Yan Zi Hui Shi (When the Wild Geese Return) comes from a poem by the Song poetess, Li Qing Zhao, entitled A Twig of Plum Blossoms. The wild geese are migratory birds which fly to the south in the late autumn. They fly in flocks that form a pattern that is similar to the Chinese character of “man” (人). They remind the poetess of her husband who was far away in a distant land, and a sense of lonesome swept over her in the crisp autumn air.
The piece is specifically written for the paidi, shao and the zhongruan. Paidi is a composite instrument made up of three dizis adhered together, each tuned to C, F, and C in higher octave respectively. The design of the instrument allows for a wider range and variations in tone color which the composer likes to explore.
To the tune of A Twig of Mume Blossoms
Li Qing Zhao
Fragrant pink lotus fade; autumn chills mat of jade.
My silk robe doffed, I float
Alone in orchid boat,
Who in the clouds would bring me letters in brocade?
When the geese return in flight,
My bower’s steeped in moonlight.
Withering flowers flow with the water,
Two hearts separated long for each other,
Where else can fond thoughts be bestowed?
Just escaping from the brows,
They find their way into the heart.
composed by Li Cheong
for dizi and zheng
written in 2002
premiered by Ricky Yeung and Qian Jing in 2002
performaned again by Ricky Yeung and Jason Lau in 2003
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