Chen Mingzhi,one of the first composers and professional theory teachers since the founding of the New China,displayed his strong interest in and smart comprehension of polyphonic art even in his youth.In the following period of his academic career for over 50 years,he persistently and arduously worked in this field,by composing,teaching and doing researches.Being an artist of the transitional generation,Chen Mingzhi summarized and promoted the way of the formation and development of Chinese polyphonic music since the May Fourth Movement in 1919,a way which benefited from both the 18th and 19th European Classicism and Romanticism and the Chinese national music composing experiences and traditions,and established the national polyphonic music theory by combining the Chinese music with Western composing techniques.For this purpose,during his long term of heavy teaching and administrative tasks,he never ceased thinking of,researching and making explorations on the issues of polyphony discipline quality,polyphony discipline construction and development as well as polyphony teaching content and methods,and made innovative contributions in terms of polyphonic thinking,formation and technique research as well as its application in composing practice.In the macroscopic vision of contemporary Chinese music development,Chen Mingzhi’s unwearied efforts in the field of polyphonic music bear the great significance that surpasses the important values of his own abundant academic achievements and have had impact upon the creation,research and teaching of contemporary Chinese music and the establishment and development of the entire composition technique theory for several dozen years,particularly since the opening up and reforms.
