What better day could there be to present an important work blending Chinese and western music than the Chinese new year, which fell on Sunday? It is to be the Year of the Rabbit, signifying mercy, elegance and beauty, each happily represented in Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion.
This was one of the major events in A place to call home, the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s year-long programme devoted to composers exiled, uprooted or simply writing music that reflects a home country new or old — or, in the case of the Chinese-American composer Tan Dun, both.
Over two hours, Buddha Passion, given its premiere in 2018, is a major statement. Inspired by cave paintings in Dunhuang, it relates six stories from the life of the Buddha to a libretto compiled by Tan Dun in Chinese, English and Sanskrit. There is a debt to Bach’s Passions in the concept, while the choral “Odes to Compassion” that close each act mirror Bach’s chorales, but the prevailing tone has an aura of mysticism that is different from any western counterpart.
Tan Dun’s mission is to bring east and west into harmony. Some of the Chinese elements, such as the extensive percussion, including Tibetan singing bowls, Chinese cymbals, water basins and stones, may seem merely like local colouring, but two indigenous soloists probe deeper, especially the male singer who intones gravely and plays the very rare Dunhuang xiqin, a tall bowed string instrument.
The real fusion of styles comes in melodies and rhythms that embrace both traditions, especially when translated to the rich sonorities of a western orchestra. Universal concepts such as forgiveness, personal sacrifice and an understanding of life are underpinned here by the global reach of the music.
Tan Dun conducted this first UK performance himself. Five vocal soloists — mezzo Huiling Zhu, tenor Kang Wang, bass Shenyang and the two indigenous singers, soprano Sen Guo and male vocalist Batubagen — were joined by the London Philharmonic Choir and London Chinese Philharmonic Choir. This is a big piece in every way, but at its heart lies a simplicity that speaks profoundly. A packed audience greeted the performance with a standing ovation. ★★★★☆
A few days earlier a different home was the focus. Kinan Azmeh, born in Damascus, resident in New York, made headlines when he was unable to re-enter the US in 2017 under President Donald Trump’s barring of citizens from certain Muslim-majority states.
He came to London with his Clarinet Concerto, written in 2018, with himself as soloist. That was probably essential for this piece as the concerto allows a lot of space for improvisation in Syrian musical styles and Azmeh is a virtuoso. There is no programmatic element, except the enjoyment of freedom, which must have been on his mind after the 2017 incident. Syrian and western musical styles are very well blended, the lively Arabic katakufti or nawari rhythms creating quite a buzz, and the whole concerto bowls along.
Brett Dean’s Amphitheatre and an intermittently compelling performance of Rachmaninov’s Symphony No 1, conducted by Enrique Mazzola, completed another adventurous LPO concert. ★★★★☆
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