A Study Of The Composition Of Guan Xia's Symphonic Fantasia Farewell My Concubine

Farewell My Concubine is one of the masterpieces by Guan Xia, the renowned Chinese composer. This Symphonic Fantasia was specially composed for the orchestration of stringed Chinese zither, the vertical bamboo flute, the orchestra and soprano. Its materials are taken from melodies of Watching the Overlord in Sound Sleep in His Clothes and in his tent, an aria in Farewell My Concubine, a Beijing opera originally sung by Mei Lanfang. The composer combined the western musical form with the eastern narrative structure, and thus successfully integrated the traditional Chinese instrumental music, as well as the aria melodies in Beijing opera, with the western symphonic thinking. By this means, the retention of Beijing opera's charm, enrichment of the acoustics and intensification of emotions are achieved.From the perspective of composition, the writer implements analysis and research tools to find out the composition techniques and ideas, present in the Fantasia in question, and explore its features in mainstream musical culture. There are three chapters in this thesis. Apart from the introduction of the composition background and overall artistic conception, the first chapter is devoted to the overview of the composition motives and process, as well as the brand-new composition ideas and artistic characteristics in it. As the main body of the thesis, the second chapter is about the composition techniques and artistic characteristics of this symphony. By analyzing its five aspects, i.e. the musical material, harmonic stuff, polyphonic techniques, orchestration and musical structure, the writer ventures to decode the generality and the individuality displayed in the treatment of tradition and modernity, content and expression, eastern and western musical techniques. Based on the analysis of the musical work itself, a generalization of its music language features and artistic innovation, together with a further exposition of its mainstream musical culture features, and etc. is made in the third chapter.