China Stamps - 1985 , J111 , Scott 1988 80th Anniv. of Birth of Xian Xinghai, MNH, F-VF - (91988)

China Stamps - 1985 , J111 , Scott 1988 80th Anniv. of Birth of Xian Xinghai, MNH, F-VF : Xian Xinghai (1905-1945), a native of Fanyu, Guangdong Province,composed one of the greatest pieces of music of the 20th century. Since Xian's father died before he was born, the impoverished boy drifted from place to place with his mother. Xian began learning to play the violin when he was over 20 years old. In the beginning, his peers called him Chicken Killer due to the terrible sound of his cheap violin, which resembled a chicken squawk. However, Xian did not give up and soon unleashed his talents. In 1934 he was the first Chinese student to enroll at the senior composition class of the Paris Music Academy. In Paris, Xian spent much time working part time to earn a living. Before he left the academy, Xian became the most outstanding student in the class and received an award from the college. When asked which award he preferred, his reply was simple: meal tickets.Xian's reputation is largely built around The Yellow River cantata, a stunning piece of the late Romantic nationalist agitprop. Allegedly written in a cave in just six days during the Anti-Japanese War, this seven-movement cantata (text by Guang Weiran) uses traditional folk melodies, like the image of the mighty Huanghe (Yellow River), as a symbol of Chinese defiance against the Japanese invaders.IXian is a pioneer of modern Chinese music. Combined with the essence of western music, Xian's works are rich in both Chinese tradition and modern elements. He threw light on the new direction of the trend of Chinese culture. Xian composed music in all major forms (two symphonies, violin concerto, four large-scale choral works, nearly 300 songs and an opera) and wrote many essays about musical theory.