Interview by William Chan
Organised by the Macau Band Directors Association (MBDA), the concert “Song of Resistance: Xian Xinghai and the Classic of Mountains and Seas – Clarinet Commemorative Concert” (抗戰凱歌˙冼星海與山海經─單簧管專場紀念音樂會) will be held this Saturday, October 4, at 7:45 p.m. in the small auditorium of the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM).
MBDA organiser Kelly Chau spoke to the Post about the concert in an online interview last week.
The concert will feature a unique clarinet ensemble, presenting a musical feast that merges ancient Chinese mythology with modern revolutionary epic. In the first half, young local clarinettist and composer Nelson Gageiro will premiere his clarinet quintet suite “Impressions of Shan Hai”, inspired by the ancient “The Classic of Mountains and Seas” (山海經). The music depicts a grand world of mythical beasts and magnificent landscapes.
The second half will focus on the classic works of Xian Xinghai.* Gageiro will adapt several of Xian’s compositions for clarinet ensemble, showcasing works from three important periods of Xian’s life: his studies in France, his return to China, and his time in the Soviet Union.
The concert will culminate with a selection from Xian’s various compositions about the Yellow River, performed by a clarinet ensemble made up of students from various local secondary schools.
The core theme of the concert, Chau noted, aims to use music as a bridge across time, leading audiences to look back on history and inherit cultural traditions. In addition to the Impressions of Shan Hai suite performed by Gageiro, Cheang Ka In, Cheong Chi Hin, Ko Pui Kwan, and Hong Kong clarinettist Chan King Wa, the concert has invited outstanding clarinet students from various local secondary schools to join the Multi-School Clarinet Ensemble, performing several of Xian’s classic works.
*Xian was born into a Tanka (boat dwelling) family in Macau in 1905, and his father died before he was born. His Cantonese name is Sin Sing Hoi. He moved frequently with his mother, living in Singapore and Guangzhou. In 1938, he relocated to Yan’an, where he became the dean of the Music Department at the Lu Xun Institute of Arts. There, he composed the famous “Yellow River Cantata.”
Yan’an was near the endpoint of the Long March, and became the centre of the revolution led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) from late 1935 to early 1947. Yan’an is the regarded by the CPC as the birthplace of the revolution
Overall, Xian created two symphonies, a violin concerto, four large choral works, nearly 300 songs, and an opera.
This poster was provided by the Macau Band Directors Association.
