| Shuo Shu Ren, "The Story Teller", a sextet in 6 movements, for flute, oboe, string trio and harp, was inspired by my childhood memory of listening to the Chinese folk art of story telling. It was also a result of my general interest in story telling of various forms. Though the musical materials are entirely personal, they nevertheless refer to certain sounds of the folk tradition from my home, particularly of the Sichuan region. The music not only emulates the narrative nature of the story telling but also inherits the virtuosity of the story teller who excels in acting contrasting roles in great intensity and fast succession. There is no real "story" or program behind it, however, the two outer movements relate to the noisy opening of the stage and the story teller's lonely sighs in an empty theatre after the performance. This work is dedicated to my long time friend, the flutist, Markus Broennimann. The Ensemble Pyramide commissioned the work and gave its premiere in Zurich in January 2002. |
