Color Clouds Suite
(for Harmonica Quintet)
Mui Kwong-chiu
(composed in 1999)
Color
Clouds Suite comprises four movements: Over
the Color Clouds, Red Haze, Snowflakes, and Voice
of the Mountain. Although the suite is composed as a continuous work, the
movements can be performed separately as individual pieces.
Over
the Color Clouds is a
fast movement. It is about a journey over clouds of ever-changing colours.
In Red Haze, contrapuntal lines and
melodic fragments are used to describe the beautiful colour change of haze. In Snowflakes, the quintet plays as if it were a string orchestra portraying massive snowy
mountains. Instances of avalanche occur but the journey continues. The suite
concludes with a lyrical piece Voices of
the Mountain, symbolising consolation from Mother Nature and the plucking up
of courage to purse ideals in life. The work was specially written for a
harmonica quintet. When I was composing the suite, I was thinking of five
wonderful instruments that have the unique properties that exist in a blend of
the beautiful tone colours of a string ensemble and a woodwind section.
Autumn
Landscape Suite
(for Harmonica Quintet, Piano, Harp, Sheng and Percussion)
Mui Kwong-chiu
(composed in 1999)
Autumn Landscape Suite is a chamber work for a harmonica quintet, sheng, harp,
piano and percussion instruments. It blends the virtuosity and the unique sound
of the quintet with the other instruments. The suite consists of three movements
depicting the beautiful natural landscape: Red
Leaves, The Woods after the Autumn Rain and The Mountain at Sunset. The suite uses artificial scales and modes
that blend with whole-tones scales. Red
Leaves is a description of autumn scenery. In The Woods after the Autumn Rain, the sheng and the harp together
describe the woods after a rainfall, while the piano towards the end portrays a
stream. In the last movement, The Mountain
at Sunset, some extended performing techniques for the piano are used to
emulate echoes in the mountain.
Moving Shapes
(for Harmonica Quintet)
Hui Cheung-wai
(composed in 1999)
Composed for a
harmonica quintet, this piece is rich with varied rhythms and interwoven
combinations that convey the vivacity of a city on the move. The musical
patterns are free and flowing in constantly changing movement. The tune absorbs
a bit of the improvisational style of jazz music, while the harmonics are
detached from any sort of rules.
The Scent of Poetry
(for Harmonica Quintet and Harp)
Hui Cheung-wai
(composed in 1999)
An elegant sketch
composed for a harmonica quintet plus harp, this piece attempts to use these
non-Chinese musical instruments to express Chinese musical elements. The
traditional style of the music of the Chinese literati in the first of three
movements is echoed in the last movement, while the middle movement develops the
new style and features of contemporary Chinese music. Each movement creates a
concept of surface or depth and an atmosphere of density or lightness.
We All Grew Up in Hong Kong - A Kaleidoscopic Suite
(for Harmonica Quintet, Piano, Harp, Sheng and Percussion)
Prelude
I. Kowloon-Canton Railway, 1963
II. Movie of our Childhood, 1969
III. Two Classic Comic Figures, 1974
IV. Spinning Marshmallow, 1976
V. Self-made Lantern for Mid-Autumn Festival, 1978
VI. Hill-side Wooden Houses on Fire, 1982
VII. Romance of Christmas Ball, 1985
VIII. Flying away from Kai-Tak Airport, 1987
IX. Old Schoolmates Reunion, 1990
Postlude
Hui Cheung-wai
(composed in 1999-2000)
(arranged for Harmonica Orchestra in 2005)
Fragments of memories make up a blend of sounds, images and emotions in this
11-part piece of music. Apart from a
harmonica quintet, the composer includes a piano, harp, sheng and percussion.
Each section makes use of a different collective of instruments and
compositional techniques to lend a sense of versatility to the music. Those who
were born in the 50s and 60s in Hong Kong will be familiar with the titles given
to the movements and the music may lead to personal reminiscences of past events
and figures.
Resonant Snapshots
(for Harmonica Quintet)
I. A Doctor After Surgery
II. A Poet In Meditation
III. A Scientist Behind The Telescope
IV. A Diplomat On Vacation
V. An Ecologist With Aqualung
Hui Cheung-wai
(composed in 2001)
The work portrays the
characters of different people with harmonica music. The idea is derived from
the members of the King's Harmonica Quintet. Though each of them has his own
mastery and intrinsic temperament, they share the same interest in music and
form a close rapport. Featuring the members' solo performances in turn in
different movements, the work enables each of them to manifest his own artistic
personality and emotions with the musical expression of a fusion of feelings. Resonant
Snapshots is the fourth piece written for the King's Harmonica Quintet by
Hui Cheung-wai.
Allegro in
Four Colors - Ma On Shan
(for Harmonica Quintet)
I. Winter (Flicker, Lonesome) [Black]
II. Spring (Fog and Mist, Head On) [Blue]
III. Summer (Dreamland, Wind) [White]
IV. Autumn (Rippling, Distant) [Gold]
Chan Ming-chi
(composed in 2001)
Blue (Morning, Spring) This area was once a Shangri-La draped in a veil of fog and mist.
But relentlessly you head on towards
A wicked territory
And begin an eventful life journey. White (Afternoon, Summer) Haven't mused over the lingering nocturne,
The seagulls looked for their dreamland to satiate the long beaks.
Without any regard for the brutal afternoon,
The wind breezed over everywhere
Day in and day out, the years past by naturally. Gold (Sunset, Autumn) The dazzles of the city life is incongruously
Reflected on the rippling Shing Mun River.
In the fading glow of the setting sun,
Tolo Harbour presents picturesque scenery.
Why, this is a distant memory of mine! Black (Evening, Winter) In a dream, the silent buoys navigate the way to
Glamorous cages of skyscrapers.
The inverted image of the magnificent college on the opposite side
Is reflected in waters.
The lights on fishing boats flicker as
The dimly lit villages are awaken
By the lonesome cries of the phoenixes in expectation of the dawn. |
Every morning, people begin their hard day's
work. Like the train moving tortuously, people reluctantly venture on a journey
full of lies and pretence. As a result of urbanization in Ma On Shan,
peace-loving seagulls could not be spared from the bewilderment and distress
thus induced. Skyscrapers located alongside Shing Mun River are ablaze with
lights all year round, after the intrusion upon natural wildlife habitat. Night
owls have dreams on sleepless nights. They wish they were a phoenix living in
Shangri-La where they welcome in the first light of morning and enjoy a
panoramic view of the natural scenery every day. Adapted from Chan Chung-hei's
poem of the same title, the work displays the distinctive features as well as
nuances and melancholic timbres of different harmonicas. Through tuneful
melodies, Hong Kong born musicians express their feelings towards the living
environment and natural scenery (the Quintet often holds activities and
rehearsals in Ma On Shan and Sha Tin).
Hong Kong Landscape Suite
(for Harmonica Quintet, Piano and Percussion)
Mui Kwong-chiu
(composed in 2001)
Hong Kong Landscape Suite is specially composed for the King's Harmonica Quintet,
piano and percussions. The Suite includes
an introduction and three movements, namely The
Embankment off the Golden Coast,
Colour Rain, and Spectacular Night. The
work integrates musical materials such as diatonic, pentatonic, whole-tone,
artificial scales, sets and quartal chords to portray scenes from Hong Kong
which is a modern metropolis blending the East and West.
Jubilee Overture
(for Harmonica Orchestra)
Hui Cheung-wai
(composed in 2001)
This masterpiece was commissioned for
King's College Harmonica Band (KCHB) in 2001 for the commemoration of its 50th
Anniversary. For both the beginning of a new century and the celebration of the
historical King's College, we are exhilarated to present you this work. The
music is full of majesty, joys and exhilaration. The orchestration highlights
the features of the Harmonica Band; which on one hand enable all parties to
perform the major note; on the other hand it enables the audience to recognize
clearly the peculiarity of each instrument, which include harmony, dyad and
combination of different instruments. Various combination and hierarchy have
already been contemplated to achieve.
One of the most
distinguished features for this piece are its countless variations. The harmony
is based on perfect fifths. The witty arrangements on the key work surpassingly
with the minimalistic rhythm to mingle the traditional with the contemporary,
and to fill our mind with refreshment and energy.
Rendezvous Paris
(for Harmonica Quintet and Orchestra)
Hui Cheung-wai
(composed in 2001)
This is the first piece composed for a harmonica
quintet and a symphony orchestra in history. A harmonica quintet has its own
unified sound, involving significant collaboration among the musicians; for the
ensemble to also play with a symphony orchestra is an innovation in orchestral
music. It is certainly distinct from the usual solo concerto or concerto doppio.
The
condition attached to this commission was that it must be based on existing
well-known tunes. In the end, I decided to draw inspirations from several works
instead of just one well-known piece. It was my wish to use Paris as a theme, in
order to fill the work with my feelings for French music and artistic styles.
Paris has always been a treasure house of art and a
city where "beauty" lives freely. It is both the "heart" of
French culture and the "stomach", absorbing the essence of the world's
fine art. The works I quote from are mainly by French composers. However, they
also include Stravinsky's Le Sacre du
printemps premiered in Paris, Gershwin's An American in Paris and the Beatles song Michelle.
The work does not consist of the development or
variations of one or two themes. Instead, its structure is based on certain
images that inspired me. They are: (1) Starry
Night (The piece starts with the colours of Impressionism, while the sound
of the harmonicas comes from the impressions that van Gogh made on me); (2) Asymmetric
Fountain (There is an artistic fountain in a square named after Stravinsky
beside the Centre Georges Pompidou. Its dynamism and colours distinguish it from
classical fountains.); (3) Cubes on
Canvas (The Cubist expression of the music with several focal points is
derived from Picasso's visual art theory of multiple points of view.); (4) Pyramid of Glass (based on I.M. Pei's timeless architectural concept
at the Louvre, we can also juxtapose new and old musical styles in a passage,):
(5) Ceiling with Tales (just as
Chagall decorated the ceiling of the Opéra in Paris In a child-like manner, I
have Introduced the fun of nursery rhymes into this work.); (6) Café
on a Bridge (This may be my fabrication, There are numerous cafés in Paris
and many bridges linking the two banks of the river. However, I have never seen
a café on a bridge before. This composite image seems to indicate a search in
the banal reality for something that does not exist but can be realised. In the
work, the familiar tune of La Vie en Rose is
repeatedly interrupted by vague musical passages, but still manages to assert
itself in the end.)
The fragments of 22 well-known tunes are adapted in
this work which progresses without interruption. While some quotations are
longer, others are short or consist of just a few notes, and may be difficult
for some audience to recognise. On the whole, my goal was to create an
innovative work full of personal musical touches. That is why some quotations
are almost concealed. They are fun to play hide-and-seek with.
Apart from cutting up, rearranging or combining many
famous tunes, I have applied the rare method of superimposition several times in
this composition. This includes the overlapping of fragments of the melody of
the same work. Instances of the overlapping of different works are the
superimposition of melodies by Fauré and Ravel (who were teacher and student),
works of the same type by Franck (Fauré's teacher) and Debussy (Sonata for
violin and piano), as well as works by Stravinsky and Saint-Saëns (the latter
had expressed his dislike of the former's Le
Sacre du printemps).
Earlier composers have occasionally written
parodies. For instance, in Carnaval des
animaux, Saint-Saëns turned a lively melody by Offenbach into the slow and
heavy Tortoise. I, on the other hand,
transformed Saint-Saëns' graceful Swan into
a humourous and dancing tune, or reverently borrowed the beautiful music of
earlier composers. For instance, while Gounod used Bach's Prelude in C Major as accompaniment for a song he wrote, I composed
a new harmony for that song. (Although I have removed Bach's music, I still wish
to acknowledge my debt to him.)
As for the Beatles song partly sung in French, a
fragment of its refrain appears near the end. If the audience knows the original
lyrics, it will be even more meaningful. The last quotation comes from the last
movement of Messiaen's Quartet for the End
of Time, which is also my deliberate design.
The work may be appreciated from different
perspectives. One can listen to it in a straightforward manner without paying
attention to any allusions or being familiar with the famous tunes quoted, just
as the title Rendezvous Paris can have
diverse interpretations.
Reflections from a Pentagonal Crystal
(for Harmonica Quintet and Orchestra)
Hui Cheung-wai
(composed in 2001)
After Rendezvous
Paris,
I wrote this sister piece for the King's Harmonica Quintet and the Hong Kong
Philharmonic Orchestra, but this work was conceived more freely and its
instrumentation is also different.
There
were no previous works for ensemble playing by a harmonica quintet and a
symphony orchestra that I could refer to. In writing this work, I had to ensure
that the role of the quintet remained central and balanced with the immense
sound spectrum of the orchestra. I also tried to explore the effects of timbral
synthesis in orchestral music which had never been explored before. It was
certainly a challenging and imaginative composing experience.
I associated the bright albeit
somewhat thin sound of the harmonica with the image of the magical refraction of
light. The symbol of the "pentagonal crystal" is expressed through the
cohesive bond of the quintet. In the music, "five" also reasonably
becomes a basis for the multi-faceted structure.
I tried to imagine that
the flickering, intensity, concentration and flashing of light could be
expressed through music. In this work, I have occasionally organised the
directional spatialisation of sound sources to express the motion of
'transmission'. However, I am not trying to describe any objective optical
phenomena. To tell the truth, I have not yet seen a pentagonal crystal in
reality. I just made it up as an object through which we could see the world, so
that the complex would become simple, the blurred would become clear and the
cold would become warm.
The work is divided into
three movements. The main idea of the first movement Between
Us
is conflict and harmony suggested by contrast. An event that stunned the world
happened while I was writing it. That was why I arranged for two passages of
silence in the music. The second movement From Mother to Mother is like a bridge.
While its colours are subdued, it has more depth of feeling. In the third
movement Treasures on Earth, all instruments show
diversity in timbre. There is more frequent use of percussion instruments to
suggest that the colours and energy buried in the earth are about to burst out.
This work is to a certain
extent guided by the idea of the concerto. Due to the limitations of the
small-sized harmonica and the problem of co-ordination between five
chamber musicians instead of with one soloist, it is certainly more difficult
than writing an organ concerto. Moreover, there is no such practical orchestral
experience in terms of performance before the premiere of this work.
Nevertheless, in this work, the sixth I have written for the King's Harmonica
Quintet, I have tried to expand the language and technique of ensemble playing
of this instrument and to create a space for the development of the unique sound
of a harmonica ensemble with a symphonic orchestra.
Three
Thoughts
(for Harmonica Duo and Guitar)
Hui Cheung-wai
(composed in 2002)
This work is chiefly tripartite, reflecting three linked stages in thinking:
- From the First Idea
- Between Contradiction and Correlation
- Towards Perception of a Philosophy
The music evolves from serenity to thicker sounds, and from vividness back to
calmness. Tonality varies from vague to clear, and old or new styles
dissolve to form one of its kind. 3-part structure, including its
symmetric or asymmetric forms (ABC, ABA, AAB etc.) exists on large-scale and
smaller parts. The simple and profound coda is entitled Convergence at
Infinity. The end seems to be another starting point.
Written at the end of the summer of 2002, Three Thoughts is the 11th
work by Hui Cheung-wai upon request of harmonica players. In that summer
the composer visited the Athabasca Glacier and Banff in the Rocky Mountains of
great natural beauty.
A Flow to Give
(for Harmonica Quintet)
Clarence Mak
(composed in 2002)
Fluttering the wind, long miles to search.
......
Rain is over, a flow to give.
This piece tries to explore the new techniques and the performing possibility
of the harmonica ensemble. The music starts with fast-note gestures
flowing in contrasting registers and fluctuating tempi. The tonality is
gradually established with more lyrical melodic lines in the middle
section. After a passage with dancing rhythm, the piece ends with a slow
modal melody.
Rhapsody of Colour
Clouds Chasing the Moon
(for Harmonica Quintet, Sheng and Piano)
Mui Kwong-chiu
(composed in 2002)
(arranged for Harmonica Quintet and Chinese Orchestra in 2003)
Colour Clouds Chasing the Moon is the composer's favourite Chinese
pieces. The melody arouses thoughts and memories of the picturesque scenes
of Mid-Autumn Festival, the quietness of the night and the poetic moonlight
shadows... adding wonderful moments to his life. This work Rhapsody of
Colour Clouds Chasing the Moon is a response to this wonderful melody.
Composer uses the harmonica quintet, the Chinese sheng and the piano for
the instrumentation of this piece. He incorporated the modern
compositional techniques as well as the traditional ones to blend the Western
and Chinese musical materials. In this work, he names a number of
sections: an Introduction, Chasing the moon, the Romance, the
Moon-Dance, the Remembrance and a coda; all originated and
developed from the famous melody. Each section embodies certain thoughts,
memories, passions and fantasy. This musical creation represents one of
composer's goals in his life.
When the Clouds Rise
(for Harmonica Quintet, Dancer and Lighting)
Chan Ming-chi
(composed in 2002-3)
"Where the Creek Dries Out, When the Clouds Rise..."
The name of this composition is taken from a poem of Wang Wei. It is
the second commissioned work for the King's Harmonica Quintet, written for the
collaboration of the Quintet with a dancer. The first work expressed the
feelings of art-makers. The present work utilizes shapes of body and flow
of sound to show how art-makers, in the process of self-improvement, uphold
their belief and strive for excellence despite difficult situation.
Last Time We Met Larry Adler in Hong Kong
(for Harmonica Quintet and String Orchestra)
Hui Cheung-wai
(composed in 2004)
No doubt, Larry Adler is a legend. He passed away in 2001 and we could
no longer hear his one-of-a-kind magical tones live. That year he was
still planning performances on tour to China. Unfortunately he died before
realization of the plan. The last time Larry Adler revisited Hong Kong and
played for us was in November 1999. At that time he was already 85 and the
concert has now become a very precious part of our memories.
Larry Adler is
the role model of a great many harmonica players. Yet no one has been
capable to reproduce his wonderful sound. But the enthusiasm to raise the
standard and develop new areas for the instrument he loves is something we could
learn and pass down to younger generations. The promising growth of Hong
Kong's harmonica music community in recent years with their impressive
solidarity and innovation is surely an extension of the spirit of Larry Adler.
The
composition expresses memories and sentiments that does not belong only to one
person. Its lyricism conveys senses of remembrance and wishes. It is
not telling stories or imitating Larry Adler. The texture of the music
does have prominent solo harmonica sections but the ensemble and concertante
combinations are important as well. Different elements are usually
coexisting instead of opposing each other.
The orchestral part simply calls
for the strings, as this work pursues 'purity' and 'embedding meanings in
plainness'. The tumbrel tapestry is delicate and subtle. Among the
composer's 15 works for harmonicas in the past, this piece is composed with the
simplest technique but new ways of expression are discovered.
Café Capriccio
(for Harmonica Quintet)
Li Cheong
(composed in 2006)
Café Capriccio is a suite of three movements written for harmonica quintet.
Three types of coffee: “mocha”, “cappuccino” and “espresso” are chosen, each represents love in a different stage. “Mocha”, the sweet and bright waltz is followed by “cappuccino”, a lazy and sentimental movement written in the style of bossa nova.
The final movement “espresso” is a tango, which combines passion and bitterness.
Silk Road, Silk Road
(for Harmonica Quintet)
Angel Lam
(composed in 2006)
I. Mirage, elevation 12,000 ft.
At this elevation where the air is thin, everyone have difficulty breathing.
My body became weak, head feeling dizzy, but this is all worth it.
Just looking at the majestic scenery outside the window, mountains covered with snow caps desirable like ice-cream sundaes.
The sky a stunning metallic blue, against clouds that are florescent white, and the grass is an endless field of rolling greens.
I have never seen so many shades and layers of green in my life...
Suddenly, I thought of my elementary school classmate... she seems to be here too, sitting right behind me.
I remember that day, in my third grade class, my art teacher was not happy with my painting.
She said I am always painting outside of the lines and edges of the drawing.
She was angry that I do not obey the rules. I couldn't help but cried, and my classmate comforted me.
She was even willing to trade me her box of soy milk for my painting.
Suddenly, she disappeared again.
II. Baby Camel Walk
This movement has two main ideas: little camel’s playful and happy personality, and traveler’s joyful and relaxing feelings riding on a camel.
I fused these two elements in the music, I hope listeners can share the fun of traveling in the northwestern plains of China.
