Notes for Gu-Zheng Machine [新箏] 2011
When I was faced
with the task of writing a piece for string quartet and traditional
Chinese instrument,
I knew right away that I wanted to use the gu-zheng.
I had seen a remarkable and beautiful performance given by 葉時華 in
I have always been
interested in the intersection between acoustic and electronic music. For this
piece, I wanted to create the illusion of a super-gu-zheng
using all at my disposal using an acoustic string quartet. In this piece, the
quartet serves as a bionic extension of the gu-zheng.
The gestures performed by the gu-zheng are sustained,
amplified, and ornamented by the string quartet. If the gu-zheng
were the actor in a movie, the string quartet is the special effects team.
Taking advantage of the abilities of this new machine this piece explores
tremendous extremes, from very slow, glacial, sustained figurations, to very
rapid movements.
Many
thanks to 葉時華 for all her help and
good counsel, and to 馬水龍 for all his generous
support and encouragement.
Justine F. Chen
陳潔思
April
17, 2011