Quick Answer: What Is the Yellow River Piano Concerto?
The Yellow River Piano Concerto (Huanghe Gangqin Xiezouqu, 黄河钢琴协奏曲, Huánghé Gāngqín Xiézòuqǔ) is a four-movement work for piano and orchestra adapted from the 1939 cantata by Xian Xinghai (冼星海, Xiǎn Xīnghǎi). Yin Chengzong (殷承宗, Yīn Chéngzōng) played the 1970 Beijing premiere.[1][2]
- Source: The cantata supplies material for the concerto’s movements.[2]
- Credits: Schott lists four arrangers, while a Macao program names six contributors for its revised version.[1][3]
- Recording: Marco Polo catalogs Yin’s performance with Adrian Leaper and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra.[4]
Start with the movement number and the soloist’s name when looking up a recording.
The piano can turn a sung line into a broad melody, a series of repeated chords or a swift run. Compare one recognizable tune in the cantata and the concerto. Listen to who starts the phrase and how the rest of the ensemble answers.
How the Cantata Became a Concerto
The creative group adapted Xian’s Yellow River Cantata in 1969, during the Cultural Revolution. The cantata uses singers and a narrator across eight movements. The concerto reorganizes its material into four movements led by a pianist.[2][6]
Schott credits Li Delun as conductor at the Beijing premiere.[1]
Four Movements and What to Hear
The titles below follow common English concert and recording labels. In the Macao program notes, the third movement uses piano sounds that recall plucked instruments, including the pipa.[1][2][4]
| Gerakan | Title | Listening cue |
|---|---|---|
| I | Prelude: Song of the Yellow River Boatmen | Listen for the piano’s rhythmic chords and rising runs. |
| II | Ode to the Yellow River | Follow the broad melody as the piano takes it up. |
| III | Wrath of the Yellow River | Hear the shift from a quiet opening to darker, heavier chords. |
| IV | Defend the Yellow River | Listen as the marching idea passes between parts. |
Why Credits and Versions Differ
Schott credits Yin, Sheng Lihong, Chu Wanghua and Liu Zhuang. A program for the Central Philharmonic Society’s 1989 version also names Shi Shucheng and Xu Feixing. That program calls the third movement Ballad of the Yellow River.[1][3][5]
The Macao and Minnesota Orchestra notes describe quotations of The East Is Red in the finale. When listening for a particular quotation or instrument, check which score or performance the notes describe.[2][6]
Find a Recording by Soloist and Conductor
Marco Polo’s 8.223488 release gives the four concerto tracks together with the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto. Choose Yin’s piano tracks for Yellow River and the violin track for Butterfly Lovers.[4]
In Yin’s second movement, listen for the point when the broad orchestral line becomes the piano’s melody.[2]
The concerto has also appeared in Lunar New Year concert programs. Program headings can help identify a particular performance when the work title is abbreviated.[6]
FAQs About The Yellow River Piano Concerto
Who arranged the Yellow River Piano Concerto?
Schott credits Yin Chengzong, Sheng Lihong, Chu Wanghua and Liu Zhuang for the arrangement from Xian’s cantata.[1]
When did the concerto premiere?
Schott lists the Beijing premiere in 1970 with Yin Chengzong at the piano and Li Delun conducting.[1]
How long is the Yellow River Piano Concerto?
Schott lists about 22 minutes. Individual recordings can vary.[1][4]
Sumber
[1] Schott Music. Yellow River Piano Concerto: Performance Edition
[2] Macao International Music Festival. Piano Concerto The Yellow River
[3] Macao International Music Festival. Programme Notes: 1989 Version of the Yellow River Piano Concerto
[4] Marco Polo Records and Naxos. The Butterfly Lovers and Yellow River Piano Concerto, 8.223488
[5] University of Georgia Libraries. Chinese Piano Concertos from 1936 to 2010
[6] Minnesota Orchestra. Lunar New Year Celebration Programme Notes