ISSN 1712-8358[Print] Cross-Cultural Communication ISSN 1923-6700[Online] Vol. 8, No. 2, 2012, pp. 73-77 www.cscanada.net DOI:10.3968/j.ccc.1923670020120802.2600 www.cscanada.org Probe into the Debate on the Position of “New Folk Song” DERRIERE LES CONTROVERSE DE L’EMPLACEMENT DES NOUVELLES CHANSONS POPULAIRES ZHOU Xizheng1,* 1 Central China Normal University, Hubei, China. ZHOU Xizheng (2012). Probe into the Debate on the Position * Corresponding author. of “New Folk Song”. Cross-Cultural Communication, 8 (2), 73-77. Available from URL: http://www.cscanada.net/ Received 13 December 2011; accepted 5 April 2012. index.php/ccc/article/view/j.ccc.1923670020120802.2600 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/j.ccc.1923670020120802.2600. Abstract The debate on the position of “new folk song” reflects The term “New folk song” has been frequently used since changes of music thoughts in the field of music creation late 1990s to early 2000s in music field, in addition, no and performance and differences in the way of its matter musicology, music creation, and vocal music have expression. The boundary between the “new folk song” been influenced by the “new folk song”. There have been and traditional folk song is the meeting of minds of new fierce arguments, discussions, and controversies on “new and old music creation. The change of singing styles of folk song” since then. The emergence of those arguments, the “new folk song” is the reflection of modern trend discussions, and controversies is closely related to current of arts in the area of music performance. It shows the social life and change of ideas on basic aesthetic concepts tendency and confliction between tradition culture and of the Chinese. The discussions around “new folk song” modern muliti-culture below its surface. mainly focus on two aspects: the concept of “new folk song” and the definition of ethnic style creative songs; Key words: New folk song; Music trend; Modern art; Culture heritage Performance characteristics of “new folk song” in folk song singing performance. Apparently, discussions on the two aspects are different opinions and thoughts on Résumé “new folk song”; in fact, they have reflected that Chinese Les controverses de l’emplacement des ‘‘Nouvelles people tried to adapt foreign culture for the first time since chansons populaires’’ reflètent les changements et les the reform and open policy. It also shows that Chinese différences de la conception de la musique dans le people have been getting rid of culture assimilation and domaine de l’interprêtation musicale et la création de beginning to get creative in their minds and thoughts la musique depuis la révolution culturelle. La définition under the influence of social development and changes. des ‘‘Nouvelles chansons populaires’’ et des ‘‘Chansons Besides, the transformation of thinking styles and populaire traditionnelles’’ c’est le croissement des aesthetic interests are also crash and competition between conceptions de la création musicale. Le changement de foreign cultures and artistic ideas and Chinese traditional style chant des ‘‘Nouvelles chansons populaires’’ se reflète culture and artistic ideas. dans le domaine d’interprêtation de la musique dans la mode de la conception de l’Art Moderne. Derrière cet effet, ce dernière apparaisse la direction de l’orientation 1. DEFINITIon of “NEW FOLK Song” et les conflits des éléments de la culture moderne et de la culture traditionnelle. 1.1 Arguments in Theoretical Field Mots clés: Nouvelles chansons populaires; In 1980s, the journal “People’s Music” published a Conception musicale; Art moderne; Patrimoine culturel paper titled “The way of promoting Chinese folk”. The 73 Probe into the Debate on the Position of “New Folk Song” discussion on development and creation of Chinese folk is recognized by certain media. This media also said in song in this paper was the start reason of the term “new “pioneer of new folk song” and “new wave brought by folk song” which also brought great attention in music new folk song” that new folk song is a unique singing academia and set up arguments and debates in defining style and performance created by Teng Geer with his “new folk song”. It was just like the old saying in Chinese own understanding about folk song, his fashionable way that “a tossed stone raises a thousand ripples”. The of tuning, and mix of electronic musical instruments and influence brought by arguments and discussions on “new traditional music instruments. folk song” has been spread to every aspect in the field of With the influence of “new folk song”, there are Dao music. Lang who sings songs about ethnical culture or folk Followed “The way of promoting Chinese folk” of songs in Xinjiang, China, Southwestern ethnic group SONG Daneng which was treated as a blasting fuse, Yirenzhizao, and Siqingerile from Inner Mongolia, and DONG Weisong published a paper titled “New folk song many other starlets calling themselves “new folk song” creation and other”. Dong’s paper asserts that “new folk singers. They follow Teng Geer’s “new folk song” style song” has developed and changed from existing tunes; which introduces other new elements, new music materi- The development and change of basic tunes is basic mode als more daringly and freely when using modern methods, of folk music creation; All songs which are created by skills, and techniques to compose and perform and finally following the above standard can be called folk songs or create new folk song with modern feelings. This kind of new folk songs (DONG, 1983). MA Zhongguo has the music is exaggerated by some media companies and TV same opinion with DONG. In his paper “An Exploratory ceremonies pursuing commercialization and audience rat- Study on the Concept of New Folk Song”, he thought that ings and finally turns into the main stream of music. based on basic traditional tones, any newly created songs There is another trend of thoughts about new folk song follow characteristics of ethnic, region, ethnical language, at this moment. Some thinks that to add pop music and ethnical mode, tone, and rhythm and so on can be called rock music into folk song can be the creation of folk song new folk song (MA, 1988). While the opposite side of the which can be sang vigorously and powerfully. ZENG Jiax- above opinion asserts that typically speaking new folk in explained in “Yun Ling Ge Sheng” 2000 Vol.6 that “new song is newly organized song of creative songs of national folk song” is not like traditional folk song purely with program (HU, 2008). regional elements. It is a combination of subjective under- In this period, the change of new folk song creation standing of the composer on nature and music. It absorbs style has become a focus of both sides in debate. To define inspiration and materials from Yunna, Guizhou, Tibet, the boundary between new folk song and folk song turned Inner Mongolia ethnic groups’ ballads, borrows features into a core topic. If the argument on “new folk song” does from European Jazz, Blues, Rap and other music genres, not stop on discussing defining the boundary of music the- and gives strong pop song characteristics to folk song in ory and music creation at that moment, it has turned into a its performance (Zeng, 2000).” Under the influence of debate not only in the theoretical field but also in the field the trend of thoughts, the position of “new folk song” has of folk song singing style and ways of performance which been more and more diversified and broad. Compared turns into a confrontation between folk song performance with the previous thought which thinks that new folk song skills and folk song aesthetic level. is traditional folk song played by modern instruments that the explanation about new folk song changes more 1.2 Diversification of Ways of Singing obviously again from both composing and singing with Performance the trend of folk song development. New folk song has The concept of “new folk song” first appears in the field turn from original pure positioning to a repositioning in a of singing performance starts from Guangxi Nanning higher level of composing and performing. International Folk Song Festival. In the opening and The author of “Where is your root? New Folk Song” closing ceremonies, the international folk song festival published in the journal Northern Music Vol.24 2007 invited many famous and popular pop singers from the thought: “beyond the above types, new folk song should mainland China, Taiwan, and Hongkong. They sang many include urban folk song which supposes to be the main best-known classic folk songs in an anti-traditional way field for “new folk song”. One foot step into the industrial in the festival which soon brought both questions and society and another in the information society is the main applause. The opponent thinks there are less and less real stream of current age in China. All needs and require- folk songs in Nanning international folk song festival and ments under this background should be taken care of and there is only a empty shell of the festival. While the other these requirements will expand to countryside. From the side thinks that ways of performance, singing styles of public function and function of spreading folk customs, “new folk song” is a perfect combination of tradition and this paper recognizes that “Xing Xing Dian Deng”, “Sail- fashion. In the trend of “new folk song”, a lot of people or”, “Thirty-three Kuai”, “Da Guomin” sang by ZHENG labeling themselves “new folk song” singers come out. Zhihua must be counted as “new folk song” in urban life For example, Teng Geer, the “pioneer of new folk song”, and be examples of the diversification and wideness of Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture 74 75 ZHOU Xizheng (2012).