Tone poem
Score title
Tone poem
Composer
Chen Yi
More about the composer
Date
Instrumentation
Library copy
Program note
The work Tone Poem is composed for chamber orchestra, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 B-flat clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 french horns, 1 percussion and strings. The length is about 8 minutes. It is inspired by two poems by Su Dong-po (1036-1101) about southern Chinese landscape paintings.
The imagination of the two beautiful ancient Chinese poems became the sonic landscape pictures, to share with my musicians and audience.
The brimming waves, the sunny day,
The dimming hills, the rainy haze.
The West Lake as the Beauty Xizi,
Whether she is adorned richly or plainly.
Like spilt ink dark clouds spread o'er the hills as a pall;
Like bouncing pearls the raindrops in the boat run riot.
A sudden rolling gale comes and dispels them all,
Below Lake View Pavilion sky-mirrored water's quiet.
The imagination of the two beautiful ancient Chinese poems became the sonic landscape pictures, to share with my musicians and audience.
The brimming waves, the sunny day,
The dimming hills, the rainy haze.
The West Lake as the Beauty Xizi,
Whether she is adorned richly or plainly.
Like spilt ink dark clouds spread o'er the hills as a pall;
Like bouncing pearls the raindrops in the boat run riot.
A sudden rolling gale comes and dispels them all,
Below Lake View Pavilion sky-mirrored water's quiet.