wimpel69
06-02-2014, 03:22 PM
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The first Chinese requiem ever composed, Earth Requiem is an enormous work performed in Beijing
in 2011 in remembrance of the catastrophic Sichuan earthquake in 2008.
The disastrous earthquake destroyed coutnless homes and killed over 60 thousand people. The Chinese people
have made great efforts in reconstructing the quake hit region in Sichuan, helping the survivors get over the
sorrow and gaining back their normal lives again. Musicians are also doing their part to comfort the people.
Earth Requiem is a symphonic work specially written for the people of the devastated quake area.
Guan Xia, composer and the director of China National Symphony Orchestra, talks about what he saw
when he arrived at the disaster zone in 2008.
"While we were in the quake area, we felt that the people there were very strong minded. Although they
have lost their homes and even their family members, they still held hope to the future. In some places,
some part of the mountains still remained the original beauty while some other part was totally destroyed,
the scene shocked us. Therefore, we felt we should make something to comfort those who survived the
disaster but were still suffering from sorrow. Just a song was not enough, so we decided to write a requiem."
The requiem form is often used in western classical music when composers are faced with the sorrow,
the pain, and the mystery of life and death. As the first requiem in China, Requiem for the Earth remains
some classical patterns of the traditional western requiem, but at the same time, it includes many
Chinese elements. Guan Xia introduces.
"There are four movements in the requiem, namely Gazing at the Stars, Heavenly Wind and Earth Fire,
Boundless Love, and Wings of Angles. Each movements shows a different scene, such as the meditation
about the nature, description of natural disasters, the great love people show to each other to get over
difficulties, and ode for an ideal world. In the requiem, we specially adopt the instrument from the
Qiang minority group in Wenchuan area called Qiang flute. Traditional requiems are with a weak
ending or fade out. But in this piece, we have made a strong ending, so as to show the strength
and spirit of Chinese people."
Music Composed by
Guan Xia
Played by the
China National Symphony Orchestra
With
Yao Hong (soprano)
Liu Shan (mezzo-soprano)
Jin Yongzhe (tenor)
Sun Li (baritone)
Shen Fanxiu (organ)
He Wangjin (Qiang flute)
And the
China National Symphony Chorus
Conducted by
Michel Plasson
"My Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines a requiem as “any musical service, hymn,
or dirge for the repose of the dead.” The most famous of these musical settings, of course, is the
Requiem Mass of the Catholic Church, although Chinese composer Guan Xia didn’t exactly have
this in mind when he composed his Earth Requiem in 2009. He wrote the work as a remembrance
of the Sichuan earthquake of 2008, which took thousands of innocent lives. Rather than simply
mourn this loss, which the work certainly does, it is above all a celebration of life. Michel Plasson
and the China National Symphony Orchestra, chorus, and others, an ensemble comprising over
100 instrumentalists, 150 singers, an organ, and four soloists, do the massive work justice.
The composer divides the Earth Requiem into four parts: (1) Gazing at the stars, a “Meditation
for Orchestra and Chorus”; (2) Heavenly Wind and Earth Fire, a “Trilogy on a Fixed Melody, for
Orchestra and Chorus”; (3) Boundless Love, a “Romance for Orchestra, Soprano, Bass and
Chorus”; and Wings of Angels, an “Ode for Qiang Flute, Organ, Orchestra, Soprano, Mezzo-
soprano, Tenor, Bass and Chorus.”
The first movement, Gazing at the Stars, is sweet and gentle, under Maestro Plasson’s direction
projecting an appropriate melancholy, a mourning of the tragedy. It’s all rather solemn, yet
there seems to be a note of hope here, too, a longing that all will be well. Plasson and his
players give it a resonant, emotional uplift that is quite touching.
The second movement, Heavenly Wind and Earth Fire, is considerably different from the first
movement in that it sounds almost angry, outraged at the brutality of Man and Nature. The
booklet explains that the music is all highly pictorial as it “attacks the odiousness of life and
the hypocrisy of mankind.” Plasson does a fine job conveying the music’s shifting moods of
suffering, desperation, and ethereal eeriness.
The third movement, Boundless Love, comes as a welcome relief from the tensions of the
previous section, for Boundless Love is just that: all heavenly melodies and restful lyricism.
The way Plasson handles it, it’s beautifully serene, representing the healing power of pure love.
The final movement, Wings of Angels, begins with the sound of the Qiang flute, which has a
tone resembling a bagpipe and sets the stage for the work’s climax. The music here alternates
between fast and slow segments, mostly slow, some of it reflecting Chinese folk tunes. I
found this the most moving part of the Requiem, as it ends on a note of triumph for all
humankind. While the music of Earth Requiem may not be earthshaking in its inspiration or
originality, it is uplifting to be sure. That is to say, I don’t know if Earth Requiem will ever
become a modern classic, but surely there is no doubt Maestro Plasson does his best to show
it in its best light.
Oddly, Virgin list the final movement on the back cover of the jewel case and in the
accompanying booklet as 4.23 minutes. Actually, it’s 14.23. I can see company overlooking
the mistake once, but twice? The entire symphony lasts a little over an hour, 63.51 minutes.
Producer Guan Xia and engineer Daniel Zalay recorded the Requiem at the Beijing Concert Hall
in March of 2011. The sonics they obtained are fairly open, widespread, clean, and detailed.
Although there is a very slight forwardness to the strings that overly bright loudspeakers
might exacerbate, I found it often added to the sound’s clarity. The chorus and soloists appear
almost ideally integrated with the orchestra, nothing too close or too recessed. However, the
singers can appear a touch edgy at times. Treble extension is good, the low end is
somewhat light, and dynamics and impact are adequate for the occasion. Overall, the sound
is a tad soft in the upper bass to middle midrange and, as I say, a bit sharp in the upper mids.
Nevertheless, there is nothing distracting about it, and it does complement the spirit of
the music nicely."
Classical Candor
Sharing on this album has ended. No more requests and no re-ups, please!
Enjoy! Don't share! Buy the original! :)
The first Chinese requiem ever composed, Earth Requiem is an enormous work performed in Beijing
in 2011 in remembrance of the catastrophic Sichuan earthquake in 2008.
The disastrous earthquake destroyed coutnless homes and killed over 60 thousand people. The Chinese people
have made great efforts in reconstructing the quake hit region in Sichuan, helping the survivors get over the
sorrow and gaining back their normal lives again. Musicians are also doing their part to comfort the people.
Earth Requiem is a symphonic work specially written for the people of the devastated quake area.
Guan Xia, composer and the director of China National Symphony Orchestra, talks about what he saw
when he arrived at the disaster zone in 2008.
"While we were in the quake area, we felt that the people there were very strong minded. Although they
have lost their homes and even their family members, they still held hope to the future. In some places,
some part of the mountains still remained the original beauty while some other part was totally destroyed,
the scene shocked us. Therefore, we felt we should make something to comfort those who survived the
disaster but were still suffering from sorrow. Just a song was not enough, so we decided to write a requiem."
The requiem form is often used in western classical music when composers are faced with the sorrow,
the pain, and the mystery of life and death. As the first requiem in China, Requiem for the Earth remains
some classical patterns of the traditional western requiem, but at the same time, it includes many
Chinese elements. Guan Xia introduces.
"There are four movements in the requiem, namely Gazing at the Stars, Heavenly Wind and Earth Fire,
Boundless Love, and Wings of Angles. Each movements shows a different scene, such as the meditation
about the nature, description of natural disasters, the great love people show to each other to get over
difficulties, and ode for an ideal world. In the requiem, we specially adopt the instrument from the
Qiang minority group in Wenchuan area called Qiang flute. Traditional requiems are with a weak
ending or fade out. But in this piece, we have made a strong ending, so as to show the strength
and spirit of Chinese people."
Music Composed by
Guan Xia
Played by the
China National Symphony Orchestra
With
Yao Hong (soprano)
Liu Shan (mezzo-soprano)
Jin Yongzhe (tenor)
Sun Li (baritone)
Shen Fanxiu (organ)
He Wangjin (Qiang flute)
And the
China National Symphony Chorus
Conducted by
Michel Plasson
"My Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines a requiem as “any musical service, hymn,
or dirge for the repose of the dead.” The most famous of these musical settings, of course, is the
Requiem Mass of the Catholic Church, although Chinese composer Guan Xia didn’t exactly have
this in mind when he composed his Earth Requiem in 2009. He wrote the work as a remembrance
of the Sichuan earthquake of 2008, which took thousands of innocent lives. Rather than simply
mourn this loss, which the work certainly does, it is above all a celebration of life. Michel Plasson
and the China National Symphony Orchestra, chorus, and others, an ensemble comprising over
100 instrumentalists, 150 singers, an organ, and four soloists, do the massive work justice.
The composer divides the Earth Requiem into four parts: (1) Gazing at the stars, a “Meditation
for Orchestra and Chorus”; (2) Heavenly Wind and Earth Fire, a “Trilogy on a Fixed Melody, for
Orchestra and Chorus”; (3) Boundless Love, a “Romance for Orchestra, Soprano, Bass and
Chorus”; and Wings of Angels, an “Ode for Qiang Flute, Organ, Orchestra, Soprano, Mezzo-
soprano, Tenor, Bass and Chorus.”
The first movement, Gazing at the Stars, is sweet and gentle, under Maestro Plasson’s direction
projecting an appropriate melancholy, a mourning of the tragedy. It’s all rather solemn, yet
there seems to be a note of hope here, too, a longing that all will be well. Plasson and his
players give it a resonant, emotional uplift that is quite touching.
The second movement, Heavenly Wind and Earth Fire, is considerably different from the first
movement in that it sounds almost angry, outraged at the brutality of Man and Nature. The
booklet explains that the music is all highly pictorial as it “attacks the odiousness of life and
the hypocrisy of mankind.” Plasson does a fine job conveying the music’s shifting moods of
suffering, desperation, and ethereal eeriness.
The third movement, Boundless Love, comes as a welcome relief from the tensions of the
previous section, for Boundless Love is just that: all heavenly melodies and restful lyricism.
The way Plasson handles it, it’s beautifully serene, representing the healing power of pure love.
The final movement, Wings of Angels, begins with the sound of the Qiang flute, which has a
tone resembling a bagpipe and sets the stage for the work’s climax. The music here alternates
between fast and slow segments, mostly slow, some of it reflecting Chinese folk tunes. I
found this the most moving part of the Requiem, as it ends on a note of triumph for all
humankind. While the music of Earth Requiem may not be earthshaking in its inspiration or
originality, it is uplifting to be sure. That is to say, I don’t know if Earth Requiem will ever
become a modern classic, but surely there is no doubt Maestro Plasson does his best to show
it in its best light.
Oddly, Virgin list the final movement on the back cover of the jewel case and in the
accompanying booklet as 4.23 minutes. Actually, it’s 14.23. I can see company overlooking
the mistake once, but twice? The entire symphony lasts a little over an hour, 63.51 minutes.
Producer Guan Xia and engineer Daniel Zalay recorded the Requiem at the Beijing Concert Hall
in March of 2011. The sonics they obtained are fairly open, widespread, clean, and detailed.
Although there is a very slight forwardness to the strings that overly bright loudspeakers
might exacerbate, I found it often added to the sound’s clarity. The chorus and soloists appear
almost ideally integrated with the orchestra, nothing too close or too recessed. However, the
singers can appear a touch edgy at times. Treble extension is good, the low end is
somewhat light, and dynamics and impact are adequate for the occasion. Overall, the sound
is a tad soft in the upper bass to middle midrange and, as I say, a bit sharp in the upper mids.
Nevertheless, there is nothing distracting about it, and it does complement the spirit of
the music nicely."
Classical Candor
Sharing on this album has ended. No more requests and no re-ups, please!
Enjoy! Don't share! Buy the original! :)