--Zhang Anqi
(Librarian of Hangzhou Public Library)
As the saying goes, “What's folk is what's international.”
Today, I recommend “The Voice of Earth” to everyone. The author of the book, Su Yang, is an ethnic rock musician from Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia Hui autonomous region of China, and a well-known folk rock musician. “The Voice of Earth” is a collection of essays by Su Yang that reminisces, sorts out, and summarizes his career in music.
ISBN：9787508680187
Bedřich Smetana, George Gershwin and other European and American composers have proved with outstanding works that music with fully absorbed national and folk materials will be loved by people all over the world.
As to introduce Chinese music to the world, reflecting national characteristics could be a proper way, just like Su Yang who grafted, improved, and deconstructed Chinese Northwest folk music and traditional folk art forms such as “Hua'er” with pop music, creating a new musical language. While Su Yang's music works have received widespread praise both domestically and internationally, his artistic expression has been further extended by music.
In 2016, Su Yang launched a multimedia exhibition project named the Yellow River Runs Forth, which combined multiple art forms, including music, painting and video. In September 2016, an exhibition with the same title debuted in a gallery in Manhattan of New York, making Su the first Chinese musician to conduct a comprehensive multimedia exhibition in the United States. Besides, Su also took the project to Brazil and Colombia.
In my opinion, there is an ancient and particularly shining soul in Su Yang's song. His untamed expressions are particularly vivid and vibrant. Reading his book while listening to his music work is highly recommended to better feel his music and even smell the fragrance of the soil.
