Transcending cultural boundaries
Nov 17, 2024 | Concert Recap, Amator Musicae
The Nov 17th concert of the SACMS featured a rare and unique collaboration between the world’s premier pipa virtuoso, Ms. Wu Man, and noted Verona Quartet- Jonathan Ong and Dorothy Ro (violins), Abigail Rojansky (viola), and Jonathan Dormand (cello). The theme of the concert was “Goin’ Home”, which (according to the program notes) aims to “shine a light on the complex fabric of ‘what is home’ and cultural identity in the modern age through a nostalgic and visionary exploration of both ancient and contemporary repertoire from traditions across the globe”. The audience was treated to a delightful selection of music, dating from the 16th century to the present, from European, American, and Chinese composers and traditions.
The concert opened with “Goin’ Home” – the Negro spiritual made famous with its appearance in Dvořák’s well-known Symphony No. 9, 2nd Movement, “Largo”. From the first note, the four string instruments of the Verona Quartet, joined with the pipa, a traditional ancient Chinese four-stringed instrument, played with exquisite skill by Wu Man, set the stage for a mesmerizing musical exploration of nostalgia. The beautiful plaintive melody was presented by the pipa, with the quartet providing a warm and intimate musical embrace. This was followed by two works from the Elizabethan-era composer, John Dowland, which most effectively demonstrated just how, in the hands of these consumate artists, music has the power to transcend cultural boundaries – the Eastern pipa was seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the Western string quartet.
The Verona Quartet showcased their skills in the next two pieces, which did not include the pipa. Interestingly, the “Glimpses of Muqam”, composed by Wu Man, was based on traditional Chinese themes, while using only the standard, western string quartet roster of two violins, one viola, and one cello. It was a lovely piece. The Verona then played the “Creole Contradanzas” from Wynton Marsalis’ “At the Octoroon Balls”, which brought American jazzy themes to the concert. Those in the audience who attended the Jupiter String Quartet concert last season (March 3rd, 2024), may remember hearing different selections from the same Marsalis composition. This piece was followed by two selections composed by Sulkhan Tsintsadze, inspired by folk tunes from the Georgian Republic. Wu Man rejoined her collaborators for these pieces, which evoked images of exotic places with unmistakable eastern flavors. The first half of the program then concluded with a rousing performance of Boccherini’s “Introduction and Fandango”. Here the pipa took the place of the traditional western guitar, and the cellist doubled as castanet player. Wu Man, in her comments about the piece, noted that the technical challenge was to transcribe the music — written for the typical six-string western guitar — to the four-stringed pipa. Her transcription was expertly done! The piece was much appreciated by the audience and received a standing ovation.
The second half of the concert began with a solo pipa performance of a traditional Chinese piece, titled “Flute and Drum Music at Sunset”, filled with lovely, haunting melodies. I can only imagine the folk stories that inspired these tunes. The concert concluded with a contemporary Chinese composition for string quartet and pipa titled, “Red Lantern”. The piece presented five themes: Prelude, Wandering, Love, Death, and Epilogue. As the combined ensemble of the Verona Quartet and Wu Man performed each section, I found myself conjuring up a mental image to correspond with the theme of each section. It was a hauntingly beautiful and moving piece, and a fitting way to conclude the concert. The audience responded with a long and enthusiastic standing ovation for an extraordinary performance.
– Amator Musicae
