To audiences of the many chinese ballads, plays, and films based on the story, the tragic ending offers proof that equality and happiness can only be. Butterfly by kathryn harvey, barbara wood, paperback. The two had been studying together, with zhu yingtai. It is a tragic story of a pair of young lovers which is regarded as the chinese equivalent of shakespeares romeo and juliet. The butterfly lovers violin concerto, along with the yellow river piano concerto, is one of the most famous. Russianisraeli virtuoso maxim vengerov performing the chinese butterfly lovers concerto live with conductor yu long and the shanghai symphony orchestra. The butterfly lovers was written by he zhanhao and chen gang in 1959 while they were students of the shanghai conservatory. Many authors use leanpub to publish their books inprogress, while they are writing them. The butterfly lovers violin concerto 50th anniversary special. I have to say that this book went beyond my expectations. These are two passionate pieces of music beautifully performed. Butterfly lover is a chinese version of romeo and juliet.
The butterfly lovers, by chen gang and he zhanhao started life as a violin concerto, and it has to be admitted that it sounds best in its original form. Let us enjoy reading this chinese story of butterfly lovers. The butterfly lovers violin concerto was written primarily by two chinese composers, he zhanhao, born 1933 and chen gang. The butterfly lovers as a piano concerto classics today. The same can be said of anything gil shaham decides to set down.
The butterfly lovers violin concerto 50th anniversary. This concerto has won international acknowledgment for its graceful rhythm, vivid color, popular understandability and vivid national style and characteristics. This is an arrangement for clarinet in a and piano of a famous chinese song from shaoxing opera. This is a presentation on the butterfly lovers concerto. As the legend goes, the butterflies were initially humans, one is named zhu yingtai and another is called liang shanbo. Butterfly lovers concerto for violin and piano by chen gang and he zhenhao is one of the most popular violin concertos from china. Butterfly lovers concerto sheet music, music books. The butterfly lovers violin concerto is a work created by composers he zhanhao and chen gang in 1958 when they attended the shanghai conservatory of music. Butterfly lovers concerto sheet music for piano, cello. Liang zhu, also known as butterfly lovers, is a tragic love folktale thats. It is an orchestral adaptation of an ancient legend, the butterfly lovers. The butterfly lovers violin concerto is written in traditional 5note technique, it uses many chinese melodies, chord structures and patterns.
The story was selected as one of chinas four great folktales by the folklore movement in the 1920sthe others being the legend of the white snake, lady meng jiang, and the cowherd and the weaving maid. Six cities in china have collaborated in 2004 on a formal application for the. Original music composed by he zhenhao and chen gang in 1959. Interpretation and expressive imagery in the butterfly lovers violin. Two composers and the story of the violin concerto. Musically, the concerto is a synthesis of the eastern and western traditions although the melodies and overall style are derived from the opera of shanghai.
The butterfly lovers violin concerto china online museum. In 7 movements, it features themes from a chinese opera by the same name, as well as traditional folk tunes. Print and download in pdf or midi butterfly lovers concerto new. Butterfly lovers violin concerto the breiner, p songs and dances from the silk road takako nishizaki, judd by peter breiner, gang chen, zhanhao he. Its in celebration of my universitys modern classical languages festival. The story also inspired the production of butterfly lovers violin concerto, or liang zhu violin concerto as known in chinese, a work for violin and orchestra. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The book establishes the legendary story behind the butterfly lovers in philosophic.
The butterfly lovers violin concerto sheet music from. Concerto for violin tchaikovsky naxos music library. The butterfly lovers concerto is a programmatic musical work based on the ancient chinese legend of liang shanbo and zhu yingtai, also known as the legend of liangzhu. All readers get free updates, regardless of when they bought the book or how much they paid including free. The main charactersliang shanbo and zhu yingtai were in love with each other, but due to a big gap between the. A love story about a pair of white butterflies is one of the most enduring chinese legends that has been told for hundreds, probably thousands, of years in china. This book wasnt bad, but it was long and took me a while to get into. The butterfly lovers violin concerto was written in 1959 by chen gang and he zhanhao while they were students at the shanghai conservatory and was first performed in may the following year. The butterfly lovers is a chinese legend of a tragic love story of a pair of lovers, liang shanbo. The tchaikovsky violin concerto is also beautifully played. To audiences of the many chinese ballads, plays, and films based on the story, the tragic ending offers proof that equality and happiness can only be achieved in a china freed from the traditional family system. With elva hsiao, rene liu, jacky tsunghsien wu, chienchun hsu. I wasnt sure a book could measure up to the praise id seen.
The butterfly lovers tells the story of a legend popular in southern part of china. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. If you buy a leanpub book, you get free updates for as long as the author updates the book. Musically the concerto is a synthesis of eastern and western traditions. The butterfly lovers story in china and korea oapen. Butterfly loversliang shanbo and zhu yingtai, which is known as the oriental romeo and juliet. The butterfly lovers violin concerto the world of chinese magazine. Butterfly lovers essentially is a freeform single movement violin concerto. The cd is physically perfect, as far as these old ears can tell, anyway. The butterfly lovers concerto wafted out of my car window one afternoon, pulling me gently into the particular joy one experiences when coming upon something unexpected and totally beautiful.
Hailed at its premiere as a breakthrough in chinas symphonic the butterfly lovers concerto for violin tchaikovsky violin concerto by ken smith any musical premiere is fraught with tension, but the showcase of student compositions in shanghai on 27 may 1959 was especially so. The reference violinist for the lovely butterfly lovers concerto has to this point been takako nishizaki, who has recorded it a number of times on naxos and affiliated labels. I mean, the piano literature has its share of butterflies, but if youve got a violin you might as well use it, right. The story of the legend of liang zhu is as follows. I was very happy that this information, along with the story of the butterfly lovers, was. Its serendipitous, thats for sure, and this recording sent. The butterfly lovers violin concerto violini i 1st. The narrative, derived from chinese folklore, tells the story of the lovers liang shanbo and zhu yingtai. It was one of a number of books i bought with the intention of exposing my kids to some of the local folktales. The butterfly lovers violin concerto 50th anniversary special edition.
The lateimperial legend of liang shanbo and zhu yingtai, the butterfly loversa story as central to chinese culture as shakespeares romeo and juliet is to western culturealso relates a tale of two lovers help apart by social strictures. Zhu yingtai, the only daughter of a wealthy family in zhejiang. Since women were not allowed to attend school, she begged her family to let her. Unfortunately she lived at a time when girls were expected to stay at home, marry the man that their father chose for them, and be obedient and quiet. For this sunday, i decided to share this chinese folktale called the butterfly lovers because well, its valentines. This book is about a young woman who want to go to school but during that time period woman arent allow to go to school. The topic of this dma document is the butterfly lovers violin concerto.
I found the stories about the women who went to butterfly however, didnt really add anything to the storyline and were a bit of a distraction. The main storyline was actually an interesting tale of revenge and could have stood alone. Butterfly lovers is a 2007 chinese television series starring peter ho and dong jie. The butterfly lovers violin concerto simplified chinese. Liang zhu all about the butterfly lovers the story, the violin. Written for the western style orchestra, it features a solo violin played using some chinese techniques. The solo violin of the concerto is symbolic of zhu yingtai, the storys protagonist, and the cello part is symbolic of liang shanbo, her lover. So she dress up as a man and went to a male school. The butterfly lovers violin concerto was written in 1958 by he zhanhao and chen gang while they were students at the shanghai conservatory and was first performed in may the following year.
Like many of you, i enjoy the classicalconcerto pieces of the butterfly lovers but i challenge all who have not watched the musical movie by shaw brothers of the butterfly lovers dated back in the late 60s. I bought this book at a local beijing bookstore a few months back. The yellow river piano concerto takako nishizaki, chengzong yin, kenneth jean, adrian leaper on allmusic. From new york times bestselling author kathryn harvey comes an arousing, passionate story of three womens hidden desires and the place called butterfly, where dreams are kept and where fantasies come to life above an exclusive mens store on rodeo drive there is a private club called butterfly, where women are free to act out their secret.
I was enraptured and captivated by this haunting masterpiece. Complete the butterfly lovers violin concerto, violini i 1st violins part only. Directed by li han hsiang, a very renounced director. Transcribed by yungchiao wei a monograph submitted to the graduate faculty of the louisiana state university and agricultural and mechanical college in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of musical arts in. The story also inspired the production of butterfly lovers violin concerto, or liang zhu violin concerto as. Long ago in china, at a time when girls were expected to stay at home and learn household work while the boys went to school, a girl named zhu conceived a desire to study. Butterfly lovers, is a similar but more dramatic story with characters from. Zhu yingtai was a girl born into an upperclass family during chinas eastern jin dynasty. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing butterfly lovers near you. The university of wyoming symphony orchestra uwso will close the spring concert series with a performance of the hugely popular butterfly lovers concerto thursday, may 1, at 7. Recorded live on september 2nd, 2015 at the teatro colon in buenos aires. Print and download in pdf or midi the butterfly lovers violin concerto. The butterfly lovers is a chinese legend of a tragic love story of a pair of lovers, liang shanbo and zhu yingtai, whose names form the title of the story.
Buy the butterfly lovers violin concerto by gang chen, huichang yan, jianer zhu, zhanhao he, fan chengwu, shanghai conservatory symphony orchestra, takako nishizaki from amazons classical music store. Originally written for violin and symphony orchestra, i arranged this piece for cello. Storyline the butterfly lovers 2004 is an animated retelling of the classical chinese story of two lovers, liang shanbo and zhu yingtai. The history behind the butterfly lovers concerto and the imprisonment of its composers is important for all to know. Butterfly lovers violin concerto local business facebook. The butterfly lovers 2004 is an animated retelling of the classical chinese story of two lovers, liang shanbo and zhu yingtai. New to youtube maxim vengerov butterfly lovers violin. A cip catalog record for this book is available from the british library. Gang chen zhanhao he the butterfly lovers violin concerto. Interpretation and expressive imagery in the butterfly. Work title butterfly lovers violin concerto alt ernative. Printable version of the butterfly lovers 1 page, pdf file once upon a time in china, long ago, there lived a young girl who dreamed of learning. It is also one of the few chinese pieces that have often appeared on the international stage.
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