A: Oct. 25th, 2009 — 8:00pm — Concert @ Cultur House, BERA, Spain
B: Oct. 26th, 2009 — 8:30pm — Concert @ P.P. Franciscanos, ZARAUTZ, Spain C: Oct. 29th, 2009 — 8:30pm — Concert @ Teatro Coliseo, EIBAR, Spain D: Oct. 30th, 2009 — 8:30pm — Concert @ Colegiata de Santa Maria, BORJA, Spain E: Oct. 31th, 2009 — 8:00pm — Concert @ Parish Church, ORDIZIA, Spain F: Nov. 1st, 2009 — 7:00pm — Concert @ Cultur House, AOIZ, Spain Repertoire: 01. Busto: Axuri Beltza 02. Enkhbayar: Zeregleent Gobi 03. Mocoroa: Txantxibirin 04. Cui Wei: Tsay Lingdai (World Premier) 05. Victoria: Regina Coeli 06. Zhai Yongqin: Embroidered Shoes 07. Bello-Portu: In Monte Oliveti 08. Ravel: Nicolette 09. Arwin Tan: Bal-laygi 10. Yong Rubu: Black Handsome Ambling Horses 11. arr. Yong Rubu: Dorven Dalai 12. arr. Qü Xixian: Pastoral Song 13. Chien Nan-Chang: I Am Flying 14. arr. Jin Wei: Longing For 15. Cui Wei: The Gorges 16. arr. Cui Wei: Qinghai Dream 17. Budi Yohanes: Gai Bintang 18. arr. Tantrarungroj: Lao Duang Deuan 19. arr. David Hamilton: Hine e Hine 20. Lucio Pedro: Kaming Magmamani 21. Nystedt: Immortal Bach 22. Thomas Morgan: Images from Thoreau II – The Hollow Mansions 23. Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst 24. Durufle: Ubi Caritas 25. Jackie Wilson: Higher And Higher
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Thomas Morgan: Images from Thoreau II – The Hollow Mansions
The piece was inspired by the writing of American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau, who wrote, "There is always a kind of aeolian harp music to be heard in the air. I hear it now, as it were, the mellow sound of distant horns in the hollow mansions of the upper air…and from time to time this man or that hears it, having ears that were made for music." Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst Nominated for a 2007 Grammy Award, Cloudburst is one of Eric Whitacre’s most famous compositions. It dates from 1992, when the composer was only 22. It is written for eight part choir, accompanied by piano and percussion. The Cloudburst is a ceremony, a celebration of the unleashed kinetic energy in all things. The mood throughout is reverent, meditative and centered, which simply means the performer must take the spiritual journey with total respect for the power of the water and profundity of the rebirth. arr. Nick Smith: Vegetables Picking Sichuan folk song Chien Nan-Chang: I Am Flying Taiwan contemporary choral music arr. Zhang Yida: Song of Yimeng Mountain Shandong folk song arr. Qü Xixian: Pastoral Song Inner-Mongolian folk song arr. Qü Xixian: Waiting For You Till Dawn Kazakh folk song arr. Yong Rubu: Dorven Dalai Inner-Mongolian folk song Cui Wei: The Gorges This piece was commissioned by Peiyang Chorus in 2008, inspired by songs of boatmen and boat trackers living in regions of the Three Gorges of Yangtze River. Zhai Yongqin: Embroidered Shoes Shandong folk song. This piece was commissioned by Peiyang Chorus in 2005. The story of this song goes as follows: -- The daughter of Zhang is 18 years old. -- How accomplished is she? -- She’s clever and deft, and she has learned how to embroider. -- Ah, how skillful! How’s her first work like? -- Flying high, prancing lively, twittering happily were a pair of swallows playing with water. -- How’s her second work like? -- Two on the left and three on the right, three small ones and two big ones were five melons on a vine. -- How’s her third work like? Hopping in grass, swimming in water, grining and staring, it’s a croaking little frog! arr. Li Yinghai: Night Dreaming Gansu folk song Yang Xiaoxin & Sun Yinting: Drum Dance Folk song of the Miao nationality arr. Cai Yuwen: Half Moon Is Climbing Up Qinghai folk song arr. Lü Quansheng: Happy Get-together Taiwan folk song Enkhbayar: Zeregleent Gobi "Mirage on the Gobi Desert" uses the mirage – a traditional symbol – to represent the composer’s relection on the past and present of his nation. Although the mirage is not a reality, it offers images of mountains, rivers, and wildlife and fills one’s mind with various reflective thoughts. As soon as it disappears, one is again left with mere deserts and sand dunes. The composer hopes to convey the idea that if humankind does not take care of the environment, what we have now may disappear just as the mirage disappears. Enkhbayar: Happy Nadam Fair Inner-Mongolian folk song arr. Jin Wei: Longing For Late-1980′s Chinese Pop Song arrangement. Lucio Pedro: Kaming Magmamani Philippine folk song, sung in Aklanon language. arr. Ethan Sperry: Ramkali "Raga" refers generally to the specific scale upon which a piece of Indian music is based. Ramkali is considered one of the most complex ragas to sing as it is perfectly symmetrical and contains many of the notes that are most dissonant against the drone. The translation of the text is as follows: I am entirely devoted to you my lord. At least heed my plea, my love. I hope to be united with you, my love. Peace of mind is not mine, my love. Arwin Tan: Bal-laygi This song is inspired by ancient tribal wars in the northern Philippines where communal pride and identity used to be dictated by the vastness of owned land and the number of heads hunted from the enemy tribes. The piece begins with a call for war with the chanting of the victory mantra, ‘bal-laygi.’ As the tribe fights with the enemy, it loses some of its men, and the survivors, led by the chief, mourn for those who perished with a promise to revere their souls. With a renewed spirit, they continue to fight the enemy and win for the tribe. arr. David Hamilton: Hine e Hine Hine e Hine is a famous traditional New Zealand Maori lullaby. The Maori people were the earliest settlers in New Zealand, arriving about a thousand years ago. Alexi Matchavariani: Doluri This song captures the vitality of Georgian dance rhythms in an inventive way. In Georgian folk music, the drum very frequently accompanies dances.Here is the text translated: I have conquered 100 castles with my sword and I shade my eyes. How can it be that I can no longer conquer your heart? Oh my lovely one, enchantress of the magic wind, open your heart’s door! arr. Tantrarungroj: Lao Duang Deuan The text of this piece is in Thai. The melody, well known by Thai people everywhere, was inspired by a trip to Northern Thailand. The title of this piece refers both to Thailand and Laos, and the moon "duang deuan" used here as a poetic symbol for a girl. Budi Yohanes: Gai Bintang As with many traditional songs, Gai Bintang is a children’s play-song. Playing together, young boys and girls sing as they imagine reaching high into the sky to touch the stars and moon. Gai Bintang is sung in Madurese, the language spoken on Madura island north of Java. Repertoire of Peiyang Chorus for 2009 Polyfollia
Mozart: Sparrow Mass Total: 20' Chinese Choral Music: 01. arr. Nick Smith: Vegetable Picking (2') 02. Chien Nan-Chang: I Am Flying (3'30) 03. arr. Zhang Yida: Song of Yimeng Mountain (3') 04. arr. Qü Xixian: Pastoral Song (2'30) 05. arr. Qü Xixian: Waiting For You Till Dawn (3'30) 06. arr. Yongrub: Dorven Dalai (The Four Seas) (2'30) 07. Yongrub: Four Seasons (5') 08. Yongrub: Black Handsome Ambling Horses (3'30) 09. Shi Fu: Yellow Crane Tower (6'30) 10. Cui Wei: The Gorges (4') 11. Zhai Yongqin: Embroidered Shoes (3') 12. arr. Li Yinghai: Night Dreaming (5') 13. Yang Xiaoxin & Sun Yinting: Drum Dance (3'30) 14. arr. Cai Yuwen: Half a Moon Climbs Up (2'30) 15. arr. Lü Quansheng: Happy Get-together (2'30) 16. Cao Guanyu: Little Peach Blossom (4'30) 17. Enkhbayar: Zeregleent Gobi (8'30) 18. Enkhbayar: Happy Nadam Fair (3'30) 19. [late-1980's Chinese Pop Song] arr. Jin Wei: Longing For (3') Total: 72' Other Asian and Pacific Choral Music: 1. [Philippines] Arwin Tan: Bal-laygi (5') 2. [New Zealand] arr. David Hamilton: Hine e Hine (2') 3. [Georgia] Alexi Matchavariani: Doluri (2') 4. [Thailand] arr. Tantrarungroj: Lao Duang Deuan (4') 5. [India] arr. Ethan Sperry: Ramkali (5') 6. [Philippines] Lucio Pedro: Kaming Magmamani (3') 7. [Indonesia] Budi Yohanes: Gai Bintang (3') Total: 25' Contemporary Choral Music: 1. Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst (8') 2. Thomas Morgan: Images from Thoreau II – The Hollow Mansions (5'30) 3. Durufle: Ubi Caritas (2') 4. Nystedt: Immortal Bach (2'30) 5. [Show Choir] Jackie Wilson: Higher And Higher (2') Total: 20' My new pilot choral work is avaiable now, which is called Elapsing, SSAATTBBB div. The reason why it is called Elapsing is because that there is no symbolic significance for this piece and the music is merely representative of the music itslef. From the beginning of a single tone to clusters, from clusters to a single tone ending, the entire work is almost based on two chords, which is approaching to Minimalism. The changes of the timbre and texture are the power of its development, whereas the music materials are complex.
I finally finished the arrangement within several days. I arranged the three voilion parts in four vocal parts in theory firstly, but many aspects should be taken into consideration, such as the vocal range of each part, the melody of each part, the difficulty of each part, the sound effect of whole choir, the lyrics, etc. It is difficult or impossible, occasionally, to fulfill all the aspects idealistically. For example, if I make the melody of one part vocalizing, dissonance interval would appear. Still, I have tried my best to do this job.
Anyway, simplifications and hundreds of modifications were applied in the end. PS: My version is for SSATB a cappella choir with two soprano soli and it accords with the Pachelbel's original work absolutely. This is a famous 40-part choral song in renaissance period, wirtten by English composer Thomas Tallis. "Spem in alium" is based on 40 independent voices and usually performed by 40, 80 or 120 singers. Nowadays, the mordern recording technology has already made it possible to produce this 40-voice song by King’s Singers in studio. ~ Enjoy!
Original Latin text: Spem in alium nunquam habui praeter in te, Deus Israel, qui irasceris et propitius eris, et omnia peccata hominum in tribulatione dimittis. Domine Deus, creator coeli et terrae, respice humilitatem nostram. English translation text: I have never founded my hope on any other than thee, O God of Israel, who shalt be angry, and yet be gracious, and who absolves all the sins of mankind in tribulation. Lord God, creator of heaven and earth, be mindful of our lowliness. Muoaiyouum is composed by Hillborg in the 1980's, an accomplished contemporary Swedish composer, for 16-part mixed choir. This piece possibly attempts to imitate the voices of ancient people and the primordial languages. You will discover various tone colors in this song which you have never heard before as if the voices were from both heaven and hell.
This is a 5 CD set by Pro Cantione Antiqua, which includes choral works composed by Palestrina: 1. Missa Assumpta Est Maria 2. Missa Papae Marcelli 3. Miss Aeterna Christa Munera 4. Missa L'homme Arme 5. Missa Brevis 6. Missa 'Lauda Sion' 7. Super Flumina Babylonis 8. Sicut Cervus 9. Lamentations of Jeremiah, Book IV The performance of Pro Cantione Antiqua is superb, which is one of the most pioneering groups in the world. I have already put the recording of Kyrie from "Missa Papae Marcelli" online, which was a live performance in St. Alban's Church, London in the 1980's. This piece is my favorite Palestrina piece, though it is not the most important song by him, and also this song was one of the choral songs that have brought me into the choral music world. "Missa Papae Marcelli" is said to have been composed to conform the new composition standards set down by council of the church, whose requirements were concerning musical lines and lyrics intelligibility, for many existing scared choral works were written with high complexity of polyphony which led to unclearness of texts. Some said that this mass had moved these members of the council and then the ban regarding the polyphony was abolished. No matter whether or not the legend was true, this mass had indeed influenced many composers after him profoundly. Born in Switzerland, Frank Martin mostly learned music by himself, whose only teacher merely provided him with some piano and composition lessons. For many years' arduous practice in composition, his unorthodox musical language had made his compositions sound unique. Composed in the 1920's, one of his greatest choral works – Mass for double choir (four voices for each choir) was first published and performed in the 1960's. First piece "Kyrie" begins with a slow, calm melody by the Altos of the second choir, then the altos of the first choir follows the melody as a form of echo. Afterward, other parts join in as background. With the appearance of a high B, right before second section, music gradually leads to a first climax. The second outburst comes out around the beginning of the third section, and then music ends silently.
The inner Mongolian music is fairly moving, whereas its way of affecting the Chinese people is quite different from Western music’s. One reason that, for Chinese people, Western music impresses us profoundly all the time is because that the connotations it holds is too far away from our daily lives. In spades, we have proved the old saying “distance leads to beauty”. The music from Inner Mongolia is also touching for the reason that it comprises pieces and fragments of real life. Everyday life scenes would surge in us when we listen to Inner Mongolian music. This kind of feeling could not be obtainable from other kinds of music and could likely be the reason why it moves us. On the contrary, as for Western people, the reason why Western music makes them move is probably similar to the reason that Inner Mongolian music’s way of affecting us. Special romance is contained in the Inner Mongolian music whereas such elements do not exist in the western music. Potentially, a sense of combined distance and elements of life romance is the reason that moves them. |
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