Folk Music's New Sound

Generally speaking, if an album of Chinese songs is able to sell 20,000 to 30,000 copies it is considered quite good. In recent years there have been several remarkable records in the world of Chinese music, coming one behind the other. Folk singer Chang Ching-fang's "After the Passion" album unexpectedly sold over 200,000 copies in just a short time. Chou Ping-chun, just graduated from National Chengchi University, together with Yang Hai-wei recorded "Blameless Youth," a song about university student life, and since the album was first released sales have been steadily rising, making it is best seller.

Sales of "Soaring Youth," recorded by a group of junior college students, have exceeded all expectations. It has already sold 80,000 records and it is still selling strongly. This and other albums by students have been widely promoted, and the TV stations frequently broadcast MTV tapes of new modern folk artists. Is it possible that modern folk music, which has lain quiet for a period, is making a come back? Both sellers and buyers are asking this same question.

The subject matter of modern folk songs varies greatly today. Modern society is becoming more and more complex and things from traffic problems to relations between people can all be material for the songs of today.

People are becoming more and more prosperous nowadays, enabling more young people to have an opportunity to study music, as well as become exposed to different types of instruments. Singing skills are also gradually becoming more professional and the recording equipment is now more sophisticated.

In addition, the younger generation of folk singers are more involved in the mechanics than ever before. Chou Ping chun, one of the singers of "Blameless Youth," threw himself completely into the production process. "People said I was too troublesome," he jokes.

For example, Chou had opinions about the composing and wanted to be able to communicate with the composers. Things got so entangled that in the end the head composer pleaded with Ye Chia hsiu, the producer and Chou's teacher: "Please take your student back home."

Fan I-wen's philosophy is to select songs that she herself has a feeling for. "If I have no feeling for a song," she says, "then I would rather not sing it. Because if a song does not move me, how can I move the listeners?" Before she sings a song she gets together with the writer to gain a deeper understanding of the spirit of the song, sometimes even working together with the writer to create the piece.

For example, in her new album there is a song about a girl who loves a boy but clearly knows that she is not the boy's type. While the song was being written, Li Tsung-sheng, the writer, asked Fan "What would you do if you loved a boy, but he didn't notice you?" "I would just tell him," answered Fan. "And what if he still didn't notice you," asked Li. Fan thought for a while and then said, "I would just forget about it." With Fan's "just forget about it" attitude in mind Li then wrote the song.

Rising song writer Liang Hung-chih feels that the old folk songs were written to express the innermost feelings. There was no way of knowing if you would be rewarded, and so in the process you worked harder.

"Modern folk music is just as good as the earlier folk music," says Hsu Chung hsien, of the Kuang Yin Recording Studio, who has more than 10 years in the music business. "The reason people feel that one generation is not as good as the last may be because today's music standards have improved overall and the folk songs do not appear as outstanding as they did in the past."

That "past" is just about 10 years ago. At that time popular Chinese songs were simple and were mainly about love. Young people did not like to listen to Chinese songs; they were captivated by Western music instead.

After hearing a lot of English songs these young people picked up guitars and began composing, writing, and singing their own songs. In 1975, Yang Hung released his first song, opening the curtain for modern Chinese folk music. Most modern folk singers can compose and write songs, but many have not received formal musical training and the melody rarely changes. Most recently, because many of the best selling artists are still in school or have just graduated, the contents of many songs evolve around student life and so give people the feeling that modern folk music is being revived.

One change in the Chinese music world brought about by modern folk music is the elevating of the behind-the-scenes personalities. "In the past people were only concerned about whether or not the singer was a big star," says Hsu Chung-hsien. "No one cared who the behind-the-scenes players were."

The revival of modern Chinese folk music has brought about a creative atmosphere and has caused people to start noticing the composer, writer, and producer of a song. In the past it was the singing star who was in command. Now the producer's name is right there with the singer's and some people have bought albums because they first recognized the producer's name. The people behind the scenes are now heroes in their own right.

Yu Chung-min, production manager for Kuangmei Record Co. has made the following comparison: "Most of the record producers of the past were the owners of record companies and they may have been more concerned about the market. Folk artist producers, however, put more emphasis on the music, making music for the sake of music.

With the footsteps of the past generation of modern folk singers to follow in, the new generation can save a lot of time and groping about. Although there are a lot of dangerous roads ahead, songs will continue to be sung.

From the birth of modern folk music up until the present, "we can at least unashamedly make clear to history that we struggled hard during this period of Chinese music," says Hsu Chung-hsien. If we continue to advance from our present point, he continues, we will reach heights never achieved before.

(Sunny Hsiao/photos by Chien Yung-pin/ tr. by Mu Yi-ren)

[Picture Caption]

TV films have already become an important channel for the songs of modern Chinese folk singers. Picture shows Chang Ching-fang, who gained fame singing "After the Passion."

Folk singer Chen Ta's music has already come to an end-can the new generation of performers pick up where he left off? (photo by Chang Chao-tang)

Yang Hsuan, the father of modern Chinese folk music, has made song writing popular. (photo by Hsieh Chun-tes)

Song writer, com poser, singer and producer Liang Hung-chih is an ex ample of the "young generation."

Veteran folk singer Wu Chu-chu's UFO Group Co. has released a number of popular records.

Long-time producer Li Shou-chuan, at a press conference introducing her "81/2" album, explains to reporters why she made the move from producer to performer.

The old making way for the new. First generation folk singer Su Lai talking on his radio program with the new generation's Chou Ping-chun.

"Who says we are a generation without music?" Concerts still attract fan s.

Young musicians are no longer confining themselves to just guitars. The introduction of all types of new instruments has given wings to today's performers.

Folk singer Chen Ta's music has already come to an end-can the new generation of performers pick up where he left off? （photo by Chang Chao-tang）

Yang Hsuan, the father of modern Chinese folk music, has made song writing popular. （photo by Hsieh Chun-tes）