The key point is that Mr.Su Xia solved the issue of why to compose.He composed not for any worldly objectives,but for his passion for music.Composing is to him a pure spiritual need,which has solved at the highest level the issue of why to compose. His purity in composition objectives can also be seen from his choices of styles.Observations of the ages in which he composed and parallel comparison with mainstream voices in his times prove that his choices are comparatively independent. The mainstream I refer to contains the two aspects of both the official promotion and the stylish trends.In general,utilitarian composers would choose to approach or respond to mainstream voices.But Mr.Su’s choices show its independency based on the need to satisfy and realize his own ideals on music.In this sense,therefore,I think he very well solved the issue of why to compose.In fact,it is not easy to keep such psyche for composing,for in general,composers with access to public performances would intentionally or unconsciously follow one of the above two mainstreams while those with no access to publication would cease composing.It is rather a rare case that he kept on writing in spite of the impossibility to publish or subscription from official or art organizations.However,this is the best and most ideal composing state. On the other hand,Mr.Su’s composition did not go adrift from the spirits of the times.Some of the subjects in his works display clear features of the times. But as result of his purity in his state of composing as I mentioned above,even the"elements of truth"in those vague political slogans were vividly expressed in his"genuine and pure"compositions.This is the reason why his Small Symphony and cantata Lessons of Blood still sound so touching today.
