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composition

Farewell Songs : for countertenor, Baroque ensemble, and Chinese instruments / Edward Top

Publisher's number: 22580
Genre: Vocal music
Subgenre: Voice and instrument(s)
Scoring: zang suona 2erhu saxkbut perc cemb vn vc db
Remarks: Commissioned by Early Music Vancouver, Executive Director Suzie LeBlanc and Music Director Alexander Weimann for the inaugural LUMEN Festival in January 2024. Composed for countertenor Reginald Mobley, the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, erhu players Lan Tung and Jun Rong and suona player Zhongxi Wu. With financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Duration: 15'00"
Number of players: 10
Year of composition: 2023
Status: fully digitized (real-time delivery)

Author(s):
Top, Edward (Composer)
Description:
The Farewell Songs present an alternate history of true exchange between ancient Chinese instruments and the early-music practice of the European Baroque ensemble on the shores of Canada in 2024.
In addition, a countertenor sings texts from Tang dynasty poets Mèng Hàorán and Wang Wei. These texts are freely interpreted and translated into English by the composer. Earlier translations of these texts were used by Gustav Mahler in his song cycle Das Lied von der Erde. Part of the idea in the Farewell Songs is how French and German translations (as available to Mahler 120 years ago), numerous English versions, and now a direct Google translation of the original Chinese, have created a multiplicity of references and interpretations of the texts.
The original Chinese poems are narrated by erhu player Lan Tung during the performance, bringing it back to the ‘purity’ of its original intentions. Similarly, the music oscillates between Chinese and Baroque music, and contemporary musical elements; between the accuracy of historic practice and the freely creative (re)-interpretation of it.

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