Shi Guangnan


Shi Guangnan was a Chinese composer, best known for his patriotic and nationalistic songs from the Cultural Revolution era that combined traditional melodies with westernized accompaniment.

Biography

He attended the middle school division of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and graduated with a degree in composition from the Tianjin Conservatory in 1964, whereupon he was assigned to the Tianjin Dance Theater. In 1985 he was elected as vice-chairman of the Chinese Musicians' Association and composed more than 100 works during his 20-year career. He lived in Jinhua, Zhejiang. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage. The 1998 Chinese film Rhapsody of Spring directed by Teng Wenji is a slightly fictionalized portrait of Shi. The film features a number of Shi's songs.

Works

His songs include "In Hope Field", "Toasts Song", "If You Must Know I", "Turfan's Grape Was Ripe", "Has Lifted Up High the Asian Games Torch", "Hits Hand Drum To Sing Song", "Premier Zhou, Where You Were At", "Under Moonlight Wind at the End Bamboo", and "Pure White Feather Send Affection".
He also composed many operas, ballets, Beijing operas, and other large-scale works, including two full Chinese-language western-style operas; Shangshi composed in 1981 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lu Xun, and Qu Yuan, as well as the ballet Hundred Snake Biographies.