Exploring Solo/Small Ensembles Series #18

Chung Jen: Jade

Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra / Chen Chih-Sheng / National Recital Hall, Taipei, Taiwan 2019.12.11

Beautiful jade. This music describes the various textures and colours of jade, its reflections at times dazzling or dim. The composer uses homophony to illustrate the wide spectrum of the instruments’ timbres and colours. The work is based on traditional Chinese music, with perfect 4ths and 5ths, glissandi, and transformations of the pentatonic scale. The composer also used traditional Beijing opera rhythm.

(Translation: Anthony Ko / Edit: Patty Chan)