LUO Tianqi: Beyond the Clouds

Percussion: Kang Cheng, Zhang Xu, Yan Ting / Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra / Silk and Bamboo Chamber Music Series: Silk String Sentiments XXXVIII / National Recital Hall, Taipei, Taiwan, March 23, 2016.

This work is based on a drum section from Liu Changyuan’s “Lyrical Variations,” and has been creatively expanded upon and arranged for competition. In the 2012 Hong Kong Drum King Competition, RONG Chenchu, a young percussionist from the Shanghai National Orchestra, won the championship with this piece.

In terms of performance, this piece primarily utilizes traditional Chinese drum techniques, employing the paigu (set of tuned drums), a bass drum, and a Chinese drums and gongs to create high, middle, and low registers. In addition to the drumhead timbre, it incorporates the timbres of the drum rim, drum body, and drumsticks. It also extensively utilizes Western percussion techniques, employing compound rhythms and popular percussion rhythms to express the passionate and exuberant Torch Festival celebrations of the Yunnan’s ethnic minorities. The experimentation and application of many new techniques reflect the composer’s exploration and reflection on the development of Chinese percussion.

(Edit: Patty Chan)