台灣藝術家英文簡傳（4）－作曲家呂泉生 Composer Lu Chuan-Sheng

Composer Lu Chuan-Sheng

Photo courtesy of Sunny Koo

編輯／邱斐顯

Editior／Felicity Fei-Hsien Chiu

The composer Professor Lu Chuan-Sheng, the “Father of Taiwan 's Children’s Choir”, Lu Chuan-Sheng, who passed away on March 17, 2008 in Los Angeles, U.S. at his age of 92.

A note on Lu Chuan-Sheng

Lu Chuan-Sheng, born into a Christian family in Shengang, Taichung County in 1916, was a great music educator known as the “Father of Taiwan 's Children’s Choir”. Lu’s parents were devoted Christians and they often took him to participate in the church choir, which inspired him to study music later on.

Because of his strong interest in music, Lu went to Japan to study and majored in Piano. His dream to become a concert pianist was shattered when he damage his arm. However, this unfortunate event marked a new beginning in his life. He changed his major to Vocal Music and did a minor in Piano Theory and Composition. The choral singing on his curriculum had a tremendous influence on his later devotion to lyric composition and choral singing education. While studying in Japan, his extra curriculum activities included singing for theatrical plays, auditioning for a place in an Olympic Choir member, and gaining admission to the NHK Broadcast Choir’s Group F. After graduating from Music School, Lu became a professional singer. He played lead roles in the theater and sang part time with the NHK Choir.

Lu returned to Taiwan in 1943 and settled in the Dadaocheng（大稻埕）area of Taipei, where his interest in Taiwan folk songs began to take root. He composed three folk songs, “Paddy Field of June for Chiayi”（六月田水）, “Train through the Tunnel” (pronounced as “diu-diu-dang-ah”，丟丟銅仔) for Yilan, and “A Chirping Bird”（一隻鳥仔哮救救）which became the pioneer folk song pieces for choirs singing in Taiwanese.

During the course of his career, Lu composed more than two hundred folk songs. The three songs, “Lullaby”（搖嬰仔歌）composed in 1945, “Don't Keep Fish in the bottom of the cup”（杯底毋通飼金魚）composed in 1947 and released in 1949, and “Open the Window to the Heart”（阮若打開心內的門窗）in 1958, are the most popular. 

The three well-known Lu compositions

In May 1945 during WWII, the allies bombarded Taiwan heavily in their attacks against Japan. Lu sent his wife and 3-month-old child to his hometown, while he remained in Taipei and worked at the Taipei Broadcast Bureau. But his longing for his wife and newborn baby grew deeper day by day. He asked his father-in-law, who was a pastor, to write the lyrics for what would later become the widely acclaimed “Voice for the Formosan Parents – the Lullaby.”

“Don't Keep Fish in the bottom of the cup” was intended to ease the ethnic tensions between local Taiwanese and the so-called mainlanders on the island after the 228 Incident. Lu, who had experienced the conflict, thought that better understanding could be achieved among people if they drink together, bottoms-up style, and open their hearts to each other. He composed both the melody and lyrics of the song and performed it at its premiere in April 1949.

“Don't Keep Fish in the bottom of the cup” was once performed by the renowned Taiwanese baritone Tseng Dau-Hsiong（曾道雄）at a United Nations concert in Tokyo, Japan, in 1988. Tseng chose it as the representative song for Taiwan.

“Open the Window to the Heart” was a composed in collaboration with doctor Wang Chang-Hsiung (王昶雄), who was the same age with Lu and was known as a famous Taiwanese writer. The song was meant to comfort and encourage young men who had moved from rural areas to the cities because of the social structure transformation. It is now a very popular piece in the repertoires of choirs.

Lu composed three hundred and seventy pieces of music throughout his life. He received several honors such as the “Music Composition Award from Chinese Culture and Art Association” in 1990, “National Cultural Award from the government” in 1991, “Special Achievement Honor for the Fourth Annual Golden Songs and Lyrics of Republic of China” in 1992, and “Humanities Achievement Award of Taiwanese-American Foundation” in 2007. 

Lu and his wife moved to Los Angeles in 1991 to be with their children, after he retired at age 75. However, when he was 91 he returned to Taiwan twice in 2007 accompanied by his family. The first time was to attend the 50th anniversary celebration of the Rong-Shing Chorus in July, the second was to receive the “Humanities Achievement Award” from the Taiwanese-American Foundation in November 2007.

A note about Lu Chuan-Sheng and Rong-Shing Chorus（榮星合唱團）

Rong Shing Chorus, one of Taiwan's more prestigious choruses, was founded by Koo Wei-Fu（辜偉甫）in 1957. At the time, Lu Chuan-Sheng was the music director of the group. Koo and Lu both believed that educating children through music is a means of uplifting a country's culture.

They therefore founded the Rong-Shing Children's Chorus, which was the first children's chorus in Taiwan. The Rong-Shing Women's Chorus was later founded in 1962 and Rong-Shing Girls' Chorus in 2005.

Lu had created a rich environment for musical education in Taiwan through his unwavering efforts and his dedication to children’s choirs.

Lu devoted his efforts to the Rong-Shing Children's Chorus for over 35 years, from 1957 to 1991. The Rong-Shing Children's Chorus, under his direction, was selected to represent Taiwan at the second annual Asian Children's Chorus Festival in Tokyo in 1967. The Rong-Shing Children's Chorus earned the high praises for it’s a cappella performance at a concert in 1973.

Over the past 51 years, the Rong-Shing Chorus has contributed tremendously to the field of the music education in Taiwan and also inspired its students to become brilliant professionals and excellent amateurs. Rong-Shing Chorus has a very busy concert schedule that includes touring around Taiwan and abroad to countries such as Japan, the U.S. , Canada and Southeastern Asia. The celestial voices and the innocent smiles of these children have profoundly touched Rong-Shing's worldwide audience.

The above information is edited by Felicity Fei-Hsien CHIU（邱斐顯）, and checked by Peggy Carr, English consultant, the Central News Agency.

江蓋世著《我走過的台灣路》第四章風暴 4-5 我是台灣囝仔（下）

 



（1987年，群眾聚集立法院大門口，聲援江蓋世等人。）





◎文：江蓋世





我知道，六一二事件是一個政治事件，既然是一個政治事件，它就是朝野政治力的拉距戰，而不是引經據點的法律戰，有了這個認知，我就不再斤斤計較法庭上的言詞辯論，反而一再的默念甘地的啟示：「我們愈是無辜入獄，我們的力量愈大。」



 

既然我自許為甘地的信徒，那麼我就應該去自我實踐，他這項入獄哲學，當年他被送上法庭時，他不願在法律上跟法官多費唇舌，反而請求庭上「請判我最重的罪」。





  

江蓋世著《我走過的台灣路》

第四章風暴 

4-5  我是台灣囝仔（下）  

 

一九八七年六月二十三日，台北地檢處即將召開六一二事件偵查庭。



 

接著板橋後埔國小那一場，民進黨中央繼續在台北市新興國中，以及三重明志國中，舉辦兩場群眾大會，聲援六一二事件三位當事人。



 

在群眾大會場合，聽那萬人的歡呼鼓掌，是非常痛快的事，但是，當曲終人散，獨自回到家裡時，想到不知何時，就要跟家人離別，與朋友分開，心中就有股甩不掉的落寞。雖然如此， 六月二十二日 那天，我看到當期的雜誌《新新聞》與《民進週刊》，封面上，都有我們三個人的相片，短時間之內，我成了反對運動的名人，唉，我知道，名聲如泡影，突然而來，也將隨之而去，但此時驟增的名氣，但不可否認的，卻是我繼續戰鬥的一項動力來源。



 

六月二十二日早上，黨主席江鵬堅打電話給我，我接了電話，生性幽默的江鵬堅，笑著說道：「啥米？你擱惦佇厝裡！喔，你真好命，逐家攏佇無閒咧！」



 

我馬上答道：「我行李已經準備好啊，準備入去籠仔內啊！」



 

江鵬堅打電話是要通知我，晚上要在陳繼盛律師的「陳林文教基金會」，召開一項六一二事件律師團會議，來研究第二天謝長廷、洪奇昌與我三人要到地檢處偵訊時，我們的對策如何。江鵬堅是民進黨黨主席，他本身又是律師，所以擔任這個律師團的召集人，自己親自打電話給我。



 

當天晚上，陳林文教基金會的會議廳，聚集了十個人，除了我跟洪奇昌之外，其他都是律師，主要有江鵬堅、陳繼盛、李勝雄等人。他們是當時反對陣營裡，一時之選的人權律師，大家熱烈的討論案情，研商明天的對策，而我呢，不是讀法律的，對於訴訟程序也不太了解，我知道，六一二事件是一個政治事件，既然是一個政治事件，它就是朝野政治力的拉距戰，而不是引經據點的法律戰，有了這個認知，我就不再斤斤計較法庭上的言詞辯論，反而一再的默念甘地的啟示：「我們愈是無辜入獄，我們的力量愈大。」



 

既然我自許為甘地的信徒，那麼我就應該去自我實踐，他這項入獄哲學，當年他被送上法庭時，他不願在法律上跟法官多費唇舌，反而請求庭上「請判我最重的罪」。



 

所以當那些律師正在努力的研商，第二天的法庭抗爭策略，我自己的策略已經定好了，有關三人共同的法律訴訟問題，我就委託我的義務辯護律師代勞，政治的部份，我就採取甘地的策略。



 

六月二十三日終於到了，全台灣反對人士最關切的話題就是：「謝長廷等三人，今天會不會被收押？」



 

一大早，台北地檢處四周，警方已經派出鎮暴警察，架起層層鐵絲網，嚴陣以待。

民進黨的中央要員，在江鵬堅的坐鎮之下，幾乎全部到齊，全島各地的民進黨人士，紛紛包下大型遊覽車，一路北上，群集台北地檢處。聲援的群眾，揮舞著民進黨旗，高舉各式各樣的抗議標語，而我也請了蔡文旭，去找到一位台北縣的黨工朋友，寫下橫幅大型標語好幾幅，如「台灣人走台灣路」、「人民有主張台灣獨立的自由」等。就這樣，數千名群眾，頂著火熱的太陽，在地檢處外面，等候我們偵訊的結果。



 

我們三人在律師的陪同之下，走進了地檢處，地檢處大廳裡面，也派出層層的警察圍成人牆，防止群眾可能的騷動。



 

「今天可能收押嗎？」我不知道，我也從來沒有進過監牢，也不知道坐牢的滋味是怎樣，我心裡一直用甘地的話「監獄是我的聖殿」，使我自己心情平靜下來。



 

負責偵辦六一二事件的檢察官陳清碧，他將我們三個人，依照江蓋世、洪奇昌、謝長廷的次序，一一偵訊。



 

我第一個接受偵訊。陳清碧攤在我面前，是好幾本相簿，那是警方搜證小組，在 六月十日 ，我率眾遊行博愛特區，以及 六月十一日 ，我又率眾遊行，長征士林官邸。我看了看相片，他開始問我許多細節的問題，我只好笑著對他說：「不必問我了，請求你將我起訴，謝謝你。」



 

陳清碧急著說道：「我們要經過偵查，才能決定要不要起訴啊。」



 

「檢察官，我的罪名已經很清楚，就是我手裡拿著那個牌子，上面寫著『人民有主張台灣獨立的自由』，請不必再問了，麻煩書記官把我的話記錄下來。」



 

我看到陳清碧一臉狐疑的表情，也許是他擔任檢察官以來，頭一次碰到我這個「腦袋秀逗」的嫌犯，人家都是巴不得嘴巴連聲喊冤，或為自己辯解，可是我不但不辯解，還是請求他將我起訴，我看到他一下子支支唔唔的表情，我暗地裡笑了起來，整個人也輕鬆多了，我再度追問：「檢察官，請求你幫我起訴，請把這句話叫書記官記錄下來，好了，從現在開始，我保持沉默，不再回答你的任何問題。」



 

陳清碧再追問我幾個問題，我都笑而不答，兩人僵在那裡……。最後，他沒辦法，只好叫書記官照我的意思去做。



 

問完了，他並沒下令收押，我就走出去，接下來，換洪奇昌進來，再來，換謝長廷。我想他們兩位，與檢察官的對答，一定很精采，那些，只好等將來他們寫傳記的時候，再加以補充吧。我只記得，我走出偵訊庭，到另一間休息室，與其他的辯護律師在一起休息，我們一直等著，而外面的群眾，也在豔陽之下，苦苦守候，一直到下午三點半，全部的偵訊完畢，檢察官並沒有下令收押。我們三人在黨主席江鵬堅陪同之下，步出博愛路地檢處的大門時，群眾報以熱烈的歡呼，他們大呼口號，「謝長廷，無罪！」、「洪奇昌，無罪！」、「江蓋世，無罪！」。



 

我們站在那裡，向群眾發表簡單的演講，感謝他們的支持。因為我內心清楚的很，如果沒有民眾強力的支持，國民黨當局一定把我們押入大牢了！那麼， 六月二十三日 的晚上，我睡的地方，就不是家裡溫暖的床，而是牢裡冰冷的木板。



 

整個六二三的偵訊活動，雖然和平的結束，但過程中卻發生了一件不幸的小意外，兩位台北縣民進黨黨工莊勝惠與蔡裕珍，他們聲援我們的時候，與警方發生衝突，而遭逮捕，後來，蔡裕珍交保候傳，可是，莊勝惠在衝突時，奪下警方搜證人員的相機，阻擾對方搜證，因情節重大，而遭檢察官下令收押。



 

「莊勝惠可能會乎伊們刑求，咱愛甲伊聲援！」一位關心莊勝惠的台北縣黨工，大聲呼籲道。



 

因此，我們就從 六月二十二日 起到 六月三十日 ，連著幾天，發動一群民進黨黨工，在台北市地檢處大門口前，進行聲援莊勝惠的靜坐，這個活動，由板橋尤清服務處的主任蕭貫譽擔任總領隊與發言人。因為莊勝惠本人並不是公職，再加上他所涉的案件，是搶下警方搜證小組的相機，阻擾對方拍照，這樣的案情，使得他所獲得黨內的聲援及社會的聲援，相當有限，我連著幾天，每天都去靜坐，可是愈坐人愈少，最後不得已，只好宣佈結束全部的靜坐活動，接下來，只好靠律師們來為他做法律上的支援而已。



 

往後幾天，我待在家裡休息一陣子，偶爾外頭有示威，我會去參加，但我心裡一直在想，難道國民黨當局抓了人、關了人、抄了黨外雜誌社之後，我們才能被動的抗議示威，為什麼不主動出擊呢？



 

「主動出擊」的念頭，不斷在我腦中翻騰……。