1996

Yangexing 
(Summptous Feasting Song)

Premiere Venue
HTYF Art Center, Taipei 

Premiere Date     
1996/1/5-21  

Music of the Great Hall    

Yangexing    

Zhanhuaji         

Yeweiyang     

Mantangchun     

Programme

n   Prelude  -  Xijian Yueying

Performed in ancient Nankuan tradition with the “Four Major Instruments: (shang siguan) that correspond in orchestration and performance to The Great Tune of Mutual Harmony which in Han dynasty court music had been described by the couplet, “Strings and winds[are] in mutual harmony / as the rhythm-clapper sings.”

Music:                      Moon Over the West River (Orchestral Piece)
                                Tune name: Xuguen
Lyrics:                      Guanguan sings the Jiu-bird,
                                while she stands aloof, unapproachable
                                as if in the middle of a lake -
                                the beloved of the prince.
                                Separated from her by delectable herbs,
                                with water flowing to her left and right,
                                the beautiful and lovely lady is unattainable,
                                Alas, he seeks her while in his bed
                                He seeks her and cannot reach her 
                               thinking and thinking of her in his bed
                                Ah woe, Ah woe
                                Twisting and turning, over and over yet again
                                Separated from her by delectable herbs,
                                he plucks them from the left and from the right
                                and the graceful and lovely lady
                                he woos her with[the ritual] zither and harp
                                Separated from her by delectable herbs,
                                he plucks them to the left and to the right
                                and the graceful and lovely lady
                                he woos her with [the ritual] drum and bells
                                - from Guanjiu in the Fengpian (Airs) Section of The Book of Songs

n   Yangexing (Sumptuous Feasting Song)

According to traditional Pear Orchard music, this piece extols the graceful, seductive form and gesture of the xiaodan (young lady) character, describing the myriad emotions and attitudes of the beautiful young maiden as she steps out in Springtime.

Music:  2nd movement: Night Stroll
            3rd movement: Nocturnal Delectation
            4th movement: Night Music
            5th movement: Night Trills 

-  from“Pachanwu” Dance of the Eight Great Extensions.

n   Zhanhuaji (The Jeweled Hairpin)

According to Pear Orchard tradition, the dadan (mature lady)character is of cultivated and upright demeanor.  This piece describes the pensive melancholy of an elegant woman imprisoned in the deep recesses of her marital chambers.
Music: Meihua cao (Dance of the Plum Blossoms)

1rd Movement “Blossoms capped with snow”
2rd Movement “Blossoms smiling in the breeze”
3rd Movement “Lighting waters and flowing incense”
4th Movement “Strung pearls and broken pistils”
5th Movement “Myriad blooms compete for grace”

Lyrics: Longing in the dark, guessing in the night, thinking of my beloved, thinking of my beloved, of his truly superb form.

n   Yeweiyang (Night Lament)

Adapted from two famous scenes in the Pear Orchard drama Gao Wenju (named after the principal male character) that are performed without orchestra and illustrate the ancient tradition of “solo singing, undistracted by winds or strings” where “voice harmonizes with the chanting, and rhythm harmonizes with the voice”.  This is a distinctive tradition of chant-singing in Nanguan music.  The piece “Lady Chaste-Jade Yuzhen” from My Lord for Name and Merit, is a classical dance passage in Pear Orchard operas that best illustrates the deep reserve, warmth and pliancy, antique refinement and intricacy of Pear Orchard movements.

Music:Theme tunes: In My Icy Chamber, in zhongguen shisan-qiang mode.
          My Lord for Name and Merit, in duanguen mode.

Lyrics: Alas, woe is me, imprisoned alone in my icy chamber!  To whom can I now speak my plight?  When I remember, when I remember the old days my eyes well with tears, tears which fall, silently, in the dark.  The lowly and despicable Lady Wenjin [whom my Lord hath take to wife] has no regard for the ways of Heaven.  Relying on [the power of your] Dad, you dare exert such ruthlessness, obstructing rites and righteousness.  You’ve cut off my cloud-like locks, and again you cut off my cloud-like locks.  You’ve robbed me of my brocade shoes.  Ah Wenju, my strapping handsome Lord, you’ve managed to forget entirely the munificence of my Father now that you’ve won glory and fame [in the examinations and won a second bride], you lightly toss me to the dregs and chaff.  Although you knew of her envy and jealousy, and though you knew her cunning and her wiles, yet you wrote me letters beckoning, asking me to join you, removing myself to this place.  Oh what anguish when I recall the days in our village home, when I recall the days in our village home...

 My Lord for name and merit has to the Capital City fared, for fame and golden tablets he has gone, without once looking back.  Ah, recall our pillow-side where you spoke a thousand tendernesses? - and yet today, you leave me the misery of sitting by this solitary lamp!  And fearing the likes of Wang Kui and Zhang Qian, I nevertheless dragged my steps over these lonely dirty roads[to come to you].  My bow-like shoes are delicate and short, how my feet ache with the rushing pace!  Alas my bitter fate it is to be a frail woman - who is today betrayed and denied justice.  Alas my bitter fate it is to be a frail woman - who is today betrayed and denied justice.

Wongggg (wakening sound of the bell)!.... I hear the marking of the hours.... and think of my aged father and mother now bereft of their child, without anyone to wait on them.  There is no knife in my belly and yet, and yet, the no-knife in my belly is slashing an inch-long gash in my flesh.  There is no knife in my belly and yet, and yet, the no-knife in my belly is slashing an inch-long gash in my flesh.

n    Mantangchun (Hall Aburst with Springtime)

Sym-phonic music using the sikuai (multiple clappers) of the xia siguan “Lower Four Winds” (percussion) section of the instruments to bring out the full orchestra including “upper and lower four winds” of traditional Nankuan music, illustrating the quatrain in the Zhouli (Rites of Zhou),  “Zithers and harp in the upper Hall, and the song of winds and strings; with the four pendant (percussion instruments) in the lower hall, chiming to the sound of bells)” expressing the spirit of respect and harmony exemplified in ancient ritual music.

Music:              Music: 7nd movement:Liumienta ; 8rd movement: Fengpawei;         -  from“Pachanwu” Dance of the Eight Great Extensions.

Lyrics: Raising my eyes I see no wild goose [ that brings me letters from my love ],
            Even as Liu Yi sent sentiments by winged messengers across Lake Dongting ,
            Now only gibbons’ cries, doves’ coo and low-keyed frog grunts fill the air
            Oh ye falling flowers and running waters moving ever without pity 
            Oh ye falling flowers and running waters moving ever without pity 

The ancient musical tradition believed to have originated in legendary antiquity of the Three Emperors (ca. 2000 BCE), which by the Sui dynasty, (581-619 CE) was known by the two popular modes of Qing and Shang.  But finding the Shang mode too mournful, the Sui emperor Yangdi abolished it, leaving only the Qing mode which he then renamed Qing Music.

Production Staff

Musician & Dancer

‾ The Feast of Han Xizai
‾ Le Jardin des Delices  
‾ Romance of Lychee Mirror   
‾ Lirenxing ( Beauties at Stroll )