Dance of the Yao People

Introduction

An orchestral piece by Liu Tieshan and Mao Yuan, drawn from the Yao long-drum dance of Liannan

Dance of the Yao People is an orchestral piece credited jointly to the composers Liu Tieshan and Mao Yuan. In 1951 Liu collected folk material in Youling village in Liannan, Guangdong, and wrote the song Yao Long Drum Dance from Yao songs, dances and drum music. In 1952 Mao developed the song into an orchestral work, which was first performed in Beijing in 1953. The music depicts Yao villagers singing and dancing at a festival. The original title used an older character for the name Yao, which was replaced in 1953, and many editions outside China keep the old form. Later versions include a guzheng solo by Yin Qiying in 1957 and a version for Chinese orchestra by Peng Xiuwen in 1962.

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