Zhu Jian-er's symphonies: Context, style, significance

All eight of Zhu Jian-er's symphonies appeared in his later years (1985-1995). This outburst not only shows this veteran Chinese composer's great creative vigor; it also reflects a new trend in contemporary Chinese art music under new social circumstances. Zhu's symphonies resulted from a long process of spiritual tempering and from a distinct understanding of the essences of Chinese culture and Western musical tradition. The symphonies can be regarded as the inner voice of a Chinese intellectual who underwent much suffering and faced serious challenges in the creative transformation of a traditional culture.;This study explores the close relationship between the evolution of twentieth-century Chinese music and Zhu's composition, the stylistic characteristics of Zhu's symphonies, and the cultural connotations embedded in the musical presentation. The process of Zhu's creation intertwined with the political environment of "new China." Zhu gradually recognized the independent value of the composer as a modern intellectual. After abandoning previous obedience, in a freer cultural atmosphere Zhu composed music based solely on his own aesthetic pursuits and creative drive, displaying his individual reflection of Chinese musical tradition, the social and cultural transformation in present-day China.;Zhu's compositions reveal a particular creative procedure of refinement in his artistic practice. It is in his symphonies that Zhu arrives at the culmination of his creation. Zhu's symphonies show his artistic personality. While using contemporary musical language, he also assimilates the "nutriment" of his Chinese musical heritage. Zhu gradually establishes his own symphonic style, which is characterized mainly by thematic arrangement, harmonic language, orchestral texture, and formal structure. As three important achievements in his creation, Symphonies Nos. 1, 4 and 6 clearly manifest Zhu's stylistic development.;The study seeks to confirm the significance of Zhu's symphonies. Zhu's creation is a valuable contribution to twentieth-century Chinese music. Not only does it elevate the artistic level of contemporary Chinese music, it also represents the humanistic ideal of a number of Chinese intellectuals. To the world of Western music, Zhu's symphonies state that with its various possibilities East-West compatibility in contemporary music has a bright future.