To commence the new season, composer Tan Dun debuts Choral Concerto: Nine, a new work for chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra. The world premiere of Nine takes place August 29 at the Rheingau Musik Festival, with the National Youth Orchestra of Germany, the World Youth Choir, and Tan Dun conducting, featuring soloists Iris Hendrickx (Soprano), Jo-Pei Weng (Alto), Xavier Moreno (Tenor), and Johannes Schendel (Bass). A European tour follows, with stops at the Concertgebouw, Elbphilharmonie, and Beethoven’s hometown of Bonn. Tan Dun then conducts its Australian premiere September 14, leading the Melbourne Symphony and Chorus.
Nine is commissioned by BTHVN 2020, Royal Philharmonic Society, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and Deutscher Musikrat. Originally intended to premiere in 2020 to mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, a long-postponed premiere and seismic changes across the globe led Tan Dun to reconceive the commission. He expanded Nine into three movements, respectively titled Nine, Wine, and Time (Ode to Peace), which juxtapose Chinese texts alongside the words of Ode to Joy by Friedrich Schiller.
“These three words, Nine, Wine and Time...in Chinese they are all ‘Jiu,’” writes Tan Dun, Nine investigates the spiritual significance of these three entities, while also drawing a connection between Beethoven and Schiller’s Ode to Joy and more ancient poetry and philosophy from the composer’s homeland.
“I have sought out different poets from different worlds and different points in history to form my libretto,” continues Tan Dun. “Firstly, I used the poetry of Qu Yuan, perhaps some of the earliest ritual opera from 2400 years ago, where the music has been lost but the words remain. In my imaginings, I try to replace the music to this ancient poetry and lyric, bringing back what has vanished. Another poet I turned to is Li Bai, from 1300 years ago. His poetry is so beautiful about nature, describing the company of the moon amongst the shadows. Human beings and nature have a deep connection and I have always been fascinated by it…the love making between shadows, human beings and the moon.
“I also use some words from Schiller and quote Beethoven’s renowned ’Ode to Joy’ - to the creatures of nature, creatures of love and creatures of our own mind. At the very beginning of ‘Ode to Joy’, when I listen to Schiller’s words, he proclaims all people are brothers and all creatures are together in this one world. Chinese philosophers Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, from 2500 years ago, also said that very same thing and felt the same way. Thus, there is a deep connection between these two worlds.
“In the last movement, I ask myself why do we exist among the stone, among all kinds of nature? Is it not for peace? Why do we have to live? We all want to live the same way, which in my third movement “Time”, I hope to portray our responsibility to live in peace with nature and create peace amongst ourselves."
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