SKU: PR.111402650

UPC: 680160643516. Text: Lorna Goodison. Lorna Goodison.

Angel of Dreamers is a song cycle for bass-baritone (or mezzo-soprano) singer, trombone, and either string orchestra, string quintet, or piano. It is based on the extraordinary poetry of the Jamaican-American poet, Lorna Goodison, whom I have had the great pleasure of getting to know in the course of writing this piece. The work was commissioned by a friend from my undergraduate college years at The Eastman School of Music, Maury Okun, trombonist and director of the Detroit Chamber Winds And Strings. The work was premiered in 2011 by bass-baritone Daniel Washington, trombonist and U. of Michigan faculty member David Jackson, and the string section of the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings. Daniel and David gave the second performance of the work with Lorna Goodison and Maury Okun in attendance at The Juilliard School the following year. I was approached by Maury Okun and David Jackson to write this piece as a tribute to Maury's father who had recently passed away. They also introduced me to their colleague and friend Lorna Goodison, suggesting her poetry. Reading several volumes of her work, I was absolutely captivated by the vivid imagery and beautiful messages of her words. I chose five of the poems, forming a cycle about life and death and home and parents. Lorna is originally from Jamaica, and the rich, vivid imagery, language and story lines of her poems beautifully reflect her roots. The work, in the tradition of Brahms' songs for voice, viola, and piano, features a singer with an obligato lyric instrumental line, which, in my piece, is the trombone, an instrument that blends so beautifully with the sound of a bass singer. The first song, O Love You So Fear the Dark is hopeful and uplifting, describing enduring love throughout the twists and turns of our lives. The music is strong and declamatory, but also tender. The second song, God A Me actually portrays a fish in Jamaica which is almost amphibious, flying up out of the water onto the land, and somehow, magically, returning to the water! For me this poem depicts the enjoyment of seeing parts of life that are fun and enjoyable and almost magical! The third song, All Souls Day depicts a holiday, somewhat magical, but also full of life and energy. The final two songs are a tribute to our parents -- My Mother's Sea Chanty, recalling a dream of seeing one's mother, with lyrics of tender love and remembrance, and finally, This is my Father's Country which is a tribute to the life of a loving father, recalling his spirit, his love of the music Harry Belafonte, and his enduring spirit. Angel of Dreamers was a special piece for me to write: for and with friends, old and new, collaborating with a poet whose beautiful, meaningful, and touching words were so inspiring, performed by fantastic musicians who poured themselves into the music, and commissioned by a dear friend from years gone by. THIS is why we write and perform music!.

SKU: PR.11441684S

UPC: 680160625253. 9 x 12 inches.

On the occasion of its 30th anniversary, the ensemble Music From China commissioned Chen Yi for a new work, which became Three Dances from China South, scored for Chinese instruments. Its three descriptive movements (Lions Playing Ball, Bamboo Dance, Lusheng Dance) are each inspired by folk dances from the southeastern provinces of China.
My chamber ensemble work Three Dances From China South is commissioned by Music From China tocelebrate its 30th anniversary, and scored for Chinese traditional instruments dizi, erhu, pipa, and zheng.  The commission has been made possible by the Chamber Music America Classical CommissioningProgram, with generous funding provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Chamber Music America Endowment Fund.  The world premiere is given at Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall in New York City, on November 21, 2014.  My Three Dances From China South is dedicated to Susan Cheng, the founder and Executive Director of Music From China, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of MFC. There are three movements in my Three Dances From China South for dizi, erhu, pipa, and zheng.  Thematerial in the first movement Lions Playing Ball is drawn from a folk tune played in the accompanyingensemble for the folk dance under the same title in Chaozhou region in Guangdong province.  The image of the folk dance is vivid and entertaining.  The movement includes several variations on the theme.  The variation methods are inspired by the various rhythmic patterns used in the traditional ensemble playing.  The melodic material features a special mode with a tritone interval taken from the folk tune.  There are also lyrical sections with polyphonic layers in the variations.The music in the second movement is inspired by the folk Bamboo Dance, which is popular in Li minoritypeople from Hainan Island in the south.  The aged old folk dance is for ritual ceremony and harvest celebration in the history, in which there are pairs of people holding the ends of the long bamboo rods and clapping them loudly in stable pulse, for groups of dancers to dance between the bamboo shapes on the floor, in musical rhythms and ensemble patterns.  A musical motive with a jumping interval and articulation is used throughout the movement.The third movement is called Lusheng Dance.  I have witnessed the folk dance performance of the Dong minority people in Guangxi province in the 1980’s.  The exciting scene inspired me to imitate the large lusheng ensemble playing style in my ensemble of four Chinese instrumental musicians without using the sheng (a wind instrument with metal pipes that is popular in concert music, and similar to the folk lusheng).  On top of the rhythmic patterns, I imitated a two--voice folk song of Zhuang minority people in the same province.  The melody is played by the leading erhu and dizi.—Chen Yi.