CHINESE RHAPSODY No.5 On the Themes by Xiao-min For Erhu or Violin and Orchestra，Op.61 （2002）

Created by Franz Liszt, the rhapsody is such a music form in which folk tune and concert virtuosity are both constantly emphasized. Following his footprints, An-lun Huang’s Chinese Rhapsodies are also especially effective in the tastes of different Chinese folk tunes.  His most popular one is the “Chinese Rhapsody No.2”, op.18.  Not only did it become the official piece of numerous national piano competitions, it was also played by the Chinese pianist Lang Lang who performed this piece and won the 1st prize at the International Tchaikovsky Youth Piano Competition in 1994.

This “Chinese Rhapsody No.5” is for the erhu, (a Chinese traditional instrument with only 2 strings), and orchestra.  It is based on the original themes by Xiao Min, a village girl from the poor province of Henan, China.

Both Xiao Min and her songs are a  miracle of Chinese music.  At only the level of grade 7, this peasant’s little daughter received her limited education in a primary school of the small village.  Nevertheless, without any training in music, she has created more than 1,100 songs (songs and texts), which have all been warmly received and sung alone by millions of Chinese people since the late 1990s.

A symphonic music, the piece is structured into four parts. Performed continuously and combined with the popular hymn “Near the Cross ” by William N.Doane,  Xiao Min’s songs are to be heard with all of the main themes of this Rhapsody.. 

The world premiere was performed by the Chinese erhu master George Gao with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Tak-ng Lai in Moscow on the June of 2002. George Gao’s brilliant interpretation and his dizzy-Pagagninian- typed-technique brought the erhu performing art into a brand new height. This piece has then became the official piece of the national Erhu competition of China.

The Great Chinese violinist Huang Bin, the winner of the Gold plate of the International Paganini Violin competition, world premiered the violin version in Chicago in 2009, and also got a great success in the Phiharmonic Hall of Berlin in 2012.

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Fagotto Concerto in C，Opus 81c (2012.12)

As the very first bassoon concerto composed by a Chinese composer, it was completed and has been dedicated to the vice dean of the conservatory of music attached to the University of the Southern China Technology, Mr. Mi, He-ping in the early December of 2012. Under the baton of Mr. He, Ping, the dean of the, Mr. Mi and the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the USCT made its world premiere with a great success.

This concerto goes in the Northern China folk style with strong western musical technique. The 1st movement is built in a fast sonata form with a atonal cadenza. The 2nd movement is a romantic Andante Cantabile. The solo bassoon leads the orchestra run to the climax of the passion able energy 3rd movement.

Duration: 20'
Instrumentation:1111,22,1, Bassoon solo and the Strings.

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Violin Concerto in B, Opus 47b (1996)

This concerto is the second part in a serial of three orchestra works the composer composed under the title “Symphonic Concert #2”. The first part in this serial is an Overture and the third part is a Symphony.  (The composer‘s earlier serial, Symphonic Concert #1, was written in the 1980’s, also in the Overture/Concerto/Symphony format).

This concerto was completed and world premiered by Lu Si-qing, whom the concerto dedicated to, in 1996.  The music represents the composer‘s deep affection for the musical idiom of the Northern Chinese area ( although no folk tunes are incorporated into the music).  This part of China is situated north of the Great Wall, where its music is a mix of both the ethnic Han and Mongolian, characterized by its unbounded and untamed rustic quality and the dramatic leaps in musical intervals.

The first movement is full of vitality, written in sonata form. The main theme is in 5/4 and intermixed with a broad and slow second theme, and includes a brilliant musical section.  The orchestral climax reflects the mountain ranges in China‘s north.

The second movement shows the violin in a solid theme of freshness and depth.  It closes in an unusual series of overtones, bring the movement to haunting end.

The third movement uses the traditional wind/percussion style of China’s North to bring a rhythmic theme to a climax.  The main theme uses the mode of 角“Jiao” , one of the five typical Chinese modes, then interchanges with the other four, which are in a same tone centre, they are宮“Gong”, 商 “Shang”, 徵“Zhi” and 羽“Yu ”.

If the first note is C, the Chinese modes system will be line up in a pentatonic scale.  Each note could be a tonic of a certain mode:

C               D               E             G              A

宮             商              角            徵             羽

Gong        Shang       Jiao           Zhi           Yu 

 

The theme is built on the Tonic B, and the concerto is in B, rather than B major or B minor. Chinese music has often been mistaken to be all pentatonic.  The themes of this concerto use the seven-note scales.  It creates an interesting harmonic quality that is uniquely Chinese. The composer makes use of harmonic techniques of Western music so that the different voices can function toward the tonic center as a base, and by using the rich contrapuntal method, build a great momentum for the music.  In addition, atonal techniques are used effectively for the cadenza of the first movement. The form of the third movement uses an interesting combination of the sonata form and the traditional wind/percussion style of the China‘s North.  The characteristics of the latter is : after each tutti interlude, the soloist must use the theme to create a deferent variation and develop on it.  This gives the soloist a generous space to shine. This concerto is intended to show that if traditional music can be combined with the universal musical language rules, some very interesting new development may result.

A CD of the music has been released by ROI, a Hong Kong based Company.  It was performed by Lu,Si-qing and the Russian Philharmonic of Moscow, conducted by Canadian conductor Tak-ng Lai in 1996. After many performances in China, the critical acclaims it as “the finest violin concerto of our time.” The Toronto premiere, violinist Lu Si-qing with the Canadian-Chinese Philharmonic Orchestra of Toronto conducted by Tak Ng-lai, was in 1998.

Technically,  both of An-li Huang and Si-qing Lu gave the assistant for the completion of this concerto.

Duration: 35'

Orchestration: 2222, 42, 1 and Strings 

 

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Symphonic Overture No.2

This overture is the 1st piece of a series, "Symphonic Concert No.2", op.47. A Violin concerto in 3 movements, op.47b, is the 2nd, which is followed the Symphony in A flat major, "Phoenix" in 5-movements-, Op.47c. These three separate pieces share certain related features and leitmotifs to form a grand musical structure.

The <Symphonic Overture No.2> is also written in a sonata form with a slow and mysterious introduction. After a dramatic and powerful development, the music eventually ends in a triumphant roar. Here is an ancient expression saying that "The beginning of a year is spring", while the Qing-ming festival is an important reminder for sowing. this festival is also a day to commemorate the deceased ancestors, which is most revered in Chinese traditions. The idea of "The Consecration of Spring" came from such sentiments. Nonetheless, the composer doesn't mean to evoke a lamenting atmosphere. Through commemorating past turmoil and glory, the composer does expect a brilliant future for the nation of China.

Commissioned by the Ontario Art Council, the premiere was performed successfully by Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Paul Robinson, whom the overture being dedicated to, in Toronto, November, 1989. It has been widely performed and warmly received in the North America, Singapore and Beijing, China.

The CD of it, performed by the Russian philharmonic Orchestra, has been released by the ROI, HK in 1998.

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Symphonic Overture No.1

SYMPHONIC OVERTURE No.1, Op.25a (1976-78)
This overture is the 1st piece of the music series, "Symphonic Concert No.1",op.25.
The Symphonic Overture No.1, as the premiered title "The Consecration of Spring No.1", is in sonata form with a slow and mysterious introduction. After a dramatic and powerful development, the music eventually ends in a triumphant roar. There is an ancient expression saying that "The begining of a year is spring", while the Qing-ming festival is an important reminder for sowing. this festival is also a day to commemorate the deceased ancestors, which is most revered in Chinese traditions. The idea of Symphonic Overture No.1" came from such sentiments. Nonetheless, the composer doesn't mean to evoke a lamenting atmosphere. Through commemorating past turmoil and glory, the composer does expect a brilliant future for the nation of China.
The premiere of the Symphonic Overture No.1 was performed by both of the Central Opera(Zheng, Xiao-ying conductor) and the Central Philharmonic(Han, Zhong-jie conductor) in Beijing, 1978. The entire "Symphonic Concert No.1", including the piano concerto(Joseph Banowets pianist) and the symphony(Li, De-lun conductor), was premiered by the Central Opera in Beijing, 1986.
The CD of the piano concerto has been also released .
[Duraion: 21 Min']

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Bayanhar - Symphonic Poem, Opus 50 (1991)

Yellow River has been running with the Chinese history for more than 5000 years, and the source of this great river is Bayanhar mountain. Setting on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, melting snow flows down from Bayauhar along with stream of mountains bring gathered into a smaller river named Maqu, from there the source gains its strength becomes the mighty force of Yellow River.

This Symphonic Poem delineates the landscape of Byanhar in approximately four sections. The first section depicts the loftiness of the Bayanhar mountain; then a music of Tibetan dance with the sound of their horses begins the 2nd section. A blizzard follows this peaceful scene, but eventually, a pious hymn leads the symphonic poem to its glorious climax.

The composer dedicated this Symphonic Poem to his closest friend, Canadian conductor Tak-ng Lai. Since the premiere by the Niagara Youth Orchestra, conducted by Mr. Lai, this piece has been widely performed and warmly received, including a national award of Taiwan and great success with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra.
[Duration:20 min.]

Instrumentation:
Flauti piccolo, 2 Flauti, 2 Oboi, 2 Clarinetti in B flat, 2 Fagotti, 4 Corni in F,
3 Trombe in B flat, 3 Tromboni, 1 Tuba, 4 Timpani, Piatti, Triangl, Tamburo, G.C. Arpa and Strings.

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Three Short Works: Opera Overture "Yue Fei" and Two Pieces in Saibei Folk Style selected from "Saibei Suite No.1 "A Morning Song on the Mountains" and No.2, "Saibei Dance"

1.Opera Overture “Yue Fei”: 
     For the four-act opera based on the tragic-historic story of Yue Fei, a general and national hero in the Southern Soong Dynasty, the overture gives a joyous scene of victory of the Soong troops at the town of Zhuxian and thus in sharp contrast to the following tragedy drama.
2. Two Pieces in Saibei Folk Style: 
     No.1, “A Morning Song on the Mountains” [10 min.], 
             selected from “Saibei Suite No.1”, using the different        instrumental colors, from cool and dark to warm and bright, the music gives a scene of sun-raise in Saibei area. And, without a break, the music moves to its 
     No.2, “Saibei Dance” [4 min.], 
              which was composed in the typical wind-percussion musical style of the Northern West China. 
It's selected from “Saibei Suite No.2”.

1. Opera Overture “Yue Fei”, Op.37 (1986)
     The full-scale opera “Yue Fei”(op.37) was originally written by the composer in partial fulfillment of graduation requirements at the Yale University, and earned him the Most Outstanding Graduate prize of the Yale Alumni Association in 1986. This is Huang’s eighth opera score, with Xu Qing-dong’s libretto, which has been dedicated to Liu Shi-rong, Dedicated to the renowned Chinese woman conductor, Zheng Xiao-ying, this four-act opera is based on the tragic-historic story of Yue Fei, a general in the Southern Soong Dynasty. But the overture is a joyous scene of victory of the Soong troops at the town of Zhuxian and thus in sharp contrast to what is to the following tragedy drama. The overture also gives an early indication of the deep and generous character of the hero, Yue Fei. While the overture was premiered by Yale Philharmonic Orchestra in 1986, the entire opera hadn’t been staged yet for a public performance.
[Duration:2 and half min.] 

2.Two Pieces in Saibei Folk Style
     selected from “Saibei Suite No.1, Op.15(1973) and No.2, Op.21(1975)
     Saibei is the region in North of the Great Wall, China, including part of Hebei, Shanxi and Inner-Mongolia. The folk music there is very unique, especially for its big leap of the melodicline. 
     In this style, without using any original folk tune, An-lun Huang composed two”Saibei Suites in early seventies. They were then premiered successfully by the Central Opera Orchestra, conducted by Zheng xiao-ying. 
     As a commission of the Bamburg Symphony Orchestra, Germany, Huang re-orchestrated these two pieces from the suites. Since their successfully Germany premiere, they have been widely performed and warmly received around the world, including the CD by the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra of Moscow, conducted by Tak-ng Lai, in 1996.
     No.1, “A Morning Song on the Mountains” [10 min.], 
            selected from “Saibei Suite No.1”, using the different instrumental colors, from cool and dark to warm and bright, the music gives a scene of sun-raise in Saibei area. And, without a break, the music moves to its
     No.2, “Saibei Dance” [4 min.], 
            which was composed in the typical wind-percussion musical style of the Northern West China. 
It's selected from “Saibei Suite No.2”.
[Duration:15 min.]
Instrumentation:
Flauti piccolo, 2 Flauti, 2 Oboi, 2 Clarinetti in B flat, 2 Fagotti, 4 Corni in F,
3 Trombe in B flat, 3 Tromboni, 1 Tuba, 4 Timpani, Piatti, Triangl, Tamburo, G.C. Arpa and Strings.

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Opera Overture "Yue Fei"

Two Pieces in Saibei Folk Style