composer
Born in Hong Kong, Austin Yip’s works have been performed worldwide. Places like the United States, Argentina, Scotland, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, China and Australia ...
related works
Here is Wind, There is Tree, But They Never Meet : for 36-reed Sheng, Pipa and Guzheng / Austin Yip
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Mixed ensemble (2-12 players)
Instruments:
sheng pipa guzheng
As time goes by : for symphony orchestra, 2004 / Hans Koolmees
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Instruments:
pic 2fl 2ob 2cl 2fg 4h 2trp 3trb tb timp 2perc hp pf(cel) str
Big marble : voor kamerorkest, 1986 / Ig Henneman
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Instruments:
2222 2211 2perc cel hp pf str
Benvenuta : Suite Nº 1 for orchestra / Frédéric Devreese
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Instruments:
3fl 2ob 2cl 2fg cfg 4h 3tpt 2trb trb-b tb timp perc hp (pf) str
composition
Metamorphosis : for orchestra / Austin Yip
Description:
Artists often like to develop their works around the concept of “metamorphosis”, but the understanding of “metamorphosis” varies among people. With Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”, people often regard the title as the “change of form”, rather than an “improved change”—because the protagonist wakes up one day and realises himself being transformed into a giant insect. Such transformation differs from people’s normal understanding of the term “metamorphosis”, which is often the process to transform something from an immature state to a relatively more mature state. However, Kafka’s protagonist transforms from the family’s support into a gigantic burden in just one night. In the reader’s eyes, it seems as if the title “Metamorphosis” refers more to the transformation of the protagonist’s family, which turns well after the protagonist’s death, rather than the protagonist himself.
This work, entitled “Metamorphosis”, is to be paired up with its Chinese name, “Po Kan”, which literally means “to break through a cocoon”. It depicts the moment of how a troublesome matter resolves, and the short instance right after the process. Similar to how a worm transforms into a cocoon, and then to a butterfly, after the process of metamorphosis, the short instance of beauty gradually changes, and eventually the butterfly faces death. In Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”, the protagonist’s family seems to have a bright life after the protagonist dies, but actually no one knows what happens to them next. Nonetheless, everyone enjoys the moment of the transformation.
Austin Yip