Work
Zha Xi De Lei - String Quartet
for string quartet
Borrow/Hire:
To borrow items or hire parts please email SOUNZ directly at info@sounz.org.nz.
About
In 1989, I joined a French film crew, with members from French, German, UK, and China. We were in Tibet for three months, and attended three week-long festivals, each with different performances including dance competition, singing competition, traditional Tibetan opera and horse-racing etc. Tibetan singing is closely to their languages and their life style, the songs are wild, intense and incredibly passionate. We traveled by horseback for two weeks to see the mountain called the Tibetan God Mountain - “Ke La Ma Yan”. Tibetans who have visited this mountain range feel they are blessed for life. They are also respected by other people. When we returned from the mountain, whenever we met a Tibetan, they greeted us with, “Zha Xi De Lei”.
I tried to express the feelings from this wonderful experience in my string quartet. There are two movements with related materials, like a Rondo-Sonata but based on the three-notes motives of the Chinese mode. I also included a transcription of a Tibetan song, which the performers sing while playing.
(Shen Nalin)
Contents note
two movements
Performance history
30 Nov 2007: Performed at the ISCM-ACL World Music Days 2007 Hong Kong by the String Quartet of Sichuan Music Conservatory Sh'er Jie Ensemble – Yan Sizhi (violin), Lu Jie (violin), Ke Xi (viola) and Yang Wei (cello) at Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong