PixCake
When I was a student in high school, I visited a small town called Zhujiajiao located near Shanghai. There was a place there called "Shui Yue Tang (Water Music Hall)," which is a permanent venue for composer Tan Dun's musical drama "A Drop of Water on the Top of the Sky." The ceiling of Shui Yue Tang is made of half a ton of pure silver because silver has excellent sound reflection properties. There is a water outlet on the ceiling that can release a continuous drizzle or a torrential downpour, resembling a rain organ playing. The stage is a shallow pool of water, and musicians create a rich variety of rhythms by stepping on the water floor. The stairs are made of metallic synthetic casting inserted into the wall, and musicians wearing wooden clogs evoke the ancestral Zen music of China.
After witnessing that uplifting performance, curiosity drove me to explore the origin of Tan Dun's composition, "Water Concerto: for Water Percussion and Orchestra." I learned about different performance versions of this piece from around the world. This work introduced me to the concept of "organic music" for the first time. Because of this piece, I gained many new insights and understandings when appreciating or performing contemporary music. It also inspired me to discover more creatively unique sounds in playing the guzheng, attempting to make its sound resonate with nature.
In "Water Concerto," water, closely related to people's lives, is treated as a significant instrument. Three transparent semi-circular water basins are placed on both sides and in the middle of the stage. Water, musical instruments, and some non-musical items such as water pipes, cups, and wooden bowls are combined to play music. These items control the speed of water flow, producing various sounds and rhythms. Finally, as the musician pours water into the basin, a miniature waterfall emerges, resembling a delightful sacred baptism.
Through Tan Dun's unique innovation and invention, our most common and ordinary materials emit tremendous energy. The concerto, theater performance, visual space, and music appreciation are seamlessly integrated, challenging my traditional understanding of music appreciation. It must be said that this is a great work with avant-garde experimental qualities.
