Category: Symphonic / Orchestral
Water is an important metaphor in Daoism. Lao Tse’s statement “Supreme good is like Water” (Chapter 8 of Dao de Jing) opens the doors to central aspects “of the right way”: weak & soft is getting to hard & strong, water is the essence of “proper way-making” because water is the natural element of the lowest places.
Movements: 1: Water is the way of Dao
2: Garden of pearly fountains
3: Secret of lowest places
4: Moon over Erquan Springs
5: Water – the hidden shape of power
Duration: 23 Minutes
Publisher of notes/sheet music: Ries & Erler Musikverlag Berlin , ED 51580 , 2019
Instrumentation: Solo 1: concert flute, alto flute
Solo 2: concert flute, piccolo flute
Oboe
2 clarinets in Bb (2nd also bass clarinet)
Bassoon
2 french horns
Harp
Percussion 1: Timpani, triangle, claves, suspended cymbal, bell stick (Glockenrassel)
Percussion 2: Bass Drum, Tamtam, Glockenspiel, Tempelblocks, triangle, 3 suspended cymbals, eastern gong
String orchestra
Solo instruments: Flöte
Introduction: Water is an important metaphor in Daoism to explain the deep meaning of Dao. Lao Tse’s statement “Supreme good is like Water” (Chapter 8 of Dao de Jing) opens the doors to central aspects “of the right way”: weak & soft is getting to hard & strong, water is the essence of “proper way-making” because water is the natural element of the lowest places. . In Christianity the same wisdom is formulated: "He who humbles himself shall be exalted" (Paul's Letter to the Corinthians). - The famous Chinese tune “Moon reflected on ErQuan Ying Yue” is the base of variations in the fourth movement: composed 1949 by the blind Erhu player A’Bing, in Wuxi (Jiangsu Province) it rapidly spread throughout China and became a cultural symbol throughout the world. Asian conductor Seiji Ozawa heard it in 1978 saying that "one can appreciate it only on bended knees". - - The finale reveals the mostly unrecognised form of water - the immense power and might inherent in the inconspicuously soft and shapeless. The orchestration of this double concerto is a deep symbol for the ambivalence of the element “water”: the two flutes with their sensitive and subtle soundscape are representing the weakness , and the full orchestra is representing the power of the Dao.
Dedication: Cordially dedicated to Agata Kielar-Dlugosz and Lukasz Dlugosz
World premiere: 12.11.2021, Kattovice
Performers at world premiere: Agata Kielar-Dlugosz & Lukasz Dlugosz
Silesian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
Ltg: Miroslaw Jacek Blasczyk
Records: WERGO distribution: Naxos, 2020
Performers on recording: Agata Kielar-Dlugosz & Lukasz Dlugosz
Silesian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
Ltg: Miroslaw Jacek Blasczyk
