A deep dive into the art of song

Set to poetry, and typically performed by a classically trained vocalist accompanied by a pianist, art song occupies a distinct place in the musical world for its intimacy and ability to connect deeply with listeners.

As a child, Li Yanbing was intrigued by the genre. After learning to play the piano and graduating from the composition department at the China Conservatory of Music, Li now teaches in the art education department at the Teachers' College of Beijing Union University, and recently announced the release of an album of art songs called Cong Cong (In Haste). The album seamlessly weaves poetry with evocative melody, and re-imagines Chinese art songs for contemporary listeners.

It features collaborations with soprano Wang Zhe, and pianist Huang Ruoyu. Each track is a tapestry of text and music, designed to draw listeners into a world of emotional depth and nuanced storytelling.

"I've always been inspired by the way art songs convey profound emotion in such a short time," says Li. "With Cong Cong, I wanted to honor the genre's traditions while also infusing it with my own interpretations. These songs reflect my understanding of art songs and poems that have deeply moved me. By blending literature and music, I want to give the timeless resonance of poems and the transformative power of art songs new dimensions of meaning."

Drawing lyrical inspiration from Chinese literature, Li named the album after Cong Cong, a well-known piece of prose by modern essayist and poet Zhu Ziqing (1898-1948). With its powerful themes, heartfelt emotions, poetic expression, intricate structure, and enduring impact, the emotional piece written in 1922 has become a classic of modern Chinese literature.

In 2013, inspired by a fresh reading of Cong Cong, lyricist Wu Honglan turned it into a poem and gave it to her friend and colleague, Li, who wrote an initial melodic framework. The piece was set aside due to challenges Li faced in finding harmonic language that aligned with the feel of Wu's poem. In November 2021, she resumed work, completing it as an art song and in January, Cong Cong premiered as the first song in a cycle of poetry art songs, composed and performed by Wang.