Jian’er Zhu - Sketches in the Mountains of Guizhou (1982)

Composer: Jian’er Zhu (朱践耳 Zhū Jiàn’ěr) (October 18, 1922 – August 15, 2017) Orchestra: Shanghai Symphony Orchestra conducted by Xieyang Chen 00:00 A Festive Contest of Lu-Sheng 05:56 The Old Xiao Player 11:42 Serenade on a Moonlit Night 16:46 The Festival Zhu Jian’er wrote this piece after being invited to the Miaoling Music Festival in Guiyang, and the living in the mountains of southeast Guizhou for a month in 1981. The first movement begins calmly with beautifully open woodwind solos, but soon becomes rugged and powerful. Groups of instruments playing in different keys are used to represent different teams in a traditional Dong Lusheng contest. The haunting second movement interweaves stark string chords with flute and bass clarinet solos, evoking the sound of the xiao, a bamboo flute. The third movement, based on a Dong pipa song, presents charming soft charming music surrounding an energetic middle section, representing a young man and woman in love. The piece concludes with a manic dance based on the