Enter Spring

SKU: PR.110418480

ISBN 9781491136294. UPC: 680160688784.

Chen Yi’s beautiful and highly-textured tone poem was inspired by ancient Chinese poetry; its melodic ideas were developed from musical phrases characteristic of Chinese opera. Wang Ya’s original verse as translated by Chen Yi reads:“SONG OF SPRING OUTING”Ten thousand apricot trees by the riverside,Spring flowers bloom after the wind at night.Covered over the garden, colors dark and light,Mirrored in the green water ripples.
SONG OF SPRING OUTING was commissioned by the Center for East Asian Studies and the Asian Classical Music Initiative at the University of Kansas in 2022 for Dr. Yi-Yang Chen to premiere in 2023.The work was inspired by an ancient Chinese poem with the same title:Song of Spring Outingby Wang Ya (Tang Dynasty)English translation by Chen YiTen thousand apricot trees by the riverside,Spring flowers bloom after the wind at night.Covered over the garden, colors dark and light,Mirrored in the green water ripples.This inspiring image is like taking a walk through a beautiful garden with layers of colorful trees and flowers, mirrored in the green water.The opening phrase of the music introduces the signature intervals, the leap of a seventh found in Beijing Opera fiddle’s language, followed by melodic material with a major 2nd and perfect 4th in pentatonic style as the thematic materials. [C-Bb-G in bars 1-2, followed by the top pitches A-B and Ab-E( in bars 2-3]. This statement is brought back (Rehearsal F) in a retrograded form of the introduction at the climatic end of the piece.The musical form is a combination of variations on thematic materials, and a rondo. After the introductory section, Rehearsal A introduces an improvisation-like mountain song melody (developed from the pentatonic material in the introduction).Rehearsal B brings in a lively texture in short groupings with staccato in both hands (using the seventh leap interval introduced in the opening of the piece).Rehearsals C and D develop the introduction’s pentatonic melody and the mountain tune (introduced in Rehearsal A) with more layers in the texture.Rehearsal E develops the material presented in Rehearsal B, with an extended range in both ends of the keyboard, increasing the freshness and excitement.

SKU: CL.011-4734-01

Flowers bloom and the world stirs with life renewed in Spring’s Awakening! The music begins with a driving ostinato in the clarinets, and staggered entrances that portray flowers opening for the first time. After the entire ensemble enters, two different melodic themes are passed throughout the ensemble, layered over driving 8th-note rhythms that propel the music forward. Spring’s Awakening is an engaging and beautiful work that makes a perfect fit for any spring or end of the year concert.

SKU: PR.114409380

UPC: 680160014101.

The work is rhapsodic in character, concerning itself with two principal layers of thematic and developmental activity. The initial motive occurs frequently throughout the work within differing contexts. The two layers are characterized by loud, passionate and faster moving material which proceeds in contrast to a layer of quieter, and more sustained lyrical material. As well, there is a recurring motto chord which constantly tries to interrupt the developmental flow. Eventually, as the work proceeds, the lyrical character prevails.

SKU: MN.56-0030

UPC: 688670220357. Latin. Matthew 5:3-11.

Written for the Enchanted Voices CD, this is one of many settings of texts either from the Beatitudes (or springing from them) available from this composer. For soloist, SS chorus (divisi), organ, cello, and handbells, the music has a light, ethereal feeling. A unison chant-line begins the piece unaccompanied. The organ enters with a drone as the chant continues. At the text “vocabuntur (called)” the voices split into three parts in a beautiful moment of radiance. There is a cello solo (13 measures) which restates the chant melody. The voice enter wordlessly as the cello continues. Finally, the chant melody reappears in the voices, in canon, as the music ends. Duration 5:58