Voices in the Midst of War -- A Review of 100 Anti-Japanese War Songs

Author: Gao Tian et al.
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-07-01
Features: The Great Anti-Japanese War is etched in history with awe-inspiring and earth-shattering achievements. Composed by a large number of musicians, including the people's musician Nie Er and Xian Xinghai, the songs that accompanied this heroic epic are a testament to their legacy. The compilers have selected 108 classic songs from over 600 collected anti-war songs, with some such as the "Song of the Taiwan Volunteer Corps" and the "Song of the Hainan Independent Brigade" being presented to readers for the first time. These songs vividly reflect the united spirit of the Chinese nation in resisting the Japanese invaders. In the "Classic Retrospective" section of this song collection, there are over 30 articles that recount many little-known stories from the creation process of these songs, stirring the heart. For example, Tian Han, the lyricist of the "March of the Volunteers," was under surveillance and pursuit by the Kuomintang authorities when he wrote the lyrics. The time was extremely urgent, and the lyrics were written on cigarette paper, which was later dampened by tea, leaving the handwriting somewhat blurred (Tian Han's recollection). Shortly after completing the lyrics, Tian Han was arrested. When submitting them to Nie Er for composition, the lyrics were copied word by word from the cigarette paper. Nie Er, in turn, composed the music in a humble attic, where his landlord even threatened to evict him (Nie Er's recollection). To avoid arrest, Nie Er took the unfinished manuscript to Japan and completed the final version before sending it back to Shanghai for recording. Soon after, Nie Er drowned while swimming in Japan.
"The Yellow River Cantata" was composed by the poet Guang Weiran (Zhang Guangnian) after being moved by the roaring Yellow River rapids and the heroic oarsmen's songs while crossing the Yellow River. He was inspired to write the magnificent long poem "Yellow River Ode." After hearing Guang Weiran recite the poem, Xian Xinghai was so moved that he grabbed the manuscript and said, "I have confidence in composing it!" In a simple earthen hut in Yan'an, Xian Xinghai fought through illness for six days to complete this large-scale musical work consisting of nine movements.
Anti-war songs not only possess profound ideological depth but also exhibit high artistic merit. Since their inception, they have been widely sung and cherished. Every line of their lyrics is imbued with the fiery passion of the lyricists, and every note embodies the fervent blood of the composers.