C Major

As the China Philharmonic Orchestra prepares to make its debut at the BBC Proms in London, an 'east meets west' program is being considered and excitement is building

The China Philharmonic Orchestra will make its debut at this year's British Broadcasting Corporation Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It is also the first orchestra from China to play at the Proms, an annual summer presentation of classical music concerts by the BBC. On July 19, the second night of the Proms this year, the China Philharmonic Orchestra will join Chinese pianist Zhang Haochen and English trumpet soloist Alison Balsom to open this year's "global classical music" series.

"Global classical music is at the heart of the 2014 Proms with 10 international orchestras performing - much more than ever before," Roger Wright, director of BBC Proms, says by telephone from London.

Wright says he and his colleagues have worked hard to choose orchestras, mainly through their international network.

"Actually we've been thinking of inviting China Philharmonic for a while."

"It has a good reputation nowadays. Many of my friends recommended the orchestra and its conductor, Yu Long," he says.

"I have not heard many orchestras from China. So I cannot say it's the best in China, or it represents China. Music is not a competition. But I heard its albums and believe it plays good music."

Last year, Wright attended a concert where Yu conducted the BBC Symphony Orchestra to play Joseph Haydn's Symphony No 104 at the Barbican Centre in London.

"We are honored to be invited to play at the Proms, which means high recognition," says Yu, adding that only the NHK Orchestra and the Seiji Ozawa's Saito Kinen Orchestra from Asia have appeared at the Proms so far. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra has also played in the Proms, which usually witness greater participation of Western orchestras.

The China Philharmonic Orchestra is also in talks with the Proms to offer an "East meets West" program, in which it plans to play British composer Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No 4 in G Major.

"This upbeat and ceremonial (military) march has been used in many historic events in Britain, such as the wedding of Charles and Diana. It is our tribute to the country," Yu says.

The program will also include Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture as part of this year's celebrations of William Shakespeare's 450th birth anniversary.

To showcase China's skills in classical music, the China Philharmonic Orchestra will have Zhang play Franz Liszt's Piano Concerto No 1.

Zhang, 24, won the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2009 and was taught by famous American classical pianist Gary Graffman, who also mentored Lang Lang at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.

Lang Lang, 32, is one of China's most exciting pianists.

The BBC Proms and the China Philharmonic Orchestra also jointly commissioned Chinese composer Chen Qi- gang to create Joie Eternelle (Eternal Joy), a concerto for trumpet and orchestra.

The song is a qupai (set tune) from the 600-year-old Kunqu Opera. The original tune is delicate yet striking, Chen says.

"I heard this tune for the first time at the Kunqu Opera Peony Pavilion when I was very young. I was highly impressed. Ever since, it reminds me of my childhood," says Chen, who was the music director for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and composed its theme song You and Me.

He says Peony Pavilion has a spiritual dimension.

"After I was commissioned to do the work, I decided to re-create the unforgettable tune with the trumpet, a very Western instrument. I wanted to fully explore the expressive range of the instrument, from the exquisite to the muscular," he says.

Chen wrote the piece in Suichang, Zhejiang province, where playwright Tang Xianzu (1550-1616) had created Peony Pavilion.

English trumpet soloist Balsom, the Gramophone Awards Artist of the Year 2013, will help Chen in his pursuit of the trumpet's expressive potential.

chenjie@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 07/18/2014 page26)