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October 22, 2016

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Home » Feature » Art and Culture

Chinese duo to play works of Russian composers

By Zhang Qian | October 22, 2016, Saturday | Print Edition

TWO Chinese musicians will interpret the works of famous Russian composers Rachmaninoff, Schnittker and Shostakovich at Sennheiser Shanghai Concert Hall today.

Well-known Chinese cellist Wang Jian and pianist Chen Sa will perform Rachmaninoff’s “Cello and Piano Sonata in G Minor,” Schnittker’s “Sonata for Cello and Piano,” and Shostakovich’s “Cello Sonata in D Minor.” The recital is part of the Shanghai International Arts Festival.

Russian music is popular among many Chinese, an influence from the 1950s and early 1960s when China and the former Soviet Union had close ties, says Wang.

Many musicians of his generation studied Russian music when they were young. That’s why the idea of a Russian music duo recital occurred to him when he was planning for the concert. He chose the works of the three masters because they were his idols.

“All the three composers are distinctive in their music,” says Wang, “Romantic Rachmaninoff, incisive Shostakovich and epically beautiful Schnittker.”

Collaborating with pianist Chen in Rachmaninoff’s sonata is quite relaxing for Wang because the sound of the cello is expected to surf on the romantic notes from the piano.

He compared the work of Shostakovich to the sparks in a cold melody with notes of humor and irony. “Cello Sonata in D Minor,” though more romantic and warmer than his other works, carries on aggressive features that can be easily noticed.

By contrast, Schnittker’s work is tragically touching and shares some of the incisive features found in Shostakovich’s works.

Wang personally met Schnittker when he was a child. He remembers the ghostly feature of the Russian composer with sunken eyes and pale skin.

“He was said to have lived a hard life. I guess that’s why there is bitterness in his music,” says Wang. “Bitter yet inspiring, this quality is best illustrated in ‘Sonata for Cello and Piano.’ When the cello expresses suffering in jarring notes, the warm voice of the piano joins in as if shedding a beam of light in darkness. That is as beautiful as an epic.”

Playing the cello from the age of four, Wang was a student of Shanghai Conservatory of Music until he was featured in the famous documentary “From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China.”

With Stern’s encouragement and support, Wang entered the Yale School of Music in 1985 and studied under renowned cellist Aldo Parisot. Later, he established an international career, performing with many of the world’s best orchestras, including Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic and Orchestre de Paris.

“Collaborating with other musicians on stage is like talking with somebody with a fascinating inner world. They often inspire my imagination about particular pieces,” Wang says, adding that he is looking forward to collaborate with pianist Chen.

“We had our first collaboration in Beijing this May, with some bagatelles. It was great. I believe that there will be more sparkles this time with such great works,” he says.

Though the three programs may not be that familiar to most Shanghai audiences, Chen is confident that they will be well received.

“There are quite a number of mature concert-goers in Shanghai as I’ve noticed. Though not the mainstream yet, they will grow in number. Classical music players now enjoy the freedom of selecting programs without worrying about the reaction of the audiences,” she remarks. “We feel free to present good works that the audience may not have heard before.”

 

Date: October 22, 7pm

Venue: Sennheiser Shanghai Concert Hall, 523 Yan’an Road E.

Tickets: 80-480 yuan

Tel: 6272-0455, 6272-0702

Art and Culture


 

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