As In A Dream

Description

Soprano, Violin, Violoncello — The words of the songs come from two poems by a famous poetess Li Qing-zhao of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The reciting speech and lingering charm of the Chinese traditional opera are absorbed as nourishment so as to transmit the sentimental feelings of remembering the happy past times and treasuring flowers and spring scenery, leaving a lasting impression after the ending of the pieces. It's premiered by Inoue Chamber Ensemble at Weill Recital Hall in New York in 1988, and featured in Sound and Silence, a series of ten documentary films on contemporary music produced by the ISCAM, Adamov Films and the Polish TV, broadcast on the European TV network since 1989. The music is dedicated to soprano Ms. Rao Lan who invited and inspired the composer to create this work.—Chen YiAS IN A DREAMII remember many timesWe were in the sunsetAt the pavilion by the rivulet,Got drunk and lost our way back.Returned by boat after thoroughly enjoying ourselves,By mistake we went into the recesses of the clusters of lotus.Paddled by bending to the oars,Roused the gulls and egrets to flightFrom the sand bars.IILast night fine rain, gusts of wind,Deep sleep could note dissolve the leftover wineI asked the person who was rolling up my curtains,The answer was: “The begonias are still the same.”“Don’t you know? Don’t you know it is timeFor the green to flourish and the red to wither?”如梦令二首 李清照［宋］(一)常记溪亭日暮，沉醉不知归路。兴尽晚回舟，误入藕花深处。争渡，争渡，惊起一滩鸥鹭。(二)昨夜雨疏风骤，浓睡不消残酒。试问卷帘人，却道“海棠依旧”。“知否？知否？应是绿肥红瘦。”“A week has gone by, and I still keep thinking about Ms. Chen’s As in a Dream …The vocal lines… emulate the recitation style — half sung and half spoken — of Chinese opera. But the instrumental parts are also conceived with Chinese vocal music in mind, which Ms. Chen demonstrated during her comments by singing the string parts. The playing seemed to capture the contours and inflections of a sung Chinese melody.”—Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, April 28, 2004“…impressive for its mix of leisurely yet elaborate vocal lines for soprano and skittish fluttering writing for [violin and cello].”—New York Times, July 28, 1999“…exquisitely crafted work.”—Allan Ulrich, Financial Times