China News Service, Beijing, August 2. Title: Cello concert "Image of Macao" played in Beijing
China News Service reporter Zhu He
"The cello is deep and delicate, the Lingnan musical instrument huqin is melodious and lyrical, and the Chinese drum is magnificent... On the evening of the 2nd At the "My Motherland and Me" "Image of Macau" cello concert performance held in Beijing, more than 20 young artists from the Macau Cello Orchestra presented a colorful and historically rich picture of Macau to the audience.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China and the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland. In an interview with China News Service, the composer of the original music work "Image of Macao" Fang Dongqing said that the work uses cello chamber music to show Macao's customs, customs, humanistic spirit and the great changes in the past 25 years.
Among the eight movements connected in series with "Eight Scenes of Macao", the opening "Mirror Sea and Rainbow" is deep and magnificent. With the sound of music, the changes in Macao are slowly unfolding in front of the audience like a scroll; in the third movement " "A-Ma Ge Purple Smoke", Chinese musical instruments such as huqin and flute are intertwined and complement each other with Western instruments. The listener seems to follow the musicians into the A-Ma Temple and appreciate the folk customs of Macao; in the "Black Sand Waves" part, the percussion instruments are warm and heavy, As the movement accumulates power, the audience feels like they are riding waves on the sea watching the sun rise in the east. The waves are sparkling and magnificent...
At the end of the performance, the audience applauded for a long time. "I still have so much to say! I feel like I am right in front of my eyes, such as Ruins of St. Paul's, A-Ma Temple and other iconic buildings in Macau." Mr. Tang, who lives in Wangjing, Beijing, came to the concert in the rain. When interviewed, he said that it was a feast for his ears and he looked forward to bringing his family to Macau to experience it. The reality presented by the music.
"The stage performance is very innovative, and the performance form of 12 cellos is quite novel and original." Musician Zeng Wei has rich experience in performance planning. He was amazed by the performance presentation format; he also believed that this work is grand yet relevant. Sexuality, such as the movement "Sacred Relics of St. Paul's", reminded him of the scene when he visited the Ruins of St. Paul's in Macau: crowded with tourists and bustling with activity.
This is exactly the original intention of Fang Dengqing’s creation. This young composer often travels to Macau to collect music, record with his eyes, feel with his heart, touch the local customs and customs of Macau, and integrate what he sees into his works, hoping that the audience can empathize with him. Fang Dengqing introduced that the work uses the cello as the main instrument with a wide range and high tension. The music has both majestic melodies and delicate minor tunes that show Macau’s “small but beautiful”. It has both oriental temperament and cosmopolitan nature, “just like Macao is unique and a blend of East and West, and is very tolerant.”
The drums were beating, the flute was melodious, and the cello was deep. The mix of Chinese and Western elements at the performance created a wonderful chemical reaction. Zhou You, artistic director of the Macau Cello Orchestra, believes that this is a "stroke of genius", just as the traditional Chinese cultural landscape and exotic Western-style architecture complement each other in Macau.
This concert is the first performance of "Image of Macau" in Beijing after touring cities in the Greater Bay Area such as Zhuhai and Guangzhou. It will also visit Shanghai, Zhengzhou and other places. Zhou You hopes that through music, mainland audiences can perceive the loveliness of Macau and its new look after returning to the motherland, and have the urge to "must visit here".
When talking about choosing Zhuhai as the venue for the premiere of the work in August last year, Zhou You thought it was "a natural fit". Zhuhai and Macao are geographically close and culturally connected, and have a natural sense of closeness. Many Macao audiences also cross the port to Zhuhai to enjoy performances. In addition, the construction of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is accelerating, and the hearts of the people in the two places are also closer.
As the director of the Musicians Committee of the Macau Federation of Cultural Circles, Zhou You has observed that the number of mainland art groups performing in Macau is also flourishing.He also expects that Macao’s “flower of art” will not only bloom in the Bay Area, but also extend to more mainland cities. “Such a ‘two-way rush’ not only demonstrates the tolerance and development of Chinese culture, but also allows us to better world". (End)
