Xiaogang Ye – Road to the Republic truly epic
By Ralph Graves
Xiaogang Ye is an important composer both in China and in the world. He does more than just blend Chinese traditional music with Western classical forms.
He’s also an innovator, pushing past the limits of tonality. But doing so in a way that sounds both natural and logical. This is the third release of Ye’s music by Naxos. Jia Lu, who conducts the Road to the Republic, led the Macau orchestra on one of those releases.
Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz and Franck Ollu appeared on the other. These are conductors who are familiar with Ye’s aesthetic.
The Road to the Republic commemorates China’s 1911 Revolution. It overthrew the Qing dynasty ending over two thousand years of imperial rule. The republic that formed became an important part of Chinese identity. And it’s an event that China still celebrates yearly.
Ye composed “The Road to the Republic” to mark the 100th anniversary of the event. And it’s appropriately epic.
“China was weak from constant poverty,
But should not, even for a moment,
forget unselfishness,
And be afraid of power.”
Ye uses the framework of the Western cantata to build an impressive sound structure. Atonal passages denote the angst and uncertainty of the chaotic times. As the work progresses, the music gradually transforms, adopting Chinese scales and rhythms. Like China, the work seems to take Western concepts and adapt them.
In my opinion, the “Cantonese Suite” is an extraordinary tour-de-force. The Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra commissioned Ye for a composition with a unique challenge. The orchestra wanted a work using folk melodies of the Guangdong province. But the melodies could not change.
Ye obliged. And in the process, he created a suite that flows naturally. The melodies are intact. But their orchestration and phrasing make them sound fluid and spontaneous. And the harmonies and counterpoint are all Ye’s.
This was the first recording of Ye’s music that I’ve auditioned. I’ll be seeking out those other two Naxos releases now.
Xiaogang Ye: The Road to the Republic (Cantata); Cantonese Suite
Liping Zhang, soprano; Guang Yang, mezzo-soprano; Yijie Shi, tenor; Chenye Yuan, baritone
China National Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Beijing Philharmonic Choir; Jia Lu, conductor
Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz; Franck Ollu, conductor
Naxos 8.579089
