About this work:
Chen Yi: Song of Spring (2021)
for string quartet [about 8 minutes]
Commissioned by Rivers School Conservatory, Weston, MA in 2021, my string quartet Song of Spinrg is written in two movements (I. Spring Vitality; II. Earth Dance), and premiered by Rivers School Conservatory student quartets in the spring of 2022.
The inspiration for the first movement Spring Vitality came from the imagination of a scene when the whole night of quiet rain nurturing the land, the spring comes back in a vital morning with fresh air. When the strings play a quiet background, the musicians also recite syllabals (sa la la la la) without voice but only airy sound, to symbalize the sound and gesture of the quiet rain in night. The spring theme comes in at Rehearsal A (m. 8) in a duet by the two violins. When the longer pitches are held, all players also sing the assigned rhythmic patterns without voice. When the music is open up more and more, the texture is expended in a wider range, and reaches the first peak of the movement. It's followed by the introduction of a peacaful chorale-like transitional theme at Rehearsal E (m. 41). The double stops match each other to have a progression with sound balance, from soft to loud, and reach the return of the opening theme at Rehearsal G (m. 59). This time the melody has a thicker texture and a more angular presentation. All accents are played accurately towards the climax at Rehearsal H (m. 69). Rehearsal I (m. 84) is an echo of the beginning of the piece, to leave the scene with a lingering impression.
The second movement Earth Dance presents an image of lively dancing-like group dancing, which is in a hybrid langauge of jazz and Beijing Opera styles. The thematic material features syncopation patterns using Chinese fiddle (Jinghu) bowing.
The music symbolizes our hope of the return of spring, and the courage to overcome hardship in the society.