Chen: The Golden Flute

Description

After hearing Chen Yi's viola concerto, Sir James Galway invited the composer to write him a Chinese flute concerto. Chen Yi responded with The Gold en Flute, using a Western flute to speak in the language of Chinese wind instruments. Chen's concerto starts with the Chinese folk tune Old Eight Beats, and the first movement is inspired by Chinese traditions of melodic development, such as a wide array of grace notes and performing techniques around the melodic notes. Following a substantial cadenza, the intermezzo-like second movement imitates the sound of the ancient clay wind instrument xun, which has a slow but tense, mysterious, and dreamy voice. The third movement returns to virtuosic playing with all former pitch materials recapitulated.