Notes From a Curious Listener

Part 1 of a 2 part interview.

In this interview, I've only scratched the surface of composer Bright Sheng. I would need to be an expert in anthropology and music to uncover the depth of his knowledge. Besides being one of the few composers commissioned to create a piece for La Jolla Music Society, Sheng traces human migration paths by learning their native music and making comparisons between them. I know that experts have long studied the origins of language, but music (my webmaster tells me this is called ethnomusicology) ? And, can a composer really uncover migration paths by simply listening? You be the judge.

On a different note, Sheng speaks of the goal of music composition: immediacy and depth. I had to think long and hard about their meaning in the context of music before I could put it into lay terms. Here is my attempt:

Immediacy means that the music is familiar. It quickly captures and keeps my attention. The best example for me is the introductory music for "Grey's Anatomy". Depth, on the other hand, means the music has interesting passages where I am expecting it to sound one way; and, instead, it sounds another. Beethoven's works are the best example of depth for me.

 Read on and tell me if you agree.

Your travels for Silk Road 1 and 2 must have been amazing. Did you have introductions to musicians the whole way; or did you go to some places and simply introduce yourself? How did those work and please tell us about one or two that were most surprising for you.

I had to improvise a great deal on the Silk Road, in terms of appointments, sometimes through friend of a friend, sometimes just go and ask the local musicians to perform for me.  But the music is beyond just fascinating.  Historically it told me where most of the Chinese music came from.  Central Asia had older civilizations than China and China in the early days took a lot from them, which was just natural. And the commercial Silk Road spread cultures all the way from Europe, through Eurasia, to Southeast Asia. Many of the music cultures along this ancient trading route claim their own culture but in fact they were all fusions, mostly remain so today.
You can read my articles on my trips:  Silk Road trip I and Silk Road Trip II.  

The world première of Northern Lights was July 3, 2010 in Norway. Was that the first time you ever heard it by a cellist and pianist?  Did they interpret the music differently than you expected? Was their interpretation positive or negative?

The première in Norway was given by cellist Auden Sandvik and pianist Kristian Lungberg, at Troldhaugen, the museum of Edvard Grieg (his summer house 20' outside Bergen). Originally the première was supposed to be given at Berngen Festival by Truls Mørk, another fabulous Norwegian cellist. But because of temporary illness, Truls cancelled half his season. Alisa Weilerstein, cello, and Inon Barnaton, piano, are giving the NYC première  in November. Curious Listener Note: Lincoln Center, November 9, 2010

I was very impressed by the two young Norwegian artists. Since the work was based on Norwegian folk music, their playing is very much in the style. We worked on the musical phrasing and expression in general. Any première will have discrepancy from the composer's original imagination, unless the composer did not try to venture into any new territory or new ideas. In this case, it is my first time trying a work that is based on Norwegian and Scandinavian folk materials, and trying to bring its folk melodic and harmonic flavor into my work.  So I was a bit nervous before going to Norway, where the musicians perhaps grow up with this kind of music and it is a new language I just learned. But I am happy with the result-it may be Norwegian music style with a Chinese or American accent. That is fine with me. 

What inspired you to write Northern Lights?

It was commissioned by my friend William Ginsberg who wanted a work to celebrate his wife's birthday. His wife, Inger, is also a dear friend and from Norway, and the couple still spend half of the time each year there.
But my ulterior motive for writing this piece was also my fascination with the Scandinavian music which, I believe, is also the origin of American Country Music and Blue Grass Music. Actually, now I have studied folk and traditional music from various regions in the world (and some of them are quite far away from each other), I realized that there is something prominently in common of all these music: the immediacy of music character and expression, an area all of us composers want to reach but few of us actually did without sacrificing depth. So we keep trying...
Read my program note on Northern Lights.

Will it sound different when Lynn Harrell, cello, and Victor Asuncion, piano, play it in San Diego? Why and how? Are you looking forward to hearing it played by them? Why?

I am sure of it, as I always believe that a composer's finished work on paper is only about 50% done. The other 50% is from the recreation of the performer, who will make the idea on paper alive. So there will be Lynn and Victor in this US première performance and of course I look forward to this.

Curious Listener Note: Watch for Part II of this interview next week.