“… one musician, but ten talented fingers!" - Sir Ian McKellen Traditiniteorpnraetled abynLdIU FcAlNaG sosnicpipaalanCd ghuzihnenegsseolo music “Superb sensitivity and iu Fang transmits in an expressive and erudite heard) and contemporary works from both East and unrivaled dramaturgic feeling." way the beauty and grace of Chinese traditional West. She has performed all around the world at such - Mondomix (France) classical music, while drawing out the subtle prestigious venues as the Théâtre de la Ville in , sonorities of the and the . Through the the Philharmonic Hall of Liège, Belgium (2006), “...the magic of the music of Lpower and sensitivity of her playing, she gives BBC concerts in London (2003, 2007), the Bath Liu Fang, divine mediator..." renewed interpretations of the ancient repertory, of International Music Festival (2004) and the York - World (France) the poetic as well as the martial styles. The growing Early Music Center (2008). As one of the featured admiration from listeners – experts and novices alike artists invited from 40 countries through the project “... Masterful, graceful and riveting...” – attests to the great appreciation and respect for this under Melody Dialogue Among Civilizations, Liu - BBC London (England) highly talented musician. Fang performed at the concert dedicated to the UNESCO's 60 year anniversary in Paris in 2005. Recently, Liu Fang was honoured as one of the 30 “...so beautiful, so touching..." chosen showcase artists for the WOMEX (World - Le Monde de la Musique (France) Music Expo in Sevilla, Spain), selected by a team of international jury from over 600 candidates from “... Liu Fang’s total devotion to her around the world. playing has moved her beyond perfect execution to the creativity & flexibility Liu Fang has so far produced five solo and five that marks a true musician. ... " collaborative albums. Her last album entitled “Silk - fROOTS Magazine (UK) Sound” (under the French label Accords Croises, 2006) featured musical dialogues with artists from three different continents and was awarded the “The empress of pipa - one of prestigious French Academie Charles Cros Award (the the greatest virtuosos" French equivalent of the Grammy). Back in 2001, Liu - L'actualité (Québec) Fang was the only musician to receive the a

prestigious 'Future Generation Millennium Prize' c “...delicate and sensational..." . e h

awarded by the Council for the Arts to three p -De Volkskrant (The Netherlands) r o

Liu Fang is an internationally acclaimed master of artists of different disciplines under 30 years of age. m a t e

Chinese pipa and guzheng. Celebrated in the press as The words of the jury summed up her achievements m . w the “empress of pipa” (L'actualité, 2001), “divine rather succinctly: “Liu Fang's mastery of the pipa w w : mediator” (World, 2006), “the greatest ambassadress and the guzheng has established her international n g i s of the art of the pipa” (La presse, 2002), Liu Fang is reputation as a highly talented young interpreter of e known as “possessing virtuoso technique, grace and traditional Chinese music. She aspires to combine her D a unique empathy toward the music she plays – knowledge and practice of Eastern traditions with whether it is a traditional and folk tune or a modern Western classical music, contemporary music and Western composition” (All Music Guide, 2003). improvisation, thereby creating new musical forms, uniting different cultures and discovering new The Empress of Pipa Born in () in 1974, Liu Fang started audiences.” learning the pipa at the age of 6 and soon began to Liu Fang Liu Fang transmits in an expressive perform in public as a child prodigy, including a “… A veritable feast for the ears, and erudite way the beauty and grace performance for the Queen of England in 1985. Her The eyes, heart and soul" of Chinese traditional classical studies at Shanghai Conservatory included guzheng beauty music, while drawing out the subtle (Chinese zither) and she graduated in 1993. Since Contact : - Prof. Dr. Tran Van Khe (Paris) sonorities of the pipa and the moving to Canada in 1996, Liu Fang's profile has & grace guzheng. Through the power and risen dramatically due to her masterful, rich and Dr. Risheng Wang “... a veritable feast of alluring sounds, sensitivity of her playing, she gives deeply spiritual performances, as well as a wide- Philmultic Management and Productions Inc. ranging from the eloquent and lyrical to of Chinese renewed interpretations of the ranging repertoire that features music from Chinese 8191 Montview, Ville Mont Royal, the flamboyant and percussive. The varied ancient repertory, of the poetic as classical and folk traditions (including pieces rarely Québec, Canada H4P 2P2 traditional well as the martial styles. The soundscape produced by one player and growing admiration from listeners – Tel. : ++1 (514) 482-6750 one instrument is quite dazzling…” Fax: ++1 (514) 344-9974 (or -2657) & classical experts and novices alike – attests - The Wholenote Magazine to the great appreciation and respect [email protected] for this highly talented musician. www.philmultic.com music www.liufangmusic.net [email protected] | www.philmultic.com A brief introduction to away from the classical traditions . Quite often some of the traditional classical masterpieces are presented in commercially-packaged shows to look and sound “modern”, The dTirffearednciestainod ncoammlonCgrouhndinbeetwseeen ClMassicuals(liic terati) which often gives a wrong impression to listeners who never really knew the original flavor of the music, particularly the and Folk traditions from a Historical Perspective spiritual side of the classical tradition. With all that said, there are still a growing number of performers and listeners who enerally speaking, there are two kinds of music lovers. They would never perform in public, or for have begun to seriously rethink the spiritual side of the traditions – classical and folk. Music from the commercial purposes, as they would never allow classical tradition, such that there seems to be a revival of “classical tradition” refers to art music or themselves to be called “professional musicians”. This Liu Fang solo concert at the Mawazine Festival in Rabat, Morocco traditional culture as part of a growing interest in Chinese “sophisticated” music composed by scholars and was in part to keep a distance from the entertainment in 2009. Photo: Sife Elamine classical philosophy, literature, traditional medicine, lGiterati (or intelligentsia) in China’s historical past. industry where performing artists used to be among calligraphy, painting, Taiji and Qigong. On the one hand, it Chinese classical music 1 often has thematic, poetic or the lowest in social status 2 . In fact, masters of classical The various folk melodies have become a major source of goes without saying that some of today’s excellent creations philosophical associations and is typically played solo, music had their own profession as scholars and inspiration for the growing repertoire of contemporary music. will become tomorrow’s traditions (and faked arts will soon on instruments such as the guqin, a 7-string zither officers, and would consider it shameful if they had to In fact, in many contemporary compositions, existing folk be forgotten); on the other hand, it requires a true master to with over 3000 years of well- make a living from music. They played music for melodies were simply modified, enriched (creatively through deliver the vast spiritual and the profound meaning (inner- documented history, or the themselves, or for their friends and students, and they advanced playing techniques and the use of harmonies), and feeling) of the masterpieces from the traditional classical pipa, a lute with over 2000 discovered friends or even lovers through music extended. Some were transcribed so successfully that they repertoire in such a way as to touch the souls of the listeners, years of history. Traditional appreciation (there are plenty of romantic stories may be regarded as an important part of the growing classical and indeed, great masters from various musical traditions all music in the classical sense is about music in Chinese literature). Up to the repertoire; for instance the famous “Dance of Yi People" over the world have never failed to support the famous intimately linked to poetry beginning of the twentieth century, classical music composed by Wang Hui-Ran for solo pipa. The repertoire is statement: “Authentic traditional music remains forever and to various forms of lyric had always belonged to elite society and it was not further extended by pieces composed or arranged for multi- contemporary”. drama, and is more or less popular among ordinary people. Today it is really for instrument ensembles. Needless to say, most contemporary poetry without words. In the everybody who enjoys it, and professional musicians works are quite Westernized, particularly those for ensembles same manner as poetry, music playing Chinese classical music are as common as and orchestras (modelled on orchestras in the West), which . sets out to express human elsewhere in the world. However, it is still rare to hear are easily accessible to the general public, yet veer further feelings, soothe suffering and classical music in concert halls due to the influence of (Note from Liu Fang : The above text was prepared for the lecture & demonstration at the Julliard School on November 19, 2008 in New York and for several interviews (newspapers bring spiritual elevation. The the so-called “Cultural Revolution” (1966-1976), when and radio). Special thanks Dr. Annette Sanger (ethnomusicologist and professor at the University of Toronto) for proof reading and improving English. instruments demand not only all classical music was deemed to be “bourgeois” and a mastery of technique but a outlawed, and the spiritual side of traditional arts was 1 Ancient court music is also referred to as “classical music", however there is a distinct day, and joy upon joy, Her best years slipped away. Then her brother high degree of sensitivity (and “washed out" through the “revolutionary" ideology 3. difference from the classical literati music discussed here. The court music was made by joined the army, and her aunt died. Times changed, and her beauty “professional musicians" whose lives and careers very much depended on the personal faded. Her patrons wandered off, went elsewhere, And the carriages at inner power) to evoke the As well, the influence of modern pop culture since the interest of their patrons, the emperors. Those musicians (many of whom were great her door got fewer and fewer, Till finally she had to lower herself to masters in history and made great contributions to the music culture of China) were marry a tea dealer ..." subtle sonorities and deep 1980s has had a negative impact on the popularity of appointed as music officers of the court, and had a certain degree of privilege in society emotional expression that rely classical music performances. but never enjoyed the same freedom as the scholars who played music but were not 3 With the establishment of People's Republic of China in 1949, the 1950s may be relying on it for a living. The court music was often performed in ensembles or even big considered the best period for traditional classical music in China. This type of music very much on the left hand orchestras, often in association with dance and ceremonial performances (whereas the could then reach the general public through radios, records, and live performances of techniques (such as sliding, classical literati music discussed here was mainly played solo, and associated with private master musicians who were sponsored by the government. The attitude of the society occasions). The concept of the concert hall in the present sense did not exist before the toward performing artists has dramatically changed ever since. Masters of classical music bending, pushing or crossing end of the last dynasty (beginning of the last century). Public places for music making no longer consider it a shame to perform in public and make a living from live of the strings to produce were often associated with tea houses, restaurants etc. Classical types of music were often performance. They were proud to be “people's artists" and to perform for the people. This is a famous painting performed in private settings such as palaces or private houses. Indeed, there seemed to be a revival of traditional music before the disastrous movement “Listen to the Qin" by typical singing effects and of the “Cultural Revolution". The destruction of traditional values and the spiritual side extreme dynamic ranges), where 2 The most miserable were the “professional musicians" in the entertainment industry, of the traditional music through the overwhelming propaganda of the “revolutionary" the Emperor Huizong where musicians were either geishas (maybe little better than the situation of prostitutes) ideology during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76) has led to several consequences as far (1082~1135)of the synchronized ensemble playing or slaves (who could be sold by the owner, or presented as gift), and therefore among as music playing is concerned, particularly for those who grew up during that pathetic Song Dynasty, one of is virtually impossible without the lowest social status. It is inconceivable how it came that people enjoyed their arts, period. For instance, one of the most obvious consequences is that the pursuit for the greatist artists but not show respect to the performing artists; indeed it was a shame in human history! spiritual elevation has quite often been replaced by the pursuit for technical perfection losing certain subtlety. This type In fact, even business people were considered among the lowest in social status (which (often narrowly understood as the ability for fast and precise playing). Needless to say, in Chinese history. was one of the important factors that prevented China from developing fast economically masterpieces from the traditional repertoire require more than just technique to deliver of music has come down to us as in the past; so was also the fate with music development!). An example of this can be in a way to touch the soul of listeners; even the techniques for some traditional pieces an oral tradition from masters to students, although found in the famous Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi's “pipa song" (772-846 AD) describing might be superficially regarded as being too “simple" to be of interest by some players, a geisha he met during his exile: particularly for those who consider music making as “show-business". Therefore, “If the written scores that combine numbers and symbols audience is not moved by the music, particularly if it is a masterpiece from the guqin representing pitch and finger techniques respectively “ .... For every song she received endless bolts of silk. She sang, she core repertoire, it is usually the player's fault and not the listener's ", so said Prof. Li The above is a painting from the “Five Dynasty” (907-960 AD) beat time, all through the day, She danced till her head gear fell to the Xiangting, internationally-renowned Chinese guqin master. This is very true for the have been in use for nearly two thousand years. For floor. Wine spilled, skirts stained, Delicacies rivaled gaieties. Day after masterpieces for all kinds of traditional instruments. instance, the earliest scores for guqin we still have depicting pipa playing today were from the third century. However it is almost impossible to play directly from the score hile the classical tradition was more associated Available CDs at www.philmultic.com without first having learnt from a master. with elite society throughout Chinese history, the resources for folk traditions are many and varied. In traditional China, most well–educated people and Apart from the Han Chinese, there are many ethnic minorities monks (intelligentsia) could play classical music as a Wliving in every corner of China, each with their own means of self-cultivation, meditation, soul purifica- traditional folk music. Unlike classical music, folk traditions tion and spiritual elevation, union with nature, are often vocal (such as love songs and story telling etc), or identification with the values of past sages, and for instrumental ensembles (such as the “silk and bamboo” communication with divine beings or with friends and ensembles, and music for folk dances, and regional operas). Soul of pipa I Soul of pipa II Soul of pipa III Guzheng solo (2001) (2003) (2006) album (2005)