中国音楽史から消えた流行歌 : もう一つの「夜来香ラプソディー」 (特集 文化史)

Abstract

It is well known that the recital "Yelaixiang Rhapsody" (Jpns. "Yeraishan rapusodii, " Chns. "Yelaixiang huanxiangqu" 夜來香幻想曲) by film actress Li Xianglan 李香蘭 (Jpns. Ri Koran, whose Japanese name was Yamaguchi Yoshiko 山口淑子), which opened in Shanghai in June of 1945, was conducted by the composer Hattori Ryoichi 服部良一 who had created the symphonic jazz arrangement of the popular song "Yelaixiang." At this concert, which was part of the cultural policy aimed at the people of Shanghai under Japanese military rule, Chinese composer Chen Gexin 陳歌辛, who was later seen as a "rightist" for collaborating with the Japanese, led the orchestra for his own composition as well. Popular Chinese songs created by the forward-looking composer Li Jinhui 黎錦暉 in the 1920s were strongly linked to the metropolitan culture of Shanghai that flourished as a Western concession. Shanghai, where genres of music from classical to popular were played at various cultural and entertainment venues, was an important locus for Chinese musicians to study the theories and techniques of Western music. Popular Chinese songs, like those in Japan, were promoted in tandem with records, radio and films during the 1930s and 1940s. However, during the period corresponding to that of the war between China and Japan popular songs about personal sentiments such as the love of men and women were criticized by leftist musicians; and musicians who "collaborated" by holding concerts and in the production of films under Japanese military rule were branded as criminals after the war. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, mass anthems that praised the Communist Party and the future of China became the mainstream, and popular songs were forbidden for 30 years until the policy of reform and openness was initiated. The author focuses on the works and history of Chen Gexin, which have been ignored in the standard textbooks on Chinese music history, and also makes clear that through his association with foreign musicians, Chen mastered Western musical techniques relatively accurately and by adopting popular Western musical styles, he created works of a high standard. The author then indicates the problems in the studies of Chinese music history that judge a musician's work on whether it displays "national character" or on the basis of its relationship to the struggle against Japan and argues that evaluation should be made on the basis of the works of music themselves.