Category: Symphonic / Orchestral
SILK ROAD - THE TRAVELS OF MARCO POLO is a Fantasy for Sheng (the chinese mouth organ) and for Chinese Orchestra, commissioned 2018 by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. In six movements of we can listen to several musical styles along the Silk Road: starting with the famous city of Samarkand we find a arabic and persian style. After touching the dangerous Pamir Mountains and the endless desert of Taklamakan we meet the mongolian Kublai Khan, who conquered the chinese empire, and founded the mongolian Yuan Dynasty. Finally we reach the beautiful city of Hangzhou....typical for the old style of Han culture.
Movements: SILK ROAD - THE TRAVELS OF MARCO POLO
1: Towards Smarkand / Reflection I: Marco’s Dream
2: Adventure in the Pamir-Mountains / Reflection II
3: Crossing the Taklamakan / Reflection III
4: Kublai Khan – Mongolian Conqueror / Reflection IV
5: Beautiful Hangzhou / Reflection V
6: Farewell & Finale
Duration: 22 minutes
Instrumentation: Sheng solo
Flutes: BanDi / QuDi / XinDi
Sheng: Soprano / Tenor / Basso
Suona: Soprano / Alto / Tenor / Basso
Guan: Soprano / Alto / Basso
Yanquin I+II
Xiaoruan
Pipa I + II
Zonghruan / Daruan / Sanxian
Zheng
Timpani
Percussion 1: Dagu (Bass Drum) – muyu (temple blocks) – Triangle – Paiban (Clappers)
Percussion 2: Darabuka (small handdrums) – metal chimes – Xialoluo (small gongs) – muyu (temple blocks) – tambourine (frame drum)
Percussion 3: Daluo (Tamtam) – triangle – shaker – xiaogu (small bassdrum) – cymbals
Percussion 4: 5 paigu (chinese tomtoms) – bangzi (claves) – Dabo (large cymbals) – yunluo (37 bells)
String orchestra:
Gaohu – Erhu 1 – Erhu 2 Zhonghu – Gehu – Bass Gehu
Introduction: This fantasy for Sheng and Orchestra traces the journey of italian cosmopolitan Marco Polo (1254 – 1324) who travelled along the Silk Road and visited for a long time the mongolian emperor Kublai Khan (1214-1294). Marco Polo wrote the most important travelogue „Il millione“ about the cultures of middle east and China. In six movements of the orchestral fantasy – interrupted by chamber musik-like „Reflections / Marco’s Dream“ – we can listen to several musical styles: starting with the famous city of Samarkand we may find a more arabic and persian style. After touching the dangerous Pamir Mountains and the endless desert of Taklamakan we meet the mongolian Kublai Khan, who conquered the chinese empire, defeated the Song Dynasty and founded the mongolian Yuan Dynasty. Finally we reach the beautiful city of Hangzhou.... very typical for the old style of Han culture with typical chinese instruments.
Dedication: Dedicated to my friend WuWei, the unrivaled „Master of Sheng“
Additional remarks: This work was commisioned 2018 by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. World Premiere is the 22nd of february 2019 in Hong Kong
World premiere: 22.02.2019, Hong Kong
Performers at world premiere: WuWei (Sheng) / Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra / conductor: Yan Huichang
