The Palace of Nine Perfections
(2004) | 9 minutes
SCORING 3(picc) . 3(corA) . 3(Eb.Cl) . 3(cbn) / 4331 / timp / 3 perc / hp / cel / str
PREMIERE
29 March 2004, Field Concert Hall, Philadelphia, PA.
Curtis Symphony Orchestra
Benjamin Schwartz, conductor
Revised version first performed 8 March 2006, at Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, Minnesota, by The Minnesota Orchestra conducted by Osmo Vänskä
Listen
Audio excerpt
Programme Note
The Palace of Nine Perfections was inspired by a painting under the same title by Yuan Jiang from the Qing dynasty, believed to date from 1691. Though I learned about the painting growing up in China, it was not until 2003, when I first saw the real work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I was immediately moved by it — the sumptuous color on silk depicts a Daoist paradise, and yet, there is something mystical, dark, embedded underneath. Inspired, I wanted to create a musical reaction to Yuan’s vision, hoping we could see as well as hear The Palace of Nine Perfections. The work, consisting of three major parts, ranges from epic to extremely intimate. I sought to create a fusion of folk inspired melodies and lush orchestral timbre.
The score calls for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, clarinet in E-flat, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (3 players: glockenspiel, crotale, chimes, large bell or temple bowl, triangle, suspended and crash cymbals, slapstick, snare drum, tam-tam, bass drum), celesta, harp, and strings.
—Zhou Tian
“The Palace of Nine Perfections” was awarded:
- The Minnesota Orchestra Composers Institute (+Commissioning Award)
- The Symphony in C Composers Award
- American Composers Orchestra Underwood Readings
- ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composers Awards
周 天（1981-）
《九成宫》（2004）
时长：9分钟
Zhou Tian (b.1981)
The Palace of Nine Perfections (2004)
Duration: 9 minutes
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《九成宫》
管弦乐《九成宫》从清代画家袁江的同名作品中得到灵感而作，力图用斑斓的交响语言描绘一个古老的极乐世界。该作品获选2006年明尼苏达管弦乐团全美作曲家选拔，并获委约大奖，由音乐总监奥斯莫·万斯卡指挥首演。
The Palace of Nine Perfections
Inspired by a painting on silk by Yuan Jiang (ca. 1691) that depicts a Daoist paradise, The Palace of Nine Perfections explores the sumptuous color and vivid energy through a mesmerizing orchestral palette. The work was selected by The Minnesota Orchestra Composers Institute and won the commissioning award in 2006, conducted by Music Director Osmo Vänskä.
Reviews
“This piece was inspired by a painting from the Qing Dynasty of 1691, which was well known in China but which Zhou Tian didn’t see until he visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2003. Colorfully orchestrated, it was evocative and unfolded episodically. Its features included a graceful theme that traveled from flute to oboe to clarinet, a Stravinsky-like section that was rhythmic and energized and moments of serene beauty. Langrée’s direction was sensitive to each detail, and orchestral soloists made expressive contributions.”
—Cincinnati Business Courier
“Exotic-sounding with its bright, shimmering Chinese bells and chimes interspersed within a flowing, Western melodic style. Like the 17th century painting which is said to have inspired it, the piece evoked a rich variety of moods, with dark and lush shadows sprinkled with patches of sun and warmth.”
—Orlando Sentinel
“The piece was more like an aural response to the beauty and details of the painting. It was almost like a musical interaction as one’s eyes travel along the massive painting (207 x 563cm); and that kept the listeners engaged. It was familiarity in unpredictability.”
—Satoshi Kyo, Paying Patron Perspective (Hong Kong)