28 — Friday, October 15, 1999 — North Shore News

Tan Dun constructs a universal

art form

. John Goodman to voice.” Tan Dun’s thorough knowledge of musical languages
This Week Editor brings traditional Practices into contemporary perl: ma ance. ;
Z ue terpiece (in Vienna, London,
fohng@nsnews.com sstagings of Tang Nianzu’s mas
Jjohnge Paris and San Francisco) have featured soprano Ying Huang. She

portrayed the tide role in Frederie Mitterrand’s 1996 filming of
Puceini's Madame Butterfly and appears regularly with the
Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra. Like the composer Ying
Huang moves effortlessly berweent eastern and westera systenis
aiding in the success of this magnificent cross-cultural project.

i kkkke Tan Dun — Bitter Love from Peony Pavilion
with soprano Ying Huang, (Sony Classical SK 61658).
Music category: Classical music without borders.

Chinese composer ‘Tan Dun creates soundscapes that have
access to 2 universal library of ideas. His corapositions use mater-
ial from the classical systems of Asia and the West informed by
folk, popular and experimental tradiions.

Born in 1957, in the central Hunan village of Si Mao, Tan
played the crhu (owo-stinged fiddle) in a Ps king Opera troupe
before entering the Cental Conservatory in Beying at the age of
20. Jn 1986 he moved to New York City to complete a doctor-
ate in musical composi-
tion ar Columbia
University.

Although Tan con-
tinues to hive in the
West he remains an
integral part of Asian
music — he was com-
missioned to write
Symphony 1997 (Heaven
Earth Mankind), a
large choral-orchestral
work commemorating
the return of Hong

Ml *& xx Stereophonics — Performance and Cocktails
(V2 Music 63881-27052). Music category: Working
class heroes aiming for the top of the pops.

As the Brit Awards last year the Stercophonics raved about
the Tragically Hip in a MuchMusic interview and they seem to
have picked up some pointers from Canada’s rock ambassadors.
The Welsh trio come on like an everyman band of working class
heroes but don’t let them fool you. They are pop stars.

‘Talented frontman Kelly jones (guitar, vocals) and his rhythm
section Richard Jones (bass) and Stuart Cable (drums) are from
the mining village of Cwmaman. This follow-up to their debut
Werd Gets Around shows they know how to write hit songs with
several on Performance
and Cocktails worthy of
radio attention. They’re
still working on the total
package bur they should
be able to get where
they want to go.

Kong to China. The @ Ella Jenkins anda
picce was performed at Union of Friends
the reunification cere- Pulling Together
. mony on July 1, 1997. (Smithsonian
Tan’s latest work, a Foikways SWD
Composer Tan Dun score for Tang Xianzu’s 45046). Music cate-
16th-century Chinese : solidarity for
Kaun opera Peony Pavilion, was written in collaboration with ids ages 4 012.

When veteran children’s folk performer Ella Jenkins first .
became a member of the Chicago Federation of Mus:cians she’
joined Local 208, a black organization on the South Side that
was separated from the white Local 10. Over time the group
became inte rated and fast year she was made a “Liferime
Member” of the Chicago musicians union Local 16-208.

She has recorded more than 30 recordings for Smithsunian-
Folkways since the 1950s with most of them still available on *
CD. Her latest is a labour of love that considers the concept of

scholar Cyril Burch and staged by director. Peter Sellars. The
original play is in 57 scenes and revolves round the love story of
Liu Meng-mei (Willow Dreaming Plum), a young student, and

—Tu Li:niang, the daughter of a high official in Nan-an in south-
ern Kiangsi.

Peony! Pavilion has been compared to Romeo and Juliet and
Tan's settings for the music as love sonnets further accentuates
this relationship with Shakespeare. Tang Xianzu’s narrative con-
cerns the dreams of youth and this dramatic focus creates further
associations with his Elizabethan counterpart. “union” in a wider context, Traditional and new material enter-,

Of course the two men were world’s apart and it takes a great ~ ; tains young listeners with a varity of songs, rhymes and stories.

- synthesist such as Tan to make the cultural connections. He introduces western elements into classi- A 16- -page beoklet provides lyrics and gives the historical context of songs whenever appropriate.
cal Asian systems without harming the essential structure of the piece. There is no reduction in The performances mix the talents of professionals and children to create a sense of community
specificity or detail. thar-the songs promote. It’s obvious they had a lot of fun making this disc one fine day in Chicago.

Seattle music scholar Dennis Rea, referring to an ‘earlier work, notes that Tan’s compositions

“explore several unique aspects of traditional Chinese music: the tonal character of the Chinese fan-
_ .geage; the declamatory style of Chinese opera; and the organization of instrumental sound groups
accor to material: Nin (drums), wood, bamboo, silk (strings), metal, and ceramic, in addition

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