DOI: 10.36871/hon.202004007
Authors
Chen Zekang
Russian State Specialized Academy of Arts, Moscow, Russian Federation
Abstract
The article introduces the famous Chinese composer Tang Jianping's "Sacred Fire 2008" Symphony Concerto for percussion instruments for the first time. The composition inherits the principles of a classical concert, in which the idea of a competition between a solo instrument (or a group of instruments) and an orchestra is brought to the fore. The Concerto was written for a triple orchestra with a significant expansion of the percussion instrument group, which are represented by both European varieties and national phono instruments (small Chinese cymbals and Peking Gong), helping the composer to achieve unusual timbre combinations. The soloist's part is also assigned to percussion tools. The considerable expansion of the percussion instruments and their promotion to leading positions is due not only to special attention to their timbre and imaginative capabilities. Among the reasons is the author's desire to establish a connection with ritual music through percussions, which is extremely important considering his special attention to the history and culture of his country. The Concerto is permeated with symphonic development, as indicated by a number of specific features that are revealed through musicological analysis. Special attention is paid to the Concerto program, which was inspired by the XXIXth Summer Olympic Games, but has a deeper meaning — it reflects the worldview of Chinese people and Chinese history.
Keywords
instrumental concert, percussion instruments, principles of symphonic development, traditional Chinese phono instruments, worldview and history of Chinese people
