PROSPECT OVERTURE
Chen Yi
About this work:
Commissioned by the China National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, the work Prospect Overture for orchestra is premiered by the China National Symphony Orchestra at the 2009 New Year Concerts (12/31/08 and 1/1/09), conducted by Maestro Daniel Harding, at the CNCPA. The pitch material in the piece is taken from a Chinese folk tune “Baban,” and the structure is based on a kind of Chinese traditional instrumental ensemble music used in ritual ceremony, which features blowing instruments suona (shawn, made with wood) and sheng (free-reed mouth-organ, made with gourd). The music is from slow to fast. The string orchestra provides sheng-like sustained chords in the background while the melodic instruments play in heterophonic style imitating the tunes played by a group of suona players. The music reaches an extremely fast section in a climax, followed by a strong and short coda in unison. The duration is about 9 minutes. It reflects the eternal evolution and challenges of nature, and its analogous relationship to the challenges of the human experience. It also symbolizes the growth and maturation processes of individuals, communities and societies. The music presents the images of conflict, struggle, yearning, encouragement and triumph, to express the composer’s hope for the peace in the future of the world.
Version: Full orchestra
Year composed: 2009
Duration: 00:09:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Standard Orchestra
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: 33(EH)3(Bcl)3(Cbsn) 4331, P(4), Str