Chi
Victoria Bond
About this work:
Premiere: April 29, 1999 Renee Weiler Hall, New York City
Miao Yimin, bamboo flute; Jean Sze, zheng
Commentary: The word Chi or Qi means breath in Chinese but it also implies the unseen energy within the body, the
vitality, or life-force. This work is based on a Chinese scale and pairs two traditional instruments whose histories go back
over two thousand years. Both of these have techniques unique to their physical properties and unusual timbres which I
have attempted to incorporate into this composition. The zheng is able to bend notes to produce an evocative portamento
effect, and the bamboo flute or di has a hollow and mysterious tone. In this work, I use two different sizes, the chu di and
its smaller relative, the band di. The musical material explores a world without harmony, focusing on melody, rhythm and
color. I was particularly interested in the rhythmic independence of each instrument, and much of the composition is written
without a specific meter. Although none of it is improvised, I wanted to create the effect of a spontaneous exchange.
Year composed: 1999
Duration: 00:07:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: Bamboo flute and Zheng