Audiences in Beijing are enjoying an aural feast as Western technology enhances Chinese tradition, reports Chen Nan.
(Front from left) Conductor Huang Yi, composer Zhou Long, and erhu player Lu Yiwen greet the audience at a concert by the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in Beijing on October 8, 2024. (PHOTO/CHINA DAILY)
In 2010, composer Zhou Long was commissioned by the Beijing Music Festival and the Boston Opera House to write the opera Madame White Snake, based on a famous Chinese folk tale, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2011.
Shortly after, Mr. Zhou met his old friend and virtuoso Yu Long, founder of the Beijing Music Festival, and asked the composer to write a new work based on the patriotic Mr. Zhu’s classical Chinese poetry series “Jiuge.” I came up with the idea of making a request. Qu Yuan (475-221 BC), the national poet of the Warring States period.
“Yu showed great passion for the ideas sparked by the Nine Songs, an ancient text that has fascinated him for a long time. As the conversation deepened, I became equally fascinated.” Zhou, who is known for using traditional Chinese motifs, recalls: The structure and combination of Western operatic traditions has defined his international reputation.
French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and cellist Gautier Capucon will perform at the concert. (Photo/China Daily)Trained at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, the composer came to the United States on a scholarship in 1985 to attend Columbia University in New York, where he received a Doctorate of Musical Arts in 1993. Deeply rooted and a pioneer in transferring the sounds and techniques of ancient Chinese musical traditions to modern Western instruments and ensembles.
Jiu Ge is a series of ritual songs intended for religious ceremonies and sacrifices. Kuga poetry is known for evoking gods, nature spirits, and mythical figures, and for fusing religious devotion with human emotion. They reflect a combination of spiritual reverence, admiration for humanity, and images of nature typical of Qu Yuan’s style, especially a deep concern with the fate of the homeland and exile.
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In 2013, the piece “Nine Odes”, written for a symphony orchestra and solo singer, was performed by the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Lin Daye, and singers including soprano Fan Ying and tenor Warren Mok. It was premiered at the Beijing Music Festival.
Last year, Mr. Chou adapted the song into a symphonic poem of the same name and performed it for the first time in Guangzhou. The piece was premiered in Beijing on Tuesday during the recently held 27th Beijing Music Festival, performed by the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Fan Yi and accompanied by erhu player Lu Yiwen.
The new version, which also has 11 chapters, has no human voices, but depicts a dialogue between a Western symphony and a Chinese erhu (two-stringed violin).
Conductor Mr. Huang (left) and composer Mr. Chou. (Photo/China Daily)
“Again, it was Yu’s idea to create this new work based on 2013’s Nine Odes. Without lyrics, there is no language barrier, and the music can reach more places. “The world will be able to enjoy poetry, which occupies an important place in Chinese classical literature,” Zhou said.
In the new version, the erhu plays an important role, serving as a narrator who tells the audience about the various characters depicted in the poem (e.g. the Lord and Lady of Xiangchuan, the mountain spirits, etc.). Mr. Yu says he is fulfilling his mission.
“Many of the poems dedicated to God express human emotions, especially themes such as love, longing, separation, and the fragility of life,” Yu says. “These poems provide valuable insight into ancient Chinese culture, beliefs, and rituals.”
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Erhu virtuoso Lu is known for performing contemporary musical compositions using traditional instruments. Lu says the 54-minute Nine Odes is a test of physical strength and endurance.
“The composer wrote the music in a unique way so that the erhu can speak to other classical instruments. These instruments work together harmoniously while being ‘opposed’ to each other,” Lu said. He also added about traditional Chinese musical instruments such as the erhu. The erhu is valuable as a new piece of modern music that revitalizes an old instrument while stimulating the player’s creativity based on solid technique.
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Founding the Beijing Music Festival in 1998, now considered one of Beijing’s largest classical music events every fall, Yu is dedicated to commissioning new musical works and supporting young musicians.
His first commissioned work was American composer Philip Glass’ Cello Concerto, which was premiered on October 21, 2001, with British cellist Julian Lloyd Webber and the China Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yu.
(From left) Zou Shuang, artistic director of the Beijing Music Festival, Chen Qing, director of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, and Yu, the founder of the Beijing Music Festival, pose with other musicians. (Photo/China Daily)
The Beijing Music Festival has commissioned and premiered new works in collaboration with domestic and international composers. For example, at the festival’s 10th anniversary celebration, Polish composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki performed Symphony No. 8, “Ode to Impermanence.” In 2017, the festival premiered composer Chen Qigang’s violin concerto “The Joy of Suffering.”
“Commissioning new music allows the festival to push the boundaries of artistic expression and introduce innovative ideas. It provides composers and musicians with the opportunity to explore fresh concepts, sounds and forms. By encouraging creativity, the festival stays at the forefront of musical development and remains relevant to modern audiences,” says Yu.
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During Tuesday’s concert, another commissioned work, Eros Athanatos Opus 69, was premiered in Beijing. This is a concerto for piano, cello, and orchestra written by French-Swiss composer Richard Duvenyon.
Performed by French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and cellist Gautier Capcom, the piece made its world debut in 2018.
“We have been friends for 24 years and this musical work is a gift to us,” Capcom said of Thibaudet.
Erhu player Lu will perform at the concert. (Photo/China Daily)
“We once asked a composer, who is also a great friend of mine, to write a piece for cello and piano. We liked the idea and here we are,” says Thibaudet. I say.
Thibaudet and Capcom are old friends of the Beijing Music Festival. Thibaudet still remembers his first outdoor concert at a festival in the city in 2005, “and it was very cold,” the pianist said.
Capcom also points out that the premiere of a new work brings excitement and anticipation to the audience. We offer a unique experience. This sense of discovery helps attract both seasoned concert-goers and new audiences interested in new music.
“When I saw the performance in Guangzhou, I really enjoyed Jiuge. I especially like the sound of the erhu, which is my favorite instrument. Maybe there will be a new work with cello and erhu,” Capcom said. says. “For us instrumentalists, it is our mission to perform musical works. These new works often foster collaboration between composer, performer, and audience, creating bonds between cultures. there is.”
Please contact the author (chennan@chinadaily.com.cn)
