Xians Yellow River Piano Concerto Movement III

Xians Yellow River Piano Concerto Movement III

Note: This note corresponds to the Eulenburg edition. The measure count does not take into consideration the initial cadenza-like passage of the Chinese flute and piano. Section Measure(s) SubComments section Introduction 1-3 Dizi (Chinese bamboo flute) begins the movement in an improvisatory way setting the pentatonic scale of Eb (Eb-F-G-Bb-C). The tremolo of strings could be associated to the pipa performance technique. At measure 3 the piano enters in a gu zheng (Chinese zither) style. According Bai, the melody played by the flute is based on folk melodies from Tanan and Shaanxi provinces. (Bai, 2006) Description in the original score depicts the prosperous life of the people along the banks of the Yellow River (Bai, 2006). Predominant two-measure phrase structure. A 2-53 The main theme comes from the Cantata (movement 3). While the mode is still the Eb pentatonic, in this theme the mode is centered in Bb (Shing-Lee, 1995). This seems to be confirmed in m. 2 where the most prominent notes of the piano are arguably Bb. To be noted the presence of intervals of perfect fourth which are typical from the Shanxi folk songs. (Kuo-Huang, 1989) B 55-72 The piano entrance in the up-beat of m. 55 in a lower register and louder dynamics than the previous section hints to programmatic elements. Indeed, the text in the original version indicates the Japanese invasion. The text of the score describes a moving lament for the suffering people of China. (Shing-Lee, 1995) While the meter is 4/4, it could be argued that at least measures 55-57 are constructed in 6-beats phrases. At measure 64 theme B reappears but in this case the right hand of the piano imitates the idiomatic qualities of the yang qin (Chinese hammered dulcimer) and/or pipa (Chinese lute). The text in the cantata for this section reads: Run escape with your life. Our fathers and mothers are killed. I am lost and
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Xians Yellow River Piano Concerto Movement III cannot go home either. (Shing-Lee, 1995) Orchestral modulatory bridge. Piano solo section in the pentatonic scale of B (B-C#-D#-F#-G#) that is established at m. 83. Based on the pentatonic scale of Db (DbEb-F-Ab-Bb) The melody in this section (mm. 89-92) describes the rage and hatred of the Chinese people against the Japanese invaders (Bai, 2006). The section beginning in m. 92 had the subtitle Persecute (Shing-Lee, 1995). The fermatas help to provide a phrase structure to this section. Harmony becomes more dramatic with the presence of diminished chords mm. (100 and 101) that appear to resolve to Db major in m. 104. This section is based on the Db pentatonic scale. A simple melody (piano right hand) is accompanied by arpeggios in triplets in the left hand. A new melody appears in 115 surrounded by harmonic instability as represented by the chromatic scales in the piano and the Fb in m. 117 that could hint to Db minor pentatonic. At m. 124 harmonic stability returns hinting to Db but not completely pentatonic due to piano left hand (m. 124). Grandioso restatement of theme from m. 2 (flute, oboe and strings) while piano plays a series of arpeggios. As in the beginning this section is in the pentatonic scale of Eb. In this codetta the piano is the main protagonist. The section is mostly on Eb pentatonic with the exception of some A and Ab in mm. 150-152.

Bridge C

73-81 82-87

88-105

106-134

135-148

Codetta

149-156