At that time, when he read in the newspaper that foreigners ridiculed us that China was a "country without music", he was very angry and determined to use the harmonica as a bridge to popularize music in China. He founded the Subbass Harmonica Club on 1933 and the Shanghai Harmonica Club on 1935, and served as the president. 1938 established Shanghai Harmonica Factory as the director and producer, 1946 established Global Harmonica Factory as the manager. From 65438 to 0949, he served as the representative of the Second People's Congress of Shanghai. 1950 The National Musicians Association (later changed to China Musicians Association) was added. As the first and second in Shanghai. Delegate to the third, fourth and fifth literary and art congresses. 195 1 was appointed as the representative of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress to resist US aggression and aid Korea. From 65438 to 0954, he served as a deputy to Luwan District People's Congress, and served as a member of the fifth and sixth CPPCC after the Cultural Revolution. 1956 As a representative of the Shanghai delegation, he was invited to Beijing to participate in the "First National Music Week" and took photos with Chairman Mao and other central leaders. In the same year, he joined the Shanghai branch of the Democratic National Construction Association. 1 65438+1October1was appointed as the deputy manager of "Shanghai Sports, Culture, Education, Arts and Crafts Industry Company" by Shanghai Mayor Chen Yi.
Chen has made great efforts for the development of China's harmonica music and the cultivation of harmonica talents. Working day and night. Shanghai Harmonica Club holds various training classes such as beginner's class, advanced class and solo class to teach harmonica playing skills. In the 1930s, there were eight classes every day, and the number of people was as large as you can imagine. In order to improve the performance level and increase the knowledge of music theory, we have set up harmony music theory classes, harmonica teacher training classes and harmonica teams to train harmonica players and teaching talents. Only in the harmonica club, according to incomplete statistics, about 200,000 students have been trained. In addition to the above classes, I also worked as a harmonica tutor in universities, schools, factories, shops and government agencies, during which I set up branches in this city and Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. And has branches in Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. Some of them were inspired by harmonica music and turned to other music to become famous musicians.
Chen has compiled a large number of harmonica monographs for many years. Starting from 1933, the official edited and published works include five episodes of world famous harmonica songs, Chinese and foreign film videos, K episodes of popular harmonica songs, harmonica playing method, harmonica man's door, harmonica repair method and staff. He composed solo and ensemble music such as Fighting for Steel, Marching into Socialism, Harvesting Waltz and Festival Carnival, and compiled hundreds of loose-leaf ensembles, ensembles and solo music.
1939, for the first time in China, the film Pink Float was dubbed with harmonica music. In April, Shanghai Harmonica World, the only monthly magazine in China, was published, which was well received by Chinese and foreign harmonica lovers. After the publication was stopped, it was reissued on 1983 with the approval of the Propaganda Department of the Municipal Party Committee, and changed from the post office and China International Book Trading Company to a quarterly magazine for public distribution at home and abroad. However, due to lack of funds, it was forced to stop publishing again on 1986. Under the leadership of President Chen, Shanghai Harmonica Club has been performing in various forms since its establishment 65 years ago. Besides special concerts, it also toured Suzhou, Hangzhou and Wuxi. After liberation, trade unions and student unions were established in factories and schools. At the inaugural meeting, Shanghai Harmonica Club was invited to perform, which was well received by the audience. On average, there are more than ten performances in various places every month, and sometimes there are three or four performances a day. He also recorded and broadcast on radio, recorded videos on TV, made records for record companies, and was invited to participate in the "Shanghai Spring" and the 72nd Radio Week concert hosted by Shanghai People's Broadcasting Station. * * * More than 3,000 times, four solo harmonica competitions were held, and the judges were all famous musicians. After the final, a concert was held, and all the box office proceeds were donated to charity and relief for unemployed workers. 195 1 year, three benefit performances of "donating aircraft and artillery to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea" were held in Lan Xin Grand Theatre and Popular Theater. And participate in various publicity and celebration performances, and perform condolence performances for workers and PLA officers and men.
1April, 942, in order to defend national pride, Chen resolutely refused to register with the Japanese gendarmerie, and held a concert in the "Tiangong Theater" without their approval. When the performance went on to the second program, the Japanese gendarmerie rushed into the theater and ordered it to stop. Chen was taken to the "special hi-tech" and was beaten by the Japanese gendarmerie before he could stand firm.
In order to promote the development and communication of harmonica, Chen co-organized or co-organized a city-wide and national harmonica solo competition with Shanghai Music Association, Group Art Museum and Municipal Education Bureau in 1980s. Among them, 1985 and Shanghai People's Broadcasting Station, TV Station, Children's Palace, Children's Song Editorial Department, Shanghai Harmonica Factory and other units jointly held the city's Children's Harmonica Competition. The number of participants was about 1000, which was the largest in China's history and wrote a glorious page in China's harmonica history. And sent staff to coach the training courses for music teachers and harmonica teachers in primary and secondary schools sponsored by the Municipal Education Bureau. At the same time, he devoted himself to the exchange of international harmonica activities and received visits and exchanges from individuals and groups of harmonicas from different regions and countries. There are Hong Kong Liang Rizhao, Chen Guoxun, Rhyme Harmonica Society, Leyou Harmonica Association, Liu Jinshan, Taiwan Province Province, Taipei Huangshi Harmonica Orchestra, American Chinese Xu Deming, Huang Qingbai, Japanese tabloid Jing Ya Min, Singapore Sun, Zhou Jinshi, He Zhongrong, National University of Singapore, and Julia Harmonica Research Group. ...
1984 More than 60 people from the All-Day Harmonica Union came to Shanghai to exchange experiences and visit performances. Shanghai Harmonica Club performed harmonica ensemble "On the Field of Hope", "March of the Old Friend" and "Cherry Blossoms" with them. Conducted by Chen and Japanese Saito respectively. This performance has become the most popular special concert this year. After returning to China, the Japanese delegation held a summary meeting for this visit performance and edited and published a special issue to commemorate it. 1985 Chen, at the age of 75, visited the dental profession in Hong Kong and was warmly welcomed and treated. During his stay in Hong Kong, he was interviewed and performed by tvbi, ATV and Green Village Radio, and also interviewed by reporters. Hong's Wen Wei Po and New Evening News both published long interview articles. He was invited to visit the rehearsals of various harmonica groups, watched the performance of the YMCA Harmonica Orchestra, awarded prizes for the harmonica and organ competitions in Hong Kong, and gave a demonstration performance.
In order to improve the art of playing harmonica, Chen has the courage to explore and innovate. As early as 1930s, many people, including some musicians, thought that the harmonica could not be tuned and it was difficult to play the high and low semitones in music. Harmonica can only play folk songs. In order to solve this problem, Chen adopted a fixed key playing method in his harmonica playing, that is, no matter what the tune is, he used two harmonicas, C and C-sharp (# C), to play the original key. Because many pieces of music are raised and lowered by semitones, it is extremely difficult to play, especially fast-paced music. But he made up his mind that under strict training, the performance level of the harmonica team improved rapidly and finally broke through the difficulty of more than half a note. 1April, 940, the original "Kalden Grand Theatre" was reserved for a concert. All the ensemble music is played in this way, which makes the harmonica playing level have a leap. At the same time, in the solo, he played the overture of Harmonica and Hell by the famous composer offenbach with nine harmonicas with different keys. Harmonica lovers and spectators who heard the news crowded at the door to buy tickets, and the black market tickets were auctioned to 4 yuan (this was the ticket price for Mei Lanfang's performance that year). As a result, the theater had to pull the iron gate, which caused a sensation throughout the Shanghai harmonica industry and caused quite a stir in the music industry.
In order to make the harmonica performance more colorful, as early as before liberation, Chen proposed that the harmonica team should accompany the women's solo. 1953 played Victory Drum and Northern Shaanxi Suite in the form of banhu concerto, which enriched the timbre and volume of the performance and was accompanied by a small harmonica solo band. In the grand ensemble, a variety of western musical instruments and national musical instruments were added. In the harmonica field of China, Chen is famous for his constant innovation. In 1960s, harmonica, guitar and cello were created for the first time, forming harmonica string quartet, harmonica, accordion and guitar trio. Shortly after the Cultural Revolution 1980 resumed its activities, Shanghai Harmonica Club adopted these forms in a concert held in Shanghai Concert Hall to commemorate its 45th anniversary, which achieved excellent artistic effects and was warmly welcomed by the audience. China national radio and Shanghai People's Broadcasting Station have recorded Chen's performances and his innovative spirit for many times. His harmonica solo "Country Road", accompanied by a small band, was recorded and broadcast by Shanghai People's Broadcasting Station and resounded through the streets on both sides of Pujiang. 198 1 At the end of the year, Japan held the International Harmonica Band Competition, and Chen participated in the harmonica "Victory Drum" in the form of Banhu Concerto, which was highly appreciated by all the judges in the recording and broadcasting of the organizer and won the second place in the ensemble competition, which was the highest honor that China's harmonica won in the international competition at that time. China national radio once made a special report on Liu Xiao's harmonica winning glory for our country. The Social and Cultural Department of the Ministry of Culture and the China Musicians Association jointly presented the honorary certificate to Chen, a member of the Shanghai Harmonica Association.
Under the leadership of Chen, Shanghai Harmonica Cottage has gone through a difficult and bumpy road, and it has gone through 65 years of development and growth today. Today, Shanghai Harmonica Club has a far-reaching influence not only at home but also abroad, especially in Southeast Asia and Japan.
Over the past 65 years, Chen Yisheng has devoted himself to the development of harmonica music and the cultivation of harmonica talents, and has achieved fruitful results.
Chen is a pioneer in the exploration and innovation of harmonica music. He has made an indelible contribution to the cause of harmonica in China! He wrote a glorious page for the harmonica music scene in China!