Instrumentation: Violin & Cello | String Quartet
Duration: 4 minutes
Year: 2023
Video
Program Notes
“Dà Xì” (大戲), translated literally as “large scale spectacle” is the Chinese term for opera. My piece explores the rich tropes and traditions found in art from through the lens of contemporary chamber music. Growing up in Hong Kong, I remember fondly many Cantonese Opera performances in local theatres featuring loud singing, percussive drumming, and colorful costumes. My piece is a playful reimagination of some tropes found in Cantonese 大戲 framed in two sections. It opens with a dramatic introduction in the de facto Cantonese style where repeated instrumental gestures speed up and build in momentum, ending with a gong or percussive hit. The second section (B) is a fast scherzo exploring the heterophonic texture found in the instrumental music of Cantonese Opera – one characterized by multiple variations of the same melodic line intertwined with one another – in a busy dialogue between the instruments. The word 大戲, akin to another Chinese term 遊戲 meaning “games,” sets the tone for the final section, where both instruments engage in playful imitation.
Even with a limited pitch palette (traditional tunes revolve exclusively around pentatonic scales), richness in the art from is achieved through variations in texture, melodic portamenti, and rhythmic propulsion. I hope my piece can give listeners a glimpse into this tradition which is sadly on the decline during a time of cultural and political change.
My heartfelt gratitude goes to Red Cedar Chamber Music for commissioning this work and for championing new music by living composers.
Score
Full Score & Parts (PDF) – $15 CAD
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Score Sample
Roydon Tse 