【Observer】
Recently, a boom in folk songs has quietly emerged among young people. Many concerned friends have asked me, "How do you feel?" I think that in such an era of fast-paced life and diversified aesthetics, there can be more stages for folk songs. Opening up is very exciting and moving for practitioners.
The songs presented in some programs are not exactly what we call "traditional folk songs", but a new direction for the evolution and creation of folk songs at the moment. However, many young people can explore the excellent traditional cultural content of the Chinese nation. Combining folk songs and bringing your own understanding and thinking about folk songs to the stage is worthy of encouragement.
No matter whether the result of this attempt can be recognized and accepted by everyone, at least in the process, it has brought about the effect of attracting more people to go into folk songs and learn about them.
Even if some works are in the form of pop music and electronic music, they will also play a positive role in the popularization and promotion of folk songs; it will make everyone discover that there is still such a huge music treasure trove around us, waiting for our various fields of music. People to explore, because here is the root of our Chinese culture.
Food nourishes the body, music nourishes the heart.
Folk songs have been the intimate companions of people's lives since ancient times. They carry the content of history, folk customs and other aspects, and record the face of people's lives.
It's just that with the process of urbanization, some functions in folk songs have been weakened.
However, in the folk songs passed down by word of mouth, we can still appreciate the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, feel the rapid changes in people's lives, and trace distant national memories.
Therefore, promoting folk songs among youth groups is undoubtedly a very important "root-seeking journey", and it is also one of the best ways for us to build cultural self-confidence.
When I received the invitation from Hunan Satellite TV's "Spring Flowers" program, I was very happy, not only because I was looking forward to the "spring" of folk songs, but also because I had some ideas that I wanted to share with young singers.
Over the years, I have been doing similar explorations myself. I pay great attention to the work of collecting folk music in the fields. Every year, I go to various regions to collect folk music materials, and try to process these songs and melodies in an aesthetic and artistic way.
Since 2017, I have launched a series of concerts "A Journey to Seek Roots", which has applied various Chinese and Western musical instrument arrangements to the arrangement of folk songs, hoping to make more explorations in the palace and artistic aspects of folk songs. , because I know that our folk songs have such space for exploration and plasticity.
The original intention of every stage is to leave good works.
There are so many fresh blood willing to contribute to the development of folk songs, we must encourage more.
Moreover, folk songs continue to expand their connotations with the development of the times.
A famous scholar in the music industry once said that "tradition is a river".
It is not static, but starts from the first drop of water at the source, and flows forward without end.
Every era will leave its own traces in this river, and it will also be soaked unconsciously by the water from the source.
That's my take on folk songs "refreshed".
For folk songs to develop, they must be integrated into the current aesthetic concepts and artistic means.
When we look back at the folk songs, new folk songs, or songs written in the style of folk songs in each era, we will find such characteristics.
If you don't do this, it will be difficult to get inheritance.
However, our innovation cannot be without a fulcrum and without foundation. Instead, we must fully understand the creative background, era and cultural environment of folk songs, as well as the spiritual core it contains. Expand to make a new creation.
Only in this way can we better integrate the breath of the times into the rhythm of the nation and express the emotions of the moment.
I look forward to more young people joining the team to develop the treasure house of folk songs, so that the "hundred flowers" of traditional Chinese music will bloom beautifully with the joint efforts of everyone!
(Author: Lei Jia)