60C2D7C5-C17B-45FD-A0E2-923E81D39EFB

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ID60C2D7C5-C17B-45FD-A0E2-923E81D39EFB
TitlecodeR01491
Title NameZhonghua Chronicles: Third Piano Concerto (reduced score)
Marketing CopyA vast cycle of musical poetries comprises Peng-Peng Gong's third piano concerto, grand both in its historical content and musical scope. Titled "Zhonghua Chronicles," it is a narrative on the history of the Chinese ethnic group, depicted in pure instrumental terms split into three movements: Prologue, Reminiscer, and Testimony. Premiered February 13, 2012 China National Symphony. En Shao, Conductor; Peng-Peng Gong, Soloist
InstrumentationSolo Piano: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(4): Str(16.14.12.10.8)
Commission(not set)
Dedication(not set)
Program NotesThe vast cycle of three musical poetries, known as ZHONGHUA CHRONICLES, is Peng-Peng Gong's third concerto for piano and orchestra composed
in 2011. Sketches began in February, leading to its completion in September.
As typical for Gong's symphonic music up to date, the third concerto is grand both in its historical content and musical scope. The titles
provide a narrative on the history of the Chinese Ethnic Group, depicted in pure instrumental terms split into three movements, the Prologue, the
Reminiscer, and the Testimony. It is a work which assembles the concepts of the traditional concerto-sonata form structure while constructing every
detail from the ethnic spirits that is personally felt by the composer, unlimiting the range of emotional expressions through the contrapuntal,
harmonic, structural, and rhythmic practices from musical eras of both the East and the West. Therefore, the piece is really a musical storytelling
of the ethnic group's cultural history which is directed to the public via expansive melodic designs and sparkling orchestrations.
In sectional descriptions, the Prologue is the most expansive of the three, opening with a wild, ground-shaking orchestral introduction from
which the soloist takes over this narration of a civil rise,interchanging with lush, folk-like melodies belonging to both the lives and their string
of historical generations. In the movement, two climaxes break out before te recapitulation and the ending, the latter being a cadenza for the piano
whirling into a large section of virtuosic imitation of the former orchestral fire. Both would lead into a tragic and soft mourning segment, while
the latter concludes the movement in exhausted heartbeats from the drums and spookily shriecking sighs from the high strings. It is immediately
followed by the Reminiscer, an extremely sentimental prayer-song presented as a memorial for the actual “chronicles”of the past cultural impact as
well as the historical events and figures. A deathmarch arrives between the lyrical exposition and reprise, providing a wide slope of sound-worlds
that would lead into a final achieving of spiritual enlightenment.
The third and final movement, the Testimony, gives a journey of the cultural glorification, where the first half includes a union of various
depictions in dances, ceremonials, songs, and flashbacks. The second half explodes from that climatic festival and provides a brief elegy in memory of
what pain and suffering defines, which then transforms into the final culmination where the advancement of tonal approach, atmosphere of neoromanticism,
exploration of a profound cultural identity, the union of a vast mood range, and the resurrecting declaration of strong spiritual
dignities that is not limited to any specific race or thnic minority but a global humanity as a whole.
A standard performance of the entire work shall last approximately forty minutes.
Title Brand2
Year Composed2011
Copyright Number(not set)
Copyright Year(not set)
Duration40
Ensemble Size13
Date Created2012-12-05 20:32:05.000000
Date Updated2025-09-30 20:32:05
Inhouse Note(not set)
Bsc Code(not set)
Text Author(not set)
Premier Performance MemoWorld Premiere: February 13, 2012 China National Symphony. En Shao, Conductor; Peng-Peng Gong, Soloist
Recording Credits(not set)
Review(not set)
AwardsChina National Symphonic Composition Prize of Excellence
Title Category5
Title MovementsI. Prologue [17'min.]
II. Reminiscer [10'min.]
III. Testimony [12'min.]
Title Grade(not set)
Set Series ID(not set)
Title Instrument Category TextPiano
Title Sub Category Text(not set)
Title Sub Category42
Title Instrument Header34
Title Grade Text(not set)
Clean Urlzhonghua-chronicles-third-piano-concerto-r01491