Overview
Introduction
SYMPHONIC OVERTURE INSTANTS D'UN OPERA DE PEKIN
WRITTEN FOR THE INAUGURATION CONCERT OF
SHANGHAI SYMPHONY HALL
The work is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 3 oboes, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, glockenspiel, wood blocks, xylophone, bass drum, crash cymbals, marimba, metal chimes, suspend cymbal, medium Chinese tam-tam, small Chinese tam-tam, small Chinese cymbals, temple blocks, tam-tam, harp, piano and the strings
As a form of traditional Chinese theatre combining music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics, Peking Opera has formed its own style and elements which deeply impresses people. Throughout the development of Peking Opera's history, we can easily find its absorbing from other genres of Chinese opera and Chinese Qu Yi, such as Kun Opera, Bang Zi and the others then has formed its own characteristics.
The composer may hope to use these characteristics as the symbol of the new Shanghai Symphony Hall and deliver his expectation with the commission work. The work has not the performers and roles like Sheng, Dan, Jing, Chou, either its aural performance elements but the special melody and Peking Opera's special instruments.
The rich layering of the beginning's chord played by the piano and woodwinds, Instants d'un Opera de Pekin then starts its music magic. The Guo Men melody in Peking Opera is the core element of this work and almost every melodies and chords come from the Guo Men. The composer uses different orchestration, composition techniques, speed changes, rhythm variations to rich the work and makes it intricate and fascinating. Moreover, these special instruments used in the work such as suspend cymbal, medium Chinese tam-tam, small Chinese tam-tam and small Chinese cymbals are the main accompaniment characters of the Peking Opera. Together with the percussion in western orchestra, the work embellished with these changes and different acoustics has embodied the Chinese and the Western. Actively absorbing and maintaining its own characteristics expands the vision about the future.
