Music and Culture Two Taiwanese composers: Chen Suti and Jiang Wenye

Chen Suti and Jiang Wenye were considered the greatest composers in Taiwan during the 1900s. They established a key role in Taiwanese musical culture and were influential to following generations of Taiwanese composers. Both composers were born during the time period when Taiwan was subject to Japanese colonization.;Jiang and Chen both studied music in Japan. However, Chen returned to Taiwan and contributed his later life to the Danjiang High School, while Jiang continued to pursue his passion in China. Chen genuinely benefited Taiwanese musical society as a dedicated educator. In contrast to Chen, Jiang didn't practice his music in Taiwan after his studies in Japan. Instead, Jiang moved to China and became a very successful composer and scholar for a brief period. Jiang was badly affected by the Cultural Revolution in his later life.;Although both composers were rooted in the same region, their respective musical vocabularies, including their compositional techniques and contributions to music education, were largely influenced by their personal life experiences and political circumstances. Both composers employed Chinese pentatonic scales in their work, as well as the "Luo gu" style. Chen, however, evolved into a more pianistic vocabulary, while Jiang became more inclined towards an orchestral sound color.