hot spot of turmoil.
As the forefront of reform and opening up, Guangdong has thus become the engine and bridgehead of China’s pop music. Hong Kong and Taiwan songs, English songs, Japanese songs, etc. flooded in and became all the rage.
"At that time, most record companies launched something called ‘ Song of saliva ’ His works were introduced from overseas and Hong Kong and Taiwan, and re-sung. "
In order to promote the rise of the original power of pop music, many institutions in Guangdong have launched pop music charts. "At that time, writing original songs was to hit the list, win the list, and then broadcast it on the radio program for the public to accept. It was best to win the prize in the end.
The fertile soil of Guangdong music industry nourishes Chen Xiaoqi’s generation of musicians.
However, at that time, most people had a little knowledge of the new term "pop music" and even had prejudice.
"Pop music was treated unfairly at that time, and many people thought it was a very vulgar thing, very low-level, very simple, and even a dirty art. So we set ourselves a goal to change this misunderstanding and discrimination against pop songs in society. "
Chen Xiaoqi consciously hopes to reverse the social, especially cultural and press views on pop music through high-grade works.
In 1984, with profound classical literature and unique music concept, Chen Xiaoqi created Dunhuang Dream. "Qin Shi Yue, Han Shi Guan, camel bell shook the ancient Dunhuang. Qilian snow, Yumen frost, where is the flying in the dream? " This dream of Dunhuang, full of classical literary feelings, shocked the music world and changed people’s prejudice against pop music at that time.
"This work was also broadcast on radio programs at that time, and many hotline calls came in. There are some old professors in their sixties and seventies. Strangely, each of them said the same thing, that is, your works have changed our view of pop music. I always thought pop music was a vulgar thing, but after listening to your songs, I felt very good, and it was more humanized and grounded than those before. "
Chen Xiaoqi was greatly encouraged, but also strengthened his creative direction and aesthetic interest in pop music.
In the mid-1980s, influenced by the ideological trend of root-seeking literature, Chen Xiaoqi decided to create a series of "Modern Native Land". Since Dunhuang Dream, he has successively created many lyric works with classical images and local flavor, such as Dream of Jiangnan and Baqiao Willow.
The appearance of these elegant pop music works has made the public and the government see the cultural potential of pop music and promoted the wide spread of pop music.
In the 1990s, the recording industry seems to have ushered in its heyday.
Chen Xiaoqi was originally located in Guangzhou, which is also known as the "Four Giants" of the recording industry with Pacific Ocean, New Era and White Swan. The star system of record companies and the appearance of national media entertainment pages greatly promoted the sales of records at that time. Singer’s posters, stickers and tapes are all over the mainland, and pop singers’ songs are echoed in the speakers in the streets.
"That was the time when Guangdong had the greatest influence in the country. The four major record companies all had their own singers, and they all pushed out at the same time. At that time, Guangdong’s media had the greatest influence, the advertising industry was the most developed, and the film and television industry was ahead. For Guangdong, it was indeed a golden age. "
Singers packaged by Chen Xiaoqi Music Creation Company include Li Chunbo, Gan Ping, Chen Ming, Zhang Mengmeng, Lin Ping, Yiyang, bald li jin, Liao Baiwei, Chen Shaohua, Eagle Group, Fire Wind, Rong Zhonger Jia and so on.
The 1990s was also the peak of Chen Xiaoqi’s creation. Well-known pop music hits such as The Sound of the Waves Still, How are you, Big Brother, I don’t want to talk about it, and Daughter Red in 1999 were all born in that era. The names of these singers and songs, in a sense, have also become the representative symbols of Chinese pop music, which have crossed the mark of the times.
Resist the clean stream of fast food culture
Since 2000, China has entered an era of online music.
Due to the lack of persistence and pursuit of the cultural taste and literary quality of music works, the erosion of fast food culture on music creation has become more and more obvious. Many people feel that pop music is becoming more and more unbearable nowadays.
Chen Xiaoqi is also quite worried. On the one hand, the emergence of the Internet has made music works present a more diversified state, but on the other hand, it has also infected the pop music scene with impetuous wind.
"The current music is adapted to the fast-paced life. Its advantage is to keep up with social hotspots. What happens in society, some people write this thing on the Internet and some people sing it. But it disappeared after a few months. Therefore, for song creation, this state is very bad because it can’t guarantee the artistry, classicality, cultural thickness and so on. These things are ignored, because everyone can’t stop, and there is no time to write slowly. If you don’t write slowly, no one will listen slowly, and the concert will lose a lot. "
Fortunately, this is not the case in the whole music industry. Chen Xiaoqi believes that there are still a group of people who are willing to write songs slowly and write them to people who are too heavy to listen. "It’s just that they don’t get a chance to spread and get them on the Internet, and they are immediately buried and submerged."
Among Chen Xiaoqi’s many works, the most famous one is The Sound of the Waves Still, which is also the longest-consuming one in his creative career. Recalling the creation of The Sound of the Waves Still, Chen Xiaoqi felt a lot.
One day in 1991, I accidentally reread the Tang poem "a night-mooring near maple bridge", and such a beautiful poem as "Jiang Feng fishing for fire and worrying about sleep" triggered Chen Xiaoqi’s creative inspiration. "The ancients always liked to leave blank when writing poems, which seemed implicit, but I always felt that these 28 short words had not finished what the author wanted to say, and the blank space in the poems also made people daydream." So, he decided to continue to write the story in the poem with music.
The sound of the waves remains the same
Take away a fishing fire, let him warm my eyes, leave a true feeling, and let it dock at the maple bridge. Helpless me, I have alienated that emotion, and I realized it many years later and came back to you; The lingering bell is still beating my sleepless and dusty days. It will never be a cloud. You must have kept that smiling face for a long time. After many years, can you accept each other’s changes? It’s always a thousand years’ wind and frost when the moon sets, and the sound of the waves still disappears at the original night. Today, you and I, how can we repeat yesterday’s story? Can this old boat ticket board your passenger ship?
"On the surface, this is a love story, but in fact, what I want to express in my heart is irrelevant love. At that time, I wanted to express the confusion of our generation at that time, that is, between traditional culture and modern culture, we were caught in the middle like a marginal person, unable to give up traditional things while trying to enter the modern society quickly, which was very confusing and at a loss. This confusion is wrapped in the shell of love. I hope to have a deep structure and a surface structure, so it will be more interesting to write. "
As an academic lyricist, Chen Xiaoqi "pays more attention to the poetic expression in the lyrics". "The Sound of the Waves Still" can be said to be a typical expression of his artistic pursuit.
Apart from writing lyrics, Chen Xiaoqi, who has a musical background, also began to try to compose independently.
It took more than two months to compose the lyrics and songs of The Sound of the Waves Still, and even Chen Xiaoqi couldn’t remember the number of revisions. "I think what I write must be worthy of my own aesthetic and artistic conscience."
In 1993, "The Sound of the Waves Still" appeared on the stage of the Spring Festival Evening and became a landmark classic in pop music.
The completion of a song is a systematic project. Apart from the "elaborate" creation of lyrics and songs, the understanding and interpretation of each song is also checked by Chen Xiaoqi. "In fact, many singers were scolded by me when recording songs, and they cried. Many singers say that recording my songs is the hardest. Because even if one word is inaccurate, I will give it to them. "
The craftsman’s heart in music creation also makes Chen Xiaoqi’s works stand the scrutiny of the years. Today, his works can still be regarded as a clean stream of China pop music.
The persistence of the godfather of Lingnan music
Chen Xiaoqi is one of the leading figures of "Southern School" music, and he has always stuck to Guangdong for decades. "Since the 1990s, I have been called to Beijing every day, and I have never been there."
Chen Xiaoqi’s persistence comes from the Lingnan feelings in his bones: "Guangdong is my root, and the humanistic environment and natural environment here are particularly suitable for me, including Guangdong cuisine. It is also very important that the aesthetic taste of Lingnan has been deeply affecting me, and I hope to retain this unique artistic feeling in the South. "
For a long time, Chen Xiaoqi has formed an elegant, ethereal and profound cultural style of the Southern School by combining the artistic conception of classical poetry, modern poetry skills and the fashion sense of contemporary pop songs. This is inseparable from the nourishment of Lingnan culture.
The whole aesthetics of the south began in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, called Chu culture, and then came to Wuyue culture, Jiangnan culture after Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and now Lingnan culture in Guangdong, in fact, it is all in the same strain. The overall aesthetics pays more attention to beauty, implication and elegance, rather than being straightforward, atmospheric, sublime and magnificent in the north. "
Lingnan architecture
Another important aspect of Lingnan culture is inclusive marine civilization. "Guangzhou’s foreign exchanges have never stopped for more than a thousand years. Even if it was closed to the outside world in the Qing Dynasty, Guangzhou was still open. This makes Guangdong’s views and horizons much broader than those of the mainland. "
The influx of pop music from overseas, Hong Kong and Taiwan has a great influence on the creation of Guangdong musicians such as Chen Xiaoqi.
We draw more lessons from Taiwan Province for the creation of Mandarin songs. After all, the blood of pop music there has not been broken for decades, and they have been there. Moreover, Taiwan Province has always attached great importance to traditional culture. If you look at the poems written by some poets in Taiwan Province, including popular songs written by Taiwan Province, you can read a lot about some feelings in classical literature, and so on. Taiwan Province can keep many things that can’t be seen now. So from our point of view, we are more concerned about Taiwan Province’s works. "
In the field of music production, such as arrangement and recording, "you will learn more from Hong Kong, purely technical things."
Chen Xiaoqi hopes that his creation can always be rooted in Lingnan. "I can feel the atmosphere here. I can let myself be free from too many constraints and think about some artistic things freely."
Classics will be remembered forever.
Good songs will not be silenced by the passage of time, but the classic songs created by Chen Xiaoqi are still circulating in our times.
At the concert, Chen Xiaoqi said, this performance may be a full stop for me, exclamation point? Or a comma? Even an ellipsis? I don’t even know about it myself. I can only tell you that on the road of music, I am still moving forward … …
