Konghou Fantasia
Item
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Score title
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Konghou Fantasia
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Composer
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Zhou Long
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Program note
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"Li Ping at konghou harp" by Li He (790-816) is a famous Chinese poem that describe this instrument and its music. Konghou is an ancient harp-like instrument plucked with both hands. Using Chinese folklore as background, the poet describes a fantasy world filled with deities, immortals and famous konghou musicians to praise the beautiful sounds of this instrument. The rich, sensual details of the poem with its portraits of mythological creatres are translate into a musical fantasia through the composer's imagination.
Konghou Fantasia was commissioned with a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts for Music from China. Premiered on 28 October 1995 at Merkin Hall, New York City, Lan Rao, Soprano.
The text and English translation are presented on pp. 14-15. A transliteration guide for pinyin appears on p.16.
Zhou Long