50 years ago today, Fu Lei and his wife Zhu Meifu passed away, leaving behind a three-page suicide note. According to the memory of the second son Fu Min, this was the last letter left by his parents.
In the suicide note, Fu Lei and his wife entrusted their life property to Zhu Meifu's brother Zhu Renxiu, entrusting him to pay the rent of 55.29 yuan, return other people's Omega watches, and pay the nanny 600 yuan for transitional living expenses.
The fiftieth anniversary of Fu Lei's death is also the thirty-fifth anniversary of the publication of "Fu Lei's Family Letter". For the majority of readers after the "Cultural Revolution", most of them got to know Fu Lei through letters from home, and even put the letter writer Fu Lei above the translator Fu Lei.
Fu Lei's Family Letters, compiled and published by the second son Fu Min, is a collection of Fu Lei's family letters with Fu Cong and his daughter-in-law Mila from 1954 to May 1966. It was first published in 1981 and was a sensational cultural event at the time. It has been a best-seller for thirty-five years. "Letter from Home" begins with Fu Cong leaving home to study in Poland and ends with the death of Fu Lei and his wife. There are hundreds of letters written over the past twelve years, which run through Fu Cong's growth experience from studying abroad, becoming famous as a performer, to getting married and having children. They also reflect Fu Lei's translation work, friendships and the ups and downs of Fu Lei's family.
Fu Lei's close friend Lou Shiyi mentioned poignantly in the preface to "Letters from Home" the significance of letters from home to Fu Lei. Because Fu Lei had a straightforward personality and was incompatible with popular customs, he could not work with others and chose a career of "closed-door translation", which allowed people to see him. His talent and brilliance, but his hope for writing about aesthetics and art history was finally realized in a letter home to his son, "(Fu Lei) studied art theory in France in his youth, and has been engaged in art archeology and art teaching since returning to China. Work, but the time is very short, always incompatible with the popular atmosphere, unable to work with others, always leaving in the middle of the road, unable to develop his talents, so he finally chose a closed-door translation career... In his letter home to Fu Cong In it, we can see his knowledge and in-depth exploration in music. He has never engaged in music practice, but he has a detailed and profound understanding of the spiritual process that a musician encounters in his artistic life. ”
In the book at home, we can see Fu Lei, who is usually very strict in educating his children, expressed his true feelings and his deep love for his children: "The day after you left, I wanted to write a letter, just because I was afraid that you would find it annoying. But I didn't miss you a day." (1954) "You came back and left again; many new jobs, new busyness, and new changes are waiting for you. You will not feel lonely; we are. Calm down and slowly return to our monotonous life. Compared with the fun and bustle of the past, it feels empty. "(1956) "My son has become a friend. Nothing in the world can compare with this kind of happiness! Although we will be separated more and more in the future, at least I will be warm in spirit and not lonely."
The Fu family discusses music in lettersRegarding art and literary creation, Fu Lei helped Fu Cong solve the psychological problems on the road of art: "You said that you are always in contradiction and happiness, but I believe that without contradictions, artists will not progress, evolve, or deepen." (1955) He also excitedly shared the drama movie he just watched, "Chang Xiangyu's natural voice is so beautiful, with a wide range of ups and downs, and she can act, and the script is well written." (1956)
The most famous one, regarded as the artistic creation philosophy of Fu Lei and his son, is "A child can create a world when he is alone", which is also the spark of communication between father and son. Fu Cong said in a letter on January 16, 1955, "She said that it is hard to say where this talent comes from. It mostly comes from the purity of the soul; only a soul as pure as a mirror can give an artist such emotion and passion. Here, aren't her words exactly what Wang Guowei said: A poet must not lose his innocent heart." Fu Lei said in his reply on January 26 , "I have always remembered the words of the innocent heart. An innocent child does not know loneliness. When an innocent child is lonely, he will create a world and create many spiritual friends! Always keep the innocent heart, and you will not be left behind when you grow old, and you will always be able to connect with and embrace the innocent hearts all over the world."
On the occasion of fifty years since the death of Fu Lei and his wife, let us re-read Fu Lei.
Excerpt from Fu Congxin, January 16, 1955 (wave 10)
Since the first concert in Krakow on December 19, I have given three more concerts - January 8, 9, and 13. Tomorrow I will go to another city, Częstochowa, where there will be two symphony concerts. I will play Chopin's concerto; on the 19th, I will go to Bizzó for a recital. I went to Warsaw on the 20th and stayed for two weeks. It was the last group study for Poland. All the Polish players and professors were there, and I also participated.
The first concert in Krakow was a great success and the audience was enraptured with enthusiasm. Regina Smanzianka said: "Chopin's concerto is very familiar to people in Poland and has no longer attracted people's interest; but in your performance, almost every measure reveals a new look, so personal and so Chopin. In short, I have re-understood a new Chopin's "Concerto."
Rutkovsky, the director of the Krakow Conservatory of Music, said that my performance is very similar to Richter's. Music is like water, like the water of a river. It just feels like it flows out in an endless stream, which is completely natural and seems to have no end.
An eighty-year-old old lady, who was once a student of Chopin's student and a good friend of Paderewski, came to me excitedly and told me that for many years she thought that the real Chopin was no longer a good friend.People understand that there is no longer the kind of Chopin that her teacher and Paderewski showed, but now they can feel the real Chopin again from a Chinese. She said my voice was like Paderewski, which was inexplicable, just because there was a great heart in the voice of every note.
Really, so many and so excessive compliments make me blush; but you will be happy to hear them, so I wrote them. There are many more, I will slowly think about them and write them slowly.
After the concert on December 19th, it was Christmas, which is a big holiday in Poland. Everyone had a holiday, but I was depressed. Because having me as a guest here today and there tomorrow is really a hardship for me, and I can’t refuse it. I haven't practiced piano for almost two weeks, but I feel anxious. Your letter makes me even more anxious. Because actually I haven’t really progressed to that point. I still often have contradictions. One day I find that my technique is much better, but tomorrow I will be disappointed again. Of course, the music will not have a big improvement, but I really don’t understand the technique now. I played it well some time ago, but recently it has stopped working.
Two concerts on January 8th and 9th were held at the "Palace of Culture" in Krakow. The program was not printed and they were both recitals. The results on the 8th were not very good. The piano was a Bechstein, small and old. The next day I got a Stanley. Although it wasn't very good, it was much better than the first one. The audiences at both concerts were very enthusiastic. Musically speaking, Nine Days has done quite well.
The concert on the 13th was held in the concert hall of the Conservatory of Music. It was a series of concerts. The 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th were performed by four of Jievitsky's students. The piano is a Petrov, tight and heavy, and the sound quality is not good. There is a huge distance between adding a soft pedal and not adding a soft pedal, making it extremely difficult to control the music. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the performance, but it was a huge success because the audience was almost exclusively "musicians" and they listened to it for four days straight. After every song I finished, everyone shouted "One more"; and that kind of silence was something I had never experienced before. After the concert, the audience went really crazy, rushing in like a tide, hugging me, kissing me, and letting their tears stain my face; many people's voices became hoarse and changed, saying that they had never been so moved in their lives, and even said: "Why aren't you a Pole?"
Professor Stomka said: "All Polish pianists do not understand Chopin. Only you, a Chinese, feel Chopin."
Stefanska, the first prize winner in the last Chopard Competition, said that if I had participated in the last competition, she would not have participated at all. She said: She had never heard such a touching performance of Scherzo, Lullaby and Mazurka. "...To me, you are a far more amazing pianist than Richter"; she also said: "...You are 30 years older musically than all the Polish pianists competing...…Your skills are not amazing, but your strong will makes all the parts beyond your skills pass smoothly. "She said that my timbre changes are an unlearnable talent, unique to Chopin, that kind of flickering, that kind of extremely delicate psychological changes. She felt that the end of my "Nocturne" was really like the purest and gentlest smile; and "Mazurka" in A minor (Op. 59) was such a sad smile. These words made me very happy. She is often moved, showing how truly she understands me; at least no one has ever expressed the most subtle feelings in my heart to me like her. She said: “It’s hard to say where this talent comes from, but it mostly comes from the purity of the soul; only a soul as pure as a mirror can give an artist such emotion and passion. ”
Aren’t her words exactly what Wang Guowei said here: “A poet should not lose his innocent heart. ”
About success, I don’t want to write anymore, there are too many. If you are a person who doesn’t understand yourself, it is dangerous enough; but I understand myself very well, and I always feel sad because I am not perfect; maybe I will never be perfect. Richter once told me that a true artist is never perfect, and perfection is never art; there is some truth to this.
For the competition, I only have the heart to do my best. I do have very specific strengths, but they may not be suitable for competition. Competitions require perfection, and competitions often create pianists, not artists.
Never mind this, I am conflicted and happy. The recent concert particularly touched me. I saw that I had so much power to make people intoxicated, and they were all "musicians" and they were all Polish! What I feel is a kind of real joy. Maybe a composer feels this kind of joy when he is composing!
I can still see the tears, shining eyes, and flushed faces of the audience, hear their breathing, rapid heartbeats, and hissing sounds, and feel their hot hands and cheeks; the moment they hugged me, my heart immediately merged with theirs!
A letter from a girl was sent from Poznan, saying: "I never thought much about China before. China is too far away. What does it have to do with me? But after hearing your recital, you and China have become the topics I miss all day long. From your profound and extraordinary understanding of Chopin, I feel that there is a great nation with an ancient civilization in your heart. "I feel really happy to be able to make people have this kind of admiration for my beloved motherland.
Excerpt from my father’s reply letter on January 26, 1955
On New Year's Day, I held a cane with one hand and put the other on my mother's shoulder. I tried half a step, but I could barely walk. I could only sit and half lie down for the past two days. But just like being disabled, you need someone to help you with everything, and you still can’t walk alone. It will take about another week to recuperate.Only then can we continue as usual.
I estimate that I will receive your letter early in the New Year. We are all waiting as if we are waiting for some gift. Sure enough, I received a letter from you (wave 10) yesterday morning, and it was quite a piece of gratifying news. child! If we were at the venue, we would burst into tears. The highest and purest joy in the world is to appreciate art, and nothing is to appreciate the art conveyed by the hands and hearts of your own children! Secondly, we are also happy because you have brought glory to the motherland! And even more because you can make so many people laugh and be happy through music! Thinking that you will have greater achievements in the future, make endless progress, serve more people and the masses, inspire their mood, and soothe their pain, our hearts are really about to jump out! What a sacred and glorious mission it is to be able to carry forward the immortal works of the immortal master and spread them to every corner of the earth! My child, you are so happy, and God has been so kind to you. What I am even more happy and comforted about is: no amount of excessive flattery and praise has made you lose your self-knowledge, and the applause, hugs, and praises from celebrities have not diminished your humility towards art! Finally, my education was not in vain, and your twenty years of torture were not in vain! You can be strong (not getting carried away by victory is the best evidence of being strong), as long as you can be strong, I will be relieved for the rest of my life! The size and level of achievement are beyond our control. Half of it depends on manpower and half of it depends on talent. But as long as you are strong, you are not afraid of failure, setbacks, and blows—whether in personnel, life, technology, or study. From now on, you can fight alone. What's more, there are actually so many good teachers and friends around to help you and support you. It also includes ancient and modern classics to give you spiritual nourishment all the time! My child, from now on, you will never be alone, and you will not be afraid of being alone!
I have always remembered this sentence of innocence. A child does not know loneliness. When a child is lonely, he will create a world and many spiritual friends! Always keep your innocent heart, you will not be left behind when you grow old, and you will always be able to connect with and embrace the innocent hearts all over the world! Your friend said it right, the moving artistic expression must come from the purity of the soul! If you are not as pure as a mirror, how can you understand the souls of your predecessors? How can you touch the hearts of your audience?
What Smanzianka said about the Chopin Concerto reminds me of what you said in the first two letters about Richter playing Tchaikovsky's Concerto. All real achievements must be truly appreciated by someone.
The dean of the Conservatory of Music said that your performance is like flowing water, like a river; it reminds me of the symbol of Christophe. Uncle Tian said that you often thought of yourself as Christophe when you were a child; but your personality is actually somewhat similar to Romain Rolland's ideal. River, Rhine, the sound of the river is mighty... the bells are ringing again, it is already dawn... China is reaching the dawn period of "Fudan". I hope you can be China's - New China's - bell, ringing throughout the world and everyone's heart! The endless flow of water flows into everyone's heart, taking everyone with you to the boundless ocean of sound! The world-famous Yangtze River and Yellow River are even more powerful than the Rhine.Woolen cloth! ...The water of the Yellow River comes up from the sky and rushes to the sea never to return! ...The endless falling trees rustle, and the endless Yangtze River rolls in! ... A traditional nation with such a poetic soul should behave in a spirit of arrogance.
You say that you are always surrounded by contradictions and happiness, but I believe that without contradictions, artists will not progress, evolve, or deepen. Contradictions are evidence of vitality. What you feel at the moment is just the contradiction between skills and ideals. In the future, you will have recurring and even greater contradictions: the contradiction between form and content, and many unpredictable contradictions in your own heart, all waiting for you in the future. Don’t worry, resolving a conflict is a step forward! Contradictions cannot be completely resolved, so there is no limit to art. There is no perfect day, and there is no perfect day in life! This is the only reason why we need to pursue and practice hard day and night throughout our lives; otherwise, if we all become Emperor Xi and rule the world with ease, it would be too boring to be a human being!
The above book is excerpted from "Fu Lei Family Letters" (Yilin Publishing House, September 2016)
