Art song is a product of the European Romantic period. Starting from Schubert, the "King of Songs" in the 19th century, art song has developed significantly. Schubert and his successors such as Schumann , Brahms, and Robert Franz made art songs one of the most distinctive expression methods of romanticism in the nineteenth century. Its structure is meticulous and exquisite, the language of music and the language of poetry are integrated into one, and the two are in harmony with each other. The poems pave the way for the songs, and the songs add glory to the poems. They merge into one and are sublimated together. In the history of Western music, the creation of Schubert's art songs and its profound influence and inspiration on subsequent composers have led many music masters to compose many excellent works for this genre, such as Schumann's "Amour Poet", Karl Levi's "Edward", etc., thus promoting the development and improvement of the expressive power of art songs, and bringing the creation of European art songs into a new world.
As early as the 12th century, with the rise of troubadours and bards in southern France, love songs and ballads were developed, followed by the German love poets (Minnesinger) in the 14th and 15th centuries. and songs by famous singers (Meistersiugen). Pastoral songs appeared in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the creations during this period had a profound impact on the improvement of song writing levels. The development of art songs in Germany was initiated by Hasler and Abbate, and passed through Mozart, Beethoven, and finally Schubert, who made song creation extremely prosperous. He poured more emotion and drama into art than any other composer. In the form of a song. Over time, two representative genres, German art song and French art song, gradually formed.
Although the styles of these art songs are different, they are all based on excellent poetry, coupled with exquisite musical melodies and perfect piano accompaniment, forming each unique masterpiece. In the 19th century, composers from Britain, Spain, the United States, Russia, Hungary and other countries also created many art songs. Art songs generally have obvious genre characteristics, which are closely related to the different language habits of each country. The development of art songs in China, taking the founding of New China as an example, can be roughly divided into two periods.
The works, concepts and creative requirements of early European art songs were introduced to our country around the time of the "May 4th Movement" in 1919. They were first appreciated and loved by people in the intellectual and cultural circles of the country and became It was an eye-catching and beautiful scenery that was part of the New Culture Movement at that time.
Some university professors, sociologists, literary writers, poets, and musicians at that time such as Li Shutong, Liu Bannong, Zhao Yuanren, Li Jinhui, Yi Weizhai, Li Zhiyi, Long Qi, Guo Moruo, Tian Han, Duanmu Hongliang, Huang Zi, Xiao Youmei, Li Qingzhu, Chen Xiaokong, Zhang Shu, Nie Er, Xian Xinghai, He Luting, etc. have become pioneers in the active dissemination, promotion, creation and exploration of artistic songs. Classics of the century and masterpieces handed down from generation to generation trickle out from their writing, which is intoxicating to the heart. The main works include "Spring Outing", "How Can I Miss Her", "Early Autumn", "Question", "Dream", "I Live at the Head of the Yangtze River", "Three Wishes of a Rose", "Meiniang's Song", "Sunset on the West Mountain" ", "On the Jialing River", "Midnight Singing", "Singing Girl Under the Iron Heel", "Ballad of the Great Wall", etc.
With the joint efforts of a group of literati, scholars, and musicians such as Li Shutong, Zhao Yuanren, Huang Zi, and Xiao Youmei, Chinese art songs reached a peak period of promotion and creation in the early 1940s. . What's more valuable is that they combined the foreign creative techniques with China's national style, national language, national tones, national appreciation habits and national tastes to create works such as "How Can I Miss Her" and "Flowers Are Not Flowers". A series of artistic songs with eternal value.
After the founding of New China, especially since the reform and opening up, the creation of artistic songs in our country has been unprecedentedly prosperous. Composers of the new era such as Zheng Qiufeng, Shi Guangnan, Shang Deyi, Gu Jianfen, Shi Xin, Xu Peidong, Lu Zaiyi, Wang Zhixin, etc. created "I Love You, China", "The Grapes Are Ripe in Turpan", "Mu Flute" and "We Are Mount Tai of the Yellow River". "I Come Up Like Snowflakes from the Sky", "I Love the Land", "Mother River" and many other popular art songs. China has many ethnic groups, and folk songs are an indispensable part of people's daily lives. When composers pair these original folk songs sung acapella or with extremely simple accompaniment with colorful and elegant piano accompaniment, a kind of high-grade , artistic songs that are completely different from original folk songs appeared. It has not only been well received by Da Cong, but also affirmed by experts, and occupies an important position in our country's art songs. They spread abroad, allowing the world to understand and understand the life and emotions of the Chinese nation, and played a very important role in cultural communication and exchange. Due to their compatibility with national sentiments and art, their works are especially welcomed and loved by Chinese and foreign audiences.
Due to social changes and various reasons, it can be seen from some current works and concert repertoire that the concept of art songs in the past has been expanded and broken through. As long as it is lyrically beautiful and elegant, Lyrical songs, such as "Night on the Grassland" and "In That Faraway Place", ancient songs "Qingping Diao", "Wang Jiangnan", "Apricot Blossom Sky Shadow", opera excerpts "Ode to Red Plum Blossoms", "No One Is Here Tonight" "Sleep", folk songs "My Sun", "Qumandi", "Waiting for You Until Tomorrow", etc., and even some popular songs have been expanded into art songs.
But no matter how the content of art songs changes, the soul of high character and high interest in the life of art songs is eternal.
We believe that art songs have already bloomed in the spring when hundreds of flowers are blooming, and they will bear abundant fruits in the autumn and the fragrance will be overflowing.