Xiao Shuxian
Encyclopedia
Xiao Shuxian (4 April 1905 in Tianjin
– 26 November 1991 in Beijing
) was a Chinese
composer
and music educator.
Xiao was born into a highly cultural Chinese family, some of her relatives were known people in Chinese history. After a period of music studying in China, she went to the Royal Conservatory at Brussels, winning a prize there in 1932. From 1935 to 1954 she was married to Hermann Scherchen
, a conductor
; their daughter, Tona Scherchen
, became a composer. Xiao spent 14 years working in Switzerland
, where she helped to promote Chinese culture with her music and writing. Her 1938 Chinese Children's Suite for voice and piano was among the first works by a Chinese composer to become known in the west, as was her suite for orchestra
Huainian Zuguo (A Commemoration of My Homeland).
In 1950, motivated by a desire to help her homeland's development, and a wish to have a career of her own, Xiao returned to China with her three children, not knowing that she herself will not be able to see Hermann ever again. From then until her death she taught in Beijing
at the Central Conservatory. A substantial number of today's successful Chinese composers benefit from her teaching and among them recollections of Xiao is vivid. Her value as a teacher depended on the fact that she was among the earliest Chinese who had first-hand experience in western polyphony, as well as all sorts of compositional technique. Yet her role as a composer were largely ignored, as during the most of her lifetime a self-dependent composer is impossible in China, this is not until a few years before her death when finally a concert consisting entirely of her own music were given in the conservatory, followed by the publication of scores. In addition to her work as a teacher and composer, she translated various texts on Western musical thought into Chinese
.
In a limited compositional output, Xiao's style combines elements of Chinese folk culture with traditional Western techniques; she developed it mainly through teaching polyphony
in the 1950s. Most of her works are for written small medium such as vocal and piano solo. The best among them, for example, the Piano Sonatina, can be described as havong a neo-classical style.
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
– 26 November 1991 in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
) was a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and music educator.
Xiao was born into a highly cultural Chinese family, some of her relatives were known people in Chinese history. After a period of music studying in China, she went to the Royal Conservatory at Brussels, winning a prize there in 1932. From 1935 to 1954 she was married to Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen
Hermann Scherchen was a German conductor.-Life:Scherchen was originally a violist and played among the violas of the Bluthner Orchestra of Berlin while still in his teens...
, a conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
; their daughter, Tona Scherchen
Tona Scherchen
Tona Scherchen, also Tona Scherchen-Hsiao , is one of the first composers who brought Chinese elements into European avant-garde art music....
, became a composer. Xiao spent 14 years working in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where she helped to promote Chinese culture with her music and writing. Her 1938 Chinese Children's Suite for voice and piano was among the first works by a Chinese composer to become known in the west, as was her suite for orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
Huainian Zuguo (A Commemoration of My Homeland).
In 1950, motivated by a desire to help her homeland's development, and a wish to have a career of her own, Xiao returned to China with her three children, not knowing that she herself will not be able to see Hermann ever again. From then until her death she taught in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
at the Central Conservatory. A substantial number of today's successful Chinese composers benefit from her teaching and among them recollections of Xiao is vivid. Her value as a teacher depended on the fact that she was among the earliest Chinese who had first-hand experience in western polyphony, as well as all sorts of compositional technique. Yet her role as a composer were largely ignored, as during the most of her lifetime a self-dependent composer is impossible in China, this is not until a few years before her death when finally a concert consisting entirely of her own music were given in the conservatory, followed by the publication of scores. In addition to her work as a teacher and composer, she translated various texts on Western musical thought into Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
.
In a limited compositional output, Xiao's style combines elements of Chinese folk culture with traditional Western techniques; she developed it mainly through teaching polyphony
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
in the 1950s. Most of her works are for written small medium such as vocal and piano solo. The best among them, for example, the Piano Sonatina, can be described as havong a neo-classical style.