Spring Dreams

Description

Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto 1, Alto 2, Tenor 1, Tenor 2, Bass 1, Bass 2 — Commissioned by the Ithaca College School of Music, Spring Dreams was premiered by the Ithaca College Choir on November 15, 1997, under the direction of Prof. Lawrence Doebler.The music is a setting of the poem Spring Dreams by Meng Hao-ran (689-740, Tang Dynasty), sung in Chinese.xa0 In the beginning of the piece, several groups of ostinati are brought in gradually in various tempos, imitating the vivid pulse of birds singing everywhere, accompanying a fresh melody in the Beijing Opera speech-singing style, sung here by the sopranos.xa0 This music brings us the excitement and happiness of being in spring.There is a turning point in the middle of the poem, when the poet clearly wakes up from his sweet dream by hearing a bird singing, and he realizes that many flowers must have been ruined by a whole night of wind and showers.xa0 He sympathizes with the fallen petals, as he treasures the beautiful springtime.The music is brought to a climax by expressively repeating the words from the last line of the poem: “Know you how many petals falling?”xa0 Singing the melody in unison towards the end, we are deeply immersed in wordless sorrow, while the bird singing sounds like crying in the air.—Chen Yi Translation of the poem: Spring dreams not conscious of dawning,Not awoken till I hear birds singing;O night long, wind and showers —Know you how many petals falling?  “Chen has the ability to create a minor sensation with the simplest of means.”xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0xa0 —Paul Horsley, The Kansas City Star, 10/15/2001 “But her blockbuster on this occasion was Spring Dreams, in which the voices speak, whisper and chirp, imitating birds and creating a counterpoint of innovative and haunting sounds. The music is so immediately alluring that it grips the ears and never lets go. Chanticleer sang Chen Yi as if her sonic language were its mother tongue.”—Donald Rosenberg, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland), 10/10/05 Commissioned by the Ithaca College School of Music, Spring Dreams was premiered by the Ithaca College Choir on November 15, 1997, under the direction of Prof. Lawrence Doebler. The music sets the poem Spring Dreams by Meng Hao-ran (689-740, Tang Dynasty) and is sung in Mandarin. In the beginning of the piece, some of the vocal parts imitate the vivid pulse of bird song, accompanying a melody sung in the speech-singing style of Chinese opera, sung here by the sopranos. This section personifies the joy of spring. The poet is then awakened from his dream by the bird song, and realizes that many flowers have been destroyed by a night of wind and rain showers. He sympathizes with the fallen petals, repeating the words from the last line of the poem: “Know you how many petals falling?”This melody is sung in unison, occasionally interrupted by bird song, as we the listeners are deeply immersed in wordless sorrow.