Analyze The Composition And Performance Of Wang Jianmin’s Gu-zheng Concerto "Ode Of Chan"

Mr. Wang Jianmin is one of the most prominent composers of Chinese folk music over the past twenty years. He has made crucial contributions to the development of modern Chinese gu-zhen music. His compositions are widely performed by all the major conservatories and ensembles and have been the designated pieces for major music competitions in China on multiple occasions. Pieces such as Fantasie, Operatic Sapor, Ballad of the Lotus, Impression:Maple Bridge and Lake Placid at Night, and Central Asian Caprice uniquely combine rich folk elements with novel lyrical phrasing to give expression to musical impressions that have captivated audiences across China.Mr. Wang’s Ode of Chan was formerly a movement in his Caressing Aroma—a four-part composition thematically based on the Four Beauties of ancient China. The piece was originally scored in 2008 for gu-zhen and percussion in conjunction with Shanghai Ensemble for Traditional Chinese Music. The piece performed by the author is a piano transcription of Mr. Wang’s original composition. The piece aims to create an oriental impression of "wine, women, and song" immersed in royal regalia and fragrant decadence. The essay combines compositional analysis with the author’s own interpretations to elucidate the imageries, compositional techniques, and aesthetic qualities of Ode of Chan.