DOI: 10.36871/hon.202204070
Authors
Yu Wenhang
Gnesins Russian Academy of Music, Moscow, 121069, Russian Federation
Abstract
Zuo Zhen-Guan is a modern Moscow composer of Chinese origin, whose life and creative
work are largely associated with Russian culture. In his versatile oeuvre, which includes different genres, Zuo Zhen-Guan combines elements of Russian and Chinese musical cultures in
an organic way. Chinese traditions are found in almost all of the composer's works. These can
be seen in his references to traditional philosophy, religion and poetry, as well as in his devotion
to particular themes and subjects. The images of his works are specific, they are expressed
in the distinctive features of the composer's musical style, in the sonorous and rhythmic components
of the musical language, in the timbre solutions and genre combinations.
The purpose of this study is to identify the timbre solutions through which Zuo Zhen-
Guan embodies the flavor of Chinese traditional instruments in his chamber compositions.
The range of tasks included highlighting the features of Zuo Zhen-Guan's oeuvre; presenting
a panorama of Chinese traditional instruments; and analyzing the timbre solutions in his
chamber works — the Cello Sonata and the Triptych for three flutes.
Keywords
Zuo Zhen-Guan, contemporary music, Russian music, symphony orchestra, Chinese traditional instruments, chamber ensemble, timbre
