Tan Dun's 'Water Heavens' to open in new season
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, January 25, 2016
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The interior of the Water Heavens concert hall [Photo/Shanghai Daily] |
Widely known for his score for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and the medal ceremonies at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Tan has always woven Chinese culture and philosophy into his music. He's also never limited himself to regular instruments.
Inspired by Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) poet Li Bai's comment about the beautiful sound of water in nature, Tan created his first "organic" composition — "Water Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra" in 1998. He later completed the series with "Paper Concerto for Paper Percussion and Orchestra" in 2003 and "Earth Concerto for Stone and Ceramic Percussion and Orchestra" in 2009.
The inspiration for the concept of architectural music came during an ordinary walk along the riverbank in Zhujiajiao, Tan says. Listening to Bach through an earphone, the monks started chanting. Their singing dominated his hearing on one ear, while Bach kept playing in the other. Tan was surprised about the adhoc harmony, and when a drop of water then fell on his nose, he couldn't stop thinking about how he could artistically recreate this experience
"Can 1 plus 1 equals to 1?" Tan asks, referring to his way of taking two unrelated elements and combining them into one single holistic concept.
"According to my philosophy for music, the answer is definitely yes," he says.
Tan sought out the Isozaki Studio in China to help him design the concert hall that can be played as an instrument and enables audiences to experience a mental and emotional cleansing.
Though Tan's ideas are often challenged he insists that he has great respect for music.
"Where does music come from? Is it the cello first or music? What is the music like before the birth of instruments?" Tan says of his personal chicken and egg problem. "The sound of nature can make perfect music without physical instruments. Ancient Chinese people used to listen to the river as strings, listen to the mountains as percussions, and listen to the nature as the echo of themselves."
Apart from presenting the regular Water Heavens program, the concert hall will be open to education programs, different types of performances and fine arts collectives in this upcoming new season.
A regular education program named "Score, Stage and Screen Workshop" will present its first lecture in March, welcoming young music talents' participation. According to Tan, the workshop will provide a platform for exchange on any stage performances including jazz, pop, classic, movie music, game music and even social media related arts.
"I hope that it may help build a bridge between professors and students to share their imagination, experience and techniques concerning art," says Tan.
Date: Saturdays, starting March
Venue: Water Heavens Concert Hall
Address: 3, Caogang Tan, Xijing Rd,
Zhujiajiao Old Town
Tickets: 180-1080 yuan
Tel: 6249-0502, 962-388
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