Pitch-perfect ode to the past

According to Zhao Cong, a veteran pipa player and president of the China National Traditional Orchestra, the 12 musical works were arranged based on the 12 fundamental pitches.

"Some of the music works were adapted from ancient Chinese music pieces and some were composed by contemporary Chinese composers. The new arrangement allowed the audience to enjoy music on the basis of the 12 fundamental pitches," says Zhao, adding that the program took the orchestra about three years to prepare.

Some of the music works are well-known to the audiences, such as A Moonlit Night on the Spring River, a signature pipa piece of the Chinese classical repertoire, which is named after a Tang Dynasty (618-907) poem by Zhang Ruoxu, and the ancient Chinese melody, Three Variations on the Plum Blossom, which was originally conceived for the guqin.

To provide the audience with an immersive experience, Tian Qinxin, a renowned theater director, who is the president of the National Theatre of China, was invited to be the director of the concerts.

"The concert is a combination of different ways of presenting ancient Chinese music, such as solo performances, ensembles, a large orchestra, vocals and dance. My job is to not only let audiences listen to the music but also see the music from ancient China," says Tian, noting multimedia technology and the set created a space from the past.

Zhao says that the concert will tour overseas next year.

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn