East Meets West
What a joy it was to perform for such enthusiastic audiences recently on the Bravo Cruise of the Performing Arts! After my second recital with pianist Sue Goessling - East Meets West - I received several requests for further information about Chinese music and song repertoire. So, to follow up from your kind enquiries, here are some program notes from the show!
The concept of East Meets West is very dear to my heart, as my father is from the UK and my mother is Chinese Malaysian. So East Meets West is literally how I came to be in the world!
Wusuli Boat Song （烏蘇里船歌）/ O Waly Waly
Our first song sought to capture that spirit by combining the Wusuli Boat Song (a folk song from Heilongjiang Province in northern China) and O Waly Waly (a folk song from the UK). Both songs are about being on a boat with someone you love, which felt very appropriate for all the couples, families and friends cruising together. The first two lines of Wusuli Boat Song are in the endangered Hezhe language, while the rest is in Mandarin. The inspiration to combine Wusuli Boat Song and O Waly Waly came from this wonderful album by Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn.
Wusuli Boat Song / O Waly Waly
Ah-la-he-henina (etc)
Wusuli River
Flowing on my land
Connecting green mountains
And blue waters
The fish are jumping, the waves are surging
A mother sits at the bow, rocking her baby
Ah le he le henina (etc)
The water is wide, I cannot get o’er
And neither have I wings to fly
Give me a boat that will carry two
And both shall row, my child and I.
Ah le he le henina (etc)
Meigui Meigui 玫瑰玫瑰
Following the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, Western cultural influence more freely entered the new Republic of China. This helped to create to a thriving jazz scene in Shanghai through the 1920s and 1930s. It attracted musicians from all over the world, including from the Philippines, Europe, and the USA. The music of this is era is known as Shidaiqu (時代曲）. To learn more about this era and genre, I can recommend this three-part series on The China History Podcast and checking out this playlist on Spotify
Our musical example from this era is a song called Meigui, Meigui (Rose, Rose), which was originally sung by Yao Li (姚莉). It was later adapted into an English version by the American singer Frankie Laine under the title Rose Rose I Love You. Though the English lyrics read like an unsettlingly cheerful Madam Butterfly, they certainly reveal something about Western attitudes regarding the so-called ‘far east’ at that time. Our version combines both the English and Chinese lyrics.
Three Wishes of the Rose 玫瑰三愿
Following this, Sue and I were joined by violinist Vov Dylan, who jumped in at short notice to play the beautiful violin obbligato lines of our next two songs. These songs come from two members of the first generation of art song composers in 20th century China.
The Three Wishes of the Rose or Meigui San Yuan (玫瑰三愿) was composed by the Shanghai-born composer Huang Zi (黃自) (though his name is often rendered as ‘Huang Tzu’ using the old Wade-Giles transliteration). Huang studied at Oberlin College in Ohio, USA, before completing his musical studies at Yale. Upon returning to China, he became one of the earliest faculty members of the National Conservatorium. His compositional style was heavily influenced by European music of the Romantic era, particularly the German Lieder. With poetry by Wei Hanzheng, The Three Wishes of the Rose was a popular recital song during the 1920s and 30s.
Three Wishes of the Rose (trans. Daniel Szesiong Todd)
Rose, rose,
In full bloom on the green trellis,
I wish that the unfeeling wind and rain that envy me, will not buffet me.
I wish that sentimental tourists, who love me, will not pluck me.
I wish that my red-faced beauty will never wither away,
And I will keep my youth.
How Can I Not Think of Him 教我如何不想他
This popular song of the 1920s and 30s was written by Zhao Yuanren 趙元任, (whose name is also sometimes rendered as Yuan Ren Chao). Zhao was truly a renaissance man, with degrees in maths and physics from Cornell University, and a philosophy degree from Harvard. Apart from being an eminent scholar and polymath, he penned this beautiful song. On a personal note, I first heard this song as a heartbroken 15 year old on Chinese-Australian singer Shu-Chen Yu’s album Lotus Moon, and was deeply moved!
How can I not think of him (trans. Daniel Szesiong Todd)
In the sky, little clouds float by
On the earth, little breezes blow -
Ah, little breezes blow through my hair,
How can I not think of him?
The moonlight is in love with the ocean
The ocean is in love with the moonlight
Ah, the silver night is like honey,
How can I not think of him?
On the water’s surface, fallen petals gently flow.
Below the water, little fish gently swim.
Ah, swallow, what does your birdsong mean?
How can I not think of him?
The withered tree shakes in the cold wind,
The wild fires burn through the dusk,
Ah, there is still a little sunset left in the western sky!
How can I not think of him?
Spring Nostalgia 春思曲
As Vov departed to prepare for his next performance, Sue and I returned to another beautiful song by Huang Zi called Spring Nostalgia (春思曲), which is sung from the perspective of a woman whose husband has been away for years and not returned. The ‘abandoned woman’ is a common trope in Chinese poetry, due to the centuries-old system of the imperial civil service, where scholar-officials were sent to manage districts far away from their hometowns, with a view to minimise corruption. Once again, Huang Zi chose a poem by Wei Hanzheng.
Spring Nostalgia (trans. Daniel Szesiong Todd)
The pitter-patter of rain fell on the steps overnight
I couldn’t fall asleep with my thin quilt and lone pillow,
This morning, I picked up the mirror and knew, without looking,
that my dimples would be faint,
I gently comb my black hair, and pin it up idly.
I lean against this little house, alone,
Fearful of seeing the willows along the road -
their leaves and my dress darkening in the rain.
I even envy the pair of ignorant swallows,
chirruping, as they flit past my painted railing.
I recall my beloved, who left years ago,
Full of regret
That I cannot transform into a cuckoo
And call him to spur his horse quickly home.
Songs from the Chinese: ii. The Old Lute, iii. Autumn Wind
For centuries, Europe had been obsessed with China: for its tea, its porcelain, and also for its rich artistic tradition. The English composer Benjamin Britten became quite taken with Chinese poetry, and set several poems (in English translation by Arthur Waley) in his cycle Songs from the Chinese, originally scored for voice and guitar. Sue and I chose to perform two songs from this cycle: The Old Lute, and Autumn Wind.
The Old Lute is a poem by Bai Juyi (Po Chu-i in Wade-Giles transliteration) (772-846 CE), who was a poet and musician during the Tang dynasty. The second song, Autumn Wind, is based on a poem written by Emperor Wu Di of Han (156-87 BCE), who not only expanded the political and cultural influence of the Chinese Empire, but was also a great patron of the arts. These are ancient poems from a faraway country, yet I think you will agree they still resonate strongly with modern audiences.
The Old Lute (trans. Arthur Waley)
Of cord and cassia wood is the lute compounded
Within it lie ancient melodies,
weak and savourless,
Not appealing to present men’s taste.
Light and colour are faded from the jade stops,
Dust has covered the rose-red strings,
Decay and ruin came to it long ago,
But the sound that is left is still cold and clear.
I do not refuse to play it if you want me to,
But even if I play, people will not listen.
How did it come to be neglected so?
Because of the chi’ang flute and the zithern of ch’in!
Autumn Wind (trans. Arthur Waley)
Autumn wind rises, white clouds fly,
Grass and trees wither, geese go south,
Orchids all in bloom, chrysanthemums smell sweet
I think of my lovely lady,
I never can forget.
Floating pagoda boat crosses fen river,
Across the midstream white waves rise,
Flute and drum keep time to sound of rowers’ song
Amidst revel and feasting
Sad thoughts come:
Youth’s years how few,
Age how sure.
Crossing the River to Pick Lotus Flowers 涉江釆芙蓉
Following the severe repression of the arts during the Cultural Revolution, several composers emerged from these heartbreaking times with renewed creative energy. One of these was Luo Zhongrong, who published the first song written by a Chinese composer in the 12-tone serialist style. Originally invented by German composer Arnold Schoenberg at the turn of the 20th century, Luo adapted the style to a Chinese idiom by prioritising intervals reminiscent of Chinese pentatonic modes. The result was his song Crossing the River to Pick Lotus Flowers. Interestingly, Luo chose a well-known, ancient (and anonymous) poem from the Han Dynasty as his text. I was really thrilled last Sunday to see the audience engage so enthusiastically with this work, which is not your average cruise ship material!
Crossing the River to Pick Lotus Flowers (trans. Daniel Szesiong Todd)
Crossing the river to pick lotus flowers,
The pond is in bloom, surrounded by fragrant herbs.
I pluck a flower, but for whom?
The one I think of is far away.
I look back towards the old village,
The long road stretches out before me.
Far from my soulmate and my home,
I am distressed by my old age.
Swallow Song 燕子
Many composers in the Western classical world have turned to folk song traditions for source material, including Bartok, Mahler, and Britten. Chinese composers also embraced their country’s vast treasure trove of diverse folk traditions. The Swallow Song (燕子) (Yanzi) is a traditional folk song from the Kazakh ethnic minority in China’s northwestern Xinjiang Province. The word for the bird ‘swallow’ is a common girls’ name in both Kazakh and Mandarin. This is a simple love song, that has been beautifully arranged by Wu Zuqiang.
Swallow Song (trans. Daniel Szesiong Todd)
Swallow, ah!
Listen to my beloved swallow song!
My beloved, listen to what I have to say to you,
Swallow, ah!
Swallow, ah!
Your are so cheerful, so warm, so lively!
Your smile is like the twinkling stars!
Ah, arched brows and bright eyes,
Smooth neck and long hair,
You are my girl,
Swallow, ah!
Swallow, ah!
Don’t forget your promise or change your heart!
I am yours, you are mine,
Swallow, ah!
The Moon Represents My Heart 月亮代表我的心
Meanwhile, across the ditch in Taiwan, popular music was flourishing. The country’s most well-known pop hit The Moon Represents My Heart was first released in 1973 and made famous throughout the entire Chinese diaspora by Teresa Teng. Its legacy is truly enduring. You would be hard-pressed to find a Chinese person anywhere in the world who had never heard this song before!
The Moon Represents my Heart (trans. Daniel Szesiong Todd)
You ask how deeply I love you,
How much I love you?
My feelings are true, my love is true,
The moon represents my heart.
You ask me how deeply I love you,
How much I love you?
My feelings are constant,
My love is unchanging,
The moon represents my heart.
A gentle kiss
Has already stirred my heart,
And now, a deep desire
has taught me to long for you.
You ask how deeply I love you,
How much I love you?
Go think about it,
Go and take a look -
The moon represents my heart.
Bridge 橋
I lived in China for a number of years, teaching music and performing in one of the most beautiful cities in the world - Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province. It is a city of canals and bridges, rather like Venice, except that Suzhou is about 700 years older!
Historically, Suzhou has always been a city of poets, artists, music and culture. It is also home to several UNESCO world heritage-listed gardens, which are worthy of inclusion on anyone’s bucket list! This song, by Shanghai-based composer Lu Zaiyi, is an homage to this beautiful city, and its surrounding water villages.
Bridge (trans. Daniel Szesiong Todd)
In the water village there is a profusion of little bridges,
Vines grow from cracks in the stone slabs,
Three steps, two bridges - connecting the canals,
Each one a jade ribbon of shimmering wavelets.
A girl carrying lotus root rests at the bridgehead,
an old man delivering grain passes underneath.
Even after a thousand years of exile,
I love this water village,
and would gladly become a bridge in this world.
That is Me 那就是我
This song, by Gu Jianfen, is considered ‘light classical’ in China - rather in the vein of Josh Groban or Andrea Bocelli. The lyrics are particularly moving, echoing the homesickness and longing that many Chinese workers face, living away from their home villages as they seek opportunity and employment in the big cities, or overseas.
That is me (trans. Daniel Szesiong Todd)
I think of the little stream in my old village
And the creaking of the waterwheel on the bank -
Oh mum, if you see a wave flowing towards your smiling face,
That is me, that is me, that is me.
I think of the chimneys of my old village
And the the ox-cart making its way to market -
Oh mum, if you hear a bamboo flute piping a melody near you,
That is me, that is me, that is me.
I think of the little fishing lanterns of my old village
And the beautiful shells on the sandy beach,
Oh mum, if you see a sailboat sailing towards you,
That is me, that is me, that is me.
I think of the bright nights of my old village
And the green mountains reflected upside down in the water -
Oh mum, if you hear a mountain song echoing from far away,
That is me, that is me, that is me.
Jasmine Flower to Turandot
Perhaps one of the most successful East Meets West moments in classical music is Puccini’s Turandot - an opera purportedly set in China. Puccini included several Chinese folk melodies in the score including, most prominently, Jasmine Flower 茉莉花 from the Jiangnan region, which includes Suzhou. The Bravo Cruise was replete with numerous performances of Nessun Dorma, but none that showed the Turandot’s Chinese origins!
Jasmine Flower
Good jasmine flower!
Good jasmine flower!
Beautiful to smell, beautiful to see,
Fragrant and white, worthy of praise.
Let me approach and pluck you by the stem
To give to someone as a gift.
Jasmine flower, jasmine flower.
Final Thoughts
I was first introduced to Mandarin language art song through the iSing Festival in China. This is an international summer school fostering musical and cultural exchange, and is run by several outstanding Chinese-American opera professionals, including Hao Jiang Tian, Martha Liao and Katherine Chu. In 2020, Katherine Chu and Juliet Petrus approached me to assist in the proofreading and editing of their book Singing in Mandarin, published through Rowman and Littlefield. This was an exciting challenge, and I have benefitted greatly from their wisdom and friendship. This book is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in Mandarin language art song.
It was always my goal to use this program to open up this amazing musical world to more audiences. If you would like to hear more, the acclaimed baritone Liao Changyong is touring Australia in November, performing with the legendary Hartmut Höll. Get your tickets here! And please don’t hesitate to send me an email or contact me on social media if you would like to chat more about Chinese music!
Comments