The poetry of prose in music

At just 17, composer Ye Xiaogang purchased the complete works of Lu Xun (1881-1936) with his first paycheck and became deeply engrossed in the writer's ideas.

Born Zhou Shuren, Lu Xun is often regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern Chinese literature. This early connection to Lu Xun's writing profoundly influenced Ye's creative path, culminating in his monumental tribute to the writer, Symphony No. 5 Lu Xun.

In a fusion of Chinese literature and the Western symphonic tradition, Ye has composed a musical masterpiece that brings to life the themes and characters of Lu Xun's vast literary landscape. Released by NCPA Classics and distributed under the Wergo label by Schott Music, this symphony is a deep meditation on the writer's intellectual legacy.

"For me, the composition of this symphony was deeply personal, as I have long admired Lu Xun's writing," the 69-year-old said at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on March 15. "I am particularly drawn to his ideas on national spirit and Chinese identity." Over the years, he visited key locations connected to the writer, including his former residences in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, and Shanghai, as well as the Lu Xun memorial museums in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shaoxing.

"These visits only fueled my desire to write this symphony, as they helped me understand the deep impact of Lu Xun's work on society and culture," Ye says.

Born into a large and wealthy traditional family, like many intellectuals seeking solutions to China's problems, Lu Xun first studied medicine in Japan. He later abandoned this path to become a writer, in the belief that his writing would be a more effective means to contribute to saving the country.

In his work, Lu Xun displays a deep understanding of psychology and the complexities of personal and collective identity. His characters often struggle with social constraints, personal despair, and a lack of self-awareness — reflections of the broader struggles of Chinese society during his time. Through stories like The True Story of Ah Q, A Madman's Diary, and Kong Yiji, Lu Xun depicted the tension between traditional values and the yearning for social change.

Ye describes the writer as "a light that never fades," a figure who not only created meaning in life, but also allowed others to experience the profound truths hidden in the universe.

"Perhaps this is my most important work," he says. "I wrote feverishly, with great excitement and eagerness, anticipating the moment it would come to life."

Born into a family of musicians in Shanghai, Ye began learning the piano when he was 4. At 23, he moved to Beijing to study at the Central Conservatory of Music. Together with peers, including Tan Dun, Zhou Long and Qu Xiaosong, he became part of the first generation of Chinese composers recognized by Western audiences.

With a repertoire spanning symphonies, chamber music, dance dramas and opera, Ye is now the chairman of the Chinese Musicians' Association, a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music, and the founding dean of the School of Music at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen.

Symphony No. 5 Lu Xun intertwines multiple musical genres and ideas drawn directly from themes in the writer's work. It is structured in nine movements, each representing a different facet of Lu Xun's writing. The composition for orchestra, soloists and narrator incorporates direct excerpts from Lu Xun's novels, with lyrics written by Chen Qinzhi based on the original texts. Its intricate relationship between text and music explores the depths of the writer's complex world.

The symphony was recorded in Berlin, Germany, with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin conducted by Stefan Malzew. It features distinguished actor Pu Cunxin as the narrator, along with soprano Song Yuanming, tenor Shi Yijie, baritone Liu Songhu, and bass baritone Shen Yang, and a number of renowned traditional musicians, including pipa virtuoso Jiang Yang, and sanxian player Zhang Liumeng.

The symphony premiered at the NCPA in Beijing on Sept 25, 2017, with the Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lyu Jia.

The nine movements bring to life the themes and characters that have solidified the writer's enduring legacy. These range from his satirical portrayal of Chinese society in The True Story of Ah Q, to his poignant exploration of rural life in The New Year's Sacrifice.

"His writing resonated with the struggles of ordinary people and offered profound insight into China's cultural and national identity during a period of immense change and upheaval," Ye says. "As a composer, I used orchestral color to bring Lu Xun's literary universe to life. It was very difficult, because his themes of humanity, struggle and transformation are so vast that it was challenging to invite listeners to immerse themselves in his complex emotional and intellectual world through music."

In portraying the character of Ah Q — a simple, ignorant farmer troubled by the feudal system — Ye employed the pipa and sanxian to emphasize the most ironic aspect of his character: his self-satisfied spiritual triumph. Though he is at the bottom of society, an eternal loser suffering frequent hurt, setbacks, and humiliation, Ah Q glosses over his fate with an admirable attitude.

"In pipa playing, decorative notes — such as sliding the strings, or rapidly alternating between adjacent notes — are commonly used to add emotional depth and display technical prowess," says Jiang. "However, when playing in this symphony, particularly when portraying Ah Q, Ye asked me to avoid using decorative notes. He was right. It allows us to vividly portray Ah Q, who is comedic in form but tragic at core."

Actor-director Pu, himself 71, adds: "We've known Lu Xun's work since we were young, as it was in our school textbooks. His impact on Chinese literature is immeasurable. Through his experience and reflection, the now nearly 70-year-old Ye has gained a deeper understanding of the writer's work — its philosophical and emotional layers."

In Symphony No. 5 Lu Xun, Ye included a movement inspired by Wild Grass, and invited Pu to narrate. The passage reflects on Lu Xun's struggles to find hope amid despair, at a time when China's future was uncertain.

In the closing movement, Ye portrays the romance between Lu Xun and his wife, Xu Guangping, through a piece titled The Family Letters.