Publisher: Onibatan Music
The composer writes:《醉渔唱晚》”Drunk Fisherman, Singing Evening” is one of the most well-known solo guqin compositions from the time of the Tang Dynasty. It seems that every serious guqin player plays this piece. When I was asked by Professor Zhang Weiliang to compose a new work which includes this great and ancient instrument among a group of both Western and Chinese instruments, my first reaction was fear. I knew that the guqin is not only a very unique and special instrument, but also it has a repertoire that goes back in time beyond that of almost all of the other traditional Chinese instruments. In order to overcome my fear, instead of avoiding the problem, I chose the strategy of completely surrounding myself with《醉渔唱晚》. My task was to take this piece and find my own voice right through the middle of it. And so my composition, scored for 箫 (xiao), Clarinet in Bb, Marimba, Harp, 琵琶 (pipa), 古琴(guqin) and Viola, is in fact a kind of elaboration or fantasy around 《醉渔唱晚》. Depending on your point of view, you might hear my work as either a familiar traditional guqin piece dressed in unfamiliar but intriguing clothing, or a Western piece that has welcomed a new friend into its home.
14′
