The piano concerto “Yellow River” is an adaptation of “The Yellow River” Cantata, written in the mid-40's by Shan Xign-hzi to deify Mao Ze-dong's war against the Japanese. With the Yellow River symbolizing the Chinese nation ,the concerto praises the sour age and fighting spirit of the country.
The first movement depicts boatmen struggling against the waves and shoals of the Yellow River; here the pipe, a Chinese short lute, is played softly and sounds like a mandolin .In the second movement a piano solo summarizes the long history of the nation and of its people who for thousands of years have lived and worked along the banks of the Yellow River; the closing part of this movement played by the piano is symbolic of the “awakened Chinese people, who tower in the East like the lofty Kunlun Mountains”.
A scene of sunshine and prosperity-introduced by the Chinese flute-is depicted in the beginning of The Yellow River in Wrath; a deep-noted chord from the piano accompanied by muted brass turns the movement into a somber description of the country under the Japanese .Then the music soars to a climax : the Chinese will never submit to the rule of the
invaders, and as the Yellow River rolls on in wrath the people are aroused to fury .The pipe in this movement is played flamenco style and sounds very much like a banjo.
The solemn brass introduction of the final movement symbolizes Chairman Mao's call to arms, and the cadenza depicts the people responding .the orchestra and piano then play the theme Defend the Yellow River as the army and the people march to battle.
The struggle for liberation is depicted, and the music culminates with the revolutionary song The East Is Red in praise of the Victory of Mao's concept of people's war .In the coda The East Is Red is combined with the International.
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