Late 20th Century Symphonic Music Composition In Xin Jiang

Forming as it does, part of the development of symphonic music in our country, Xin Jiang symphonic composition, with its singular characteristics and artistic charm, constitutes an important component in Chinese symphonic evolution. From the late 20th century onwards, symphonic works from Xin Jiang underwent great changes, developing out of nothing, growing from few pieces to a multitude, with musical genres expanding from a single sample to a diverse range, from traditional techniques to the development of modern ones, a transition lasting more than half a century. Gradually, a singular style of the music, with its distinctive local features and ethnic characteristics, has been formed through the processes of cultivation, accumulation and development. Great feats indeed have been achieved. These accomplishments, I believe, will constitute part of the history of music in the Republic of China.The essay will focus on the development of the composition of symphonic music in the Xin Jiang area, taking both the analysis and the research of the symphonic music (including the composers and their music pieces) composed in the late 20th century in Xin Jiang, as the main subjects. Every piece mentioned in the essay will be analyzed intensively by way of musicology, employing the principle of music historiography, the theory of ethnomusicology and the methodology of composition technique. This essay intends to reveal the pattern in which late 20th century symphonic music in Xin Jiang occurred and developed by conducting effective, pertinent and purposeful analysis in order that the music be viewed holistically. As a result, the essential significance of its existence in a social and cultural context is revealed.The research involves 19 pieces of symphonic music composed by 10 composers in Xin Jiang, drawn from four groups, namely Uyghur, Kazakh, Mongolian and Han in terms of their ethnicity. The style of music covers that of Uyghur and Kazakh together with the current style in China, taking Han as representative. In terms of music genre, the research deals with symphony, symphonic poem, symphonic suite, tone poem, capriccio, concerto and orchestral music.The introduction aside, there are altogether five chapters in addition to a conclusion. Chapter One gives a general introduction to the development of Xin Jiang's symphonic music composition. Chapter Two introduces four Uyghur composers and analyses their works of symphonic music. Chapter Three introduces three composers of Kazakh, Mongolian and Hui origins respectively and analyses their works of symphonic music. Chapter Four introduces four Han composers and analyses their works of symphonic music; Chapter 5 elaborates from a new perspective, a new angle and a novel insight, upon the way in which the music of ethnic minority groups in Xin Jiang inherited and transcended the composition of symphonic music. The conclusion is a generalized summary of the whole essay.Due to lessons drawn from earlier essays written by others supposedly about music history, essays that actually only analyzed works, the present essay attempts to overcome this shortcoming as well as combining vivid description with the analysis of the techniques of composition in order to conform to the criterion of literary style.