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2.
Metamorphosis VI
"Wind Prayer" (2005)
for sheng, pipa, guzheng and 10 western instruments
Chong Kee Yong
Winner of Nieuw Ensemble's Young Chinese Composer
Competition 2005
Nieuw Ensemble conducted
by Ed Spanjaard
Wu Wei (sheng), Min Xiaofen (pipa), Xu Fengxia (gu zheng)
World premiere performance and recording at Theatre Korzo, Den
Haag, Holland on 12 October 2005
Metamorphosis VI "Wind Prayer" is a transformation
of Chong's earlier piece I Hear The Wind Calling conceived
specially for the unusual combination of Chinese and western
instruments. Taking the conceptual framework of the latter piece,
which was premiered in KL during the first Forum For Malaysian
Composers in 2003, Chong has completely transformed the ideas
to produce quite a different work. Writes Chong in his preface
to the score, "In July 2005, during my stay in Lyo Island,
a little island in Denmark, I reworked and conveyed my derivation
on the ideas of my previous piece “I hear the wind calling”
for a western instrument ensemble. In this present piece, the
main musical idea of the previous composition remains; however
this new work is more than just a variation; it is a sublimation
or mutation from the same musical idea or emotional condition
prevalent in the previous composition."
The temperament shares a common thread with its
parent work, but the use of Chinese instruments gives the music
an entirely different flavour. Perhaps the pentatonic nature
of the guzheng and the sheng help to soften the avant garde
edges of the music, or perhaps Chong is slowly refining his
poetic language. In any case, this work shows a great feeling
for sonic poetry that exceeds what he has done before, while
still maintaining the highest degree of originality and never
relenting from the challenges of finding new modes of expression
and techniques. To put it plainly, it is still a very cutting
edge piece of music, no compromises.
Metamorphosis VI "Wind Prayer"
opening bar
When asked about the underlying philosophy behind
this work, Chong explains his fascination with the philosophy
of the ancient Tang Dynasty art forms prompted him to experiment
with the abstract form "Qi". The work captures, in
the composers words, "the tranquillity and movement of
wind …as an abstract space, where every point and line,
bright and dark, strong and weak, silence and action, influence
and transform one other."
The work is a dreamy canvass of sounds placed
in a 3-dimensional stage around the audience: the clarinet is
placed on the right, the flute on the left and the sheng behind
the audience, all offstage on the 2nd Floor so that, as in I
Hear The Wind, the audience perceives the sounds as coming
from above and in the distance in a magical quadrophonic soundstage.
and involves asks the players to double on unusual instruments
such Thai goings, crotales, and in the final bars, live radio
tuners operated by the three offstage players.
The work is dedicated to the Nieuw Ensemble and
was premiered at the Theatre Korzo (Den Haag) on 12 Oct 2005,
Lantaren/Venster (Rotterdam) on 13 Oct 2005 & Muziekgebouw
aan ‘tIJ (Amsterdam) on 14 Oct 2005.
The
Composer
Chong is a multi award-winning composer with a rare talent of
fashioning a truly individual sound from modern experimental
techniques. His style is highly experimental and innovative,
yet deeply spiritual and lyrical in its own way. He received
his Master of Composition with the Highest Honours from the
Royal Flemish Conservatory and has studied with numerous composers
such as Brian Ferneyhough and Salvatore Sciarrino.
Composer Peter Eötvös describes his
music as "imaginative and poetic." Chong won Malaysia's
first Forum For Malaysian Composers in Kuala Lumpur, 2004 and
the subsequent International Composers Forum in 2005 with his
orchestral tour de force, The Starry Night's Ripples.
Chong recently won the BMW Award at the inaugural Isang Yun
Festival in Seoul in 2007 with his Splattered Landscape III
for five instrumental groups, and 2nd Prize at the Berlin
Intersonanzen Brandenburgisches Fest der Neuen Musik 2008 for
his Metamorphosis VIII for Sheng, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet
and Double bass.
The Perfomers
The Nieuw
Ensemble was founded in 1980 in Amsterdam. It's unique combination
of plucked instruments such as mandolin, guitar and harp with
wind, string and percussion has led it to rely on new compositions
for its repertoire, hence building a strong symbiosis with living
composers. To this end the ensemble has reached out to different
cultures, in particular Chinese culture, fostering relationships
with composers like Tan Dun, Chen Qigang and Guo Wenjing. Ed
Spanjaard studied piano and conducting in London and Amsterdam,
and has been Principle Conductor for the ensemble since 1982.
Related Links
Chong
Kee Yong's profile
Article:
The Professional Prizewinner - an interview with Chong Kee Yong
Review:
Chong Kee Yong's Tearless Moon
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History: how the project began
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