An ode to the clarinet

On his latest album, Wang Tao pays homage to the versatility of the woodwind instrument by using it to perform a diverse selection of classical masterpieces by composers from all over the world

Clarinetist Wang Tao is eager to display the versatility of his musical instrument, which has long played an important role in symphony orchestras and jazz groups.

On his latest album, Spin, Wang plays pieces by composers from different cultures, such as Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla's Histoire du Tango, which was originally written for the flute and guitar, Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski's Dance Preludes for the clarinet and piano, and Austrian composer Fritz Kreisler's 3 Old Viennese Dances for the piano and violin.

Award-winning clarinetist Wang Tao has included in his latest album various works from different cultures. Provided to China Daily

"All the pieces in the album contain different colors, showcasing the distinctive characteristics of where they came from," Wang says in Beijing. "For those who know the clarinet, the album enables them to see a different side of the musical instrument. For those who are new to the clarinet, they will know the musical instrument beyond the range of classical music."

Besides colors from different cultures, Wang also ventures into the theme of dance with this album as he seeks to expand the expressive dimension of his musical instrument by merging it with another art form.

"I've performed at venues such as outdoor spaces and galleries rather than traditional concert halls. I've also played with artists, such as ballet dancers and contemporary dancers. All those experiences expanded my vision for the clarinet. I hope the audience could have visions of dynamic dancing while listening to this album," he says.

His album has already won praise from overseas experts.

"In the hands and breath of Tao, the clarinet becomes an amazing contrast of technical mastery coupled with soulful singing lines. Imagination and surprise in every phrase," writes US clarinetist Richard Leslie Stoltzman in the album's brochure.

Wang paired with Japanese pianist Akimi Fukuhara and recorded the new album at the Karuizawa Ohga Hall in Japan.

"The concert hall is surrounded by forests and bathed in ample sunshine. It was a luxurious natural environment to record an album for me," recalls Wang, who spent at least eight hours a day for three days recording at the venue.

Tokyo-based Fukuhara recalls the experince, saying: "The recording schedule was tight and physically demanding for both of us. We forgot about our daily lives and totally put ourselves in the zone for three days. At the end of the day, it was rewarding."

Fukuhara, who was born in Osaka, Japan, made her solo debut when she was 13 with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Michigan in the United States.

"It was the first collaboration between me and Wang Tao. He gave me lots of freedom while we did the recording," the pianist adds.

Wang, who was born in Chengdu, Sichuan province, studied the cello and erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument) in childhood before picking up the clarinet when he was 9 years old. At 11, he was admitted to the middle school affiliated with the Sichuan Conservatory of Music. He was the first musician in China to receive a master's degree in the clarinet from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, a top music school in the country. He has been teaching at the school since 2002.

Wang has released 12 albums, which are now used as teaching materials at the conservatory. He also won the Best Instrumental Album award at the Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan.

In 2014, he signed a contract with Universal Music China and released the album Night & Day, which merges the clarinet with pop, rock and jazz.

In 2017, he released the classical album Schubert with Michel Kiener on fortepiano, on which Wang selected some of Austrian composer Franz Schubert's most beautiful melodies and arranged them for the clarinet, including Auf dem Wasser zu singen (To Sing on the Water), D. 774, Ave Maria (Ellen's Gesang) D. 839, and An die Musik (To Music), D. 547.

"I can still recall that after the last day of the recording of the Schubert album, I sat on the street outside the Salle de Musique of La Chaux-de-Fonds (the famous concert hall in Switzerland where Wang recorded the album), thinking of all the things I didn't like about myself while recording the album," Wang says.

The process of creating his latest album was a similarly exhausting experience that involved much self-doubt.

Half a year before the recording, Wang practiced eight hours a day at home because all of the pieces were new to him, and he employed new techniques, such as circular breathing.

As a father of a 3-year-old son, he felt guilty about isolating himself from his family, since he had to invest much time in the preparation of the new album.

"I feel grateful to my wife, because she has been supportive and never complains," says Wang, who married the former Olympic gymnastics champion Liu Xuan in 2013. "The name of the album, Spin, is called Xuan in Chinese, because I want to dedicate it to my wife."

To promote his new album, Wang is touring Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, with pianist Fukuhara.

chennan@chinadaily.com.cn