The tune of BMW echoed through Chinese music

When renowned Chinese musician Feng Mantian plays the zhongruan he said he forgets everything else. The zhongruan is a medium-sized Chinese instrument, like a lute with a fretted neck, circular body and four strings.

At the Impression Chinese Music show, the string instrument was unfamiliar to many people in the audience but still played a pivotal role.

The concert was performed by professional musicians from the Central National Music Troupe, and featured some of the best musicians of Chinese music, such as Feng Mantian, Feng Xiaoquan and Zeng Gege.

It was part of BMW's Master Hall project, which started in July 2014 and was praised after its national tour and received widespread public recognition thanks to its efforts to boost traditional Chinese music.

Wang Chaoge, director of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony, directed the show, which she said took six years of preparation and three years of fine-tuning.

Organizers said the Impression Chinese Music was not just a concert but an opera or stage show in the form of conceptual and performance art. It used modern lighting techniques and its "pursuit of musical form had remarkable depth".

The show involved 61 types of instruments and more than 80 of them were replicas of those in a wall painting in Dunhuang Mogao Caves, which contain some of the finest painting of Buddhist art, that was painted in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), more than 1,000 years ago.

A double reed flute, phoenix head shaped ruan and other ancient Dunhung instruments brought out the beauty of the Chinese music, which shifted focus to the musicians themselves, said organizers.

The artists not only performed, but also talked about their own stories, faith and their attitude to music. The idea was to use the perspective and feeling of performers, composers and conductors to showcase the soul of Chinese music.

The Impression Chinese Music is an innovative and original concept that offers spiritual enjoyment and it matches BMW's value for never ceasing efforts to innovate and dream.

The concert echoes BMW's emotional appeal to inspire innovation and encourage dreams.

According to the director, Wang, the Chinese classical aesthetic originated thousands of years ago.

She said she felt an obligation to convey modern emotions with the classical tradition.

After the first Impression Chinese Music show, Wang said: "In my words, the foundation of the Impression Chinese Music is the spirit of self-sacrifice of all the directors and artists. Now the work created throughout their artistic lives was perfectly presented and has changed the stereotype people usually have towards the national music."

Wang said she got involved with the project to make a breakthrough in the conventional form of folk music.

Because of the Impression Chinese Music, Wang has officially become the fourth Honorary Artistic Advisor of BMW Master Hall, following the famous dancer Yang Liping, the world-renowned conductor Daniel Oren, and Jazz vocalist Patti Austin.

BMW is constantly committed to the dissemination of cultural and art heritage over the last more than 40 years.

Olaf Kastner, president & CEO, BMW Brilliance, expressed:"BMW wishes that through these projects, we can bring joy and happiness to all of you, so that people can have emotional projections and be connected to innovation and beauty."

yangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/20/2015 page8)