Romer String Quartet - Vantage Music

Music journal with a different perspective

January 2016 Vol. 1 No. 2

vantagemusic.org

HK Duo recital Hui Ling & Julie Kuok

“It is all about music collaboration, having fun, sharing sadness and joy together.”

Romer String Quartet On becoming musicians UK£ 2.00 | HK$20.00

ISSN 2413-7022

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897071

770026

Contents

5 Message from the Editorial Board 8 Concerts you have missed 10 Cover Story:Romer String Quartet 15 Music Matters 16 HK Duo: Journey of Romance 20 Bastian Brook’s Bookish Corner 22 Performance Practice 26 Young Musicians Series 2015

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JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2 | Vantage

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Opus

Presented by Vantage Music Limited

Message from the Editorial Board

Medtner Weill Recital Hall | Carnegie Hall

February 9, 2016 | 8 PM

Tickets: $30, $35 | carnegiehall.org CarnegieCharge 212-247-7800 Box Office at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue

H

appy New Year to our dear Vantage readers! We wish you and your family a healthy, prosperous and successful year ahead!

We thank you for your kind support over the release of the inaugural issue. Printed copies of the magazine reached as far as London! We are all encouraged by the positive feedbacks on promoting musicians in Asia. We highly recommend interested readers to subscribe to our email distribution list (http://www.vantagemusic.org/contact.html) to keep updated about our events. In this second issue, we have a cover story on Romer String Quartet and also a feature on HK Duo’s upcoming concert in January. They are two of the most active chamber groups in Hong Kong. In April we welcome back the uniquely charismatic pianist Chiyan Wong, who will be playing the Prokofiev 2nd concerto in Singapore on the 1st of April and then two short recitals in Hong Kong for the Musica Del Cuore series at Citibank and the Celeste Series at All Saints Cathedral. Also in April the Young Musicians Series will host a concert for the complete Op. 10 Chopin Studies, with a masterclass on the studies by the renowned Chiao-Ying Chang. Concerts aside, we are most pleased to have Olivia Sham here as a special correspondent to introduce the intriguing and provocative idea of “creative resistance,” a mindset that turns seemingly awkward fingerings and bowings or other restrictions into a kind of interpretative aid. The idea has been circulating among the research community at the Royal Academy of Music for some time. We hope the reader will find it equally fascinating. In our inaugural issue, we stated that part of our objectives as a magazine is to facilitate the all-round education of a musician. In line with that, we are setting up a scheme for students to submit articles for publication in the magazine. Details can be found on page 30. Editor: Stephen Hung | Managing Editors: Cindy Ho, Sheung Lee

Romer String Quartet Program FAURÉ Piano Quintet No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 89 MEDTNER Piano Quintet in C Major

Editorial enquiries: Vantage Music Limited, G.P.O. Box 12361, Central, Hong Kong | [email protected] General enquiries: [email protected] Publisher and production management: Vantage Music Limited | ISSN: 2413-7022

Cindy Ho

Vantage is published every four months. We consider articles and letters submitted for publication but we may not acknowledge or return unsolicited materials. Concert programmes advertised here are subject to changes without notice. Opinions and views expressed by individual writers are not necessarily those of the editors nor the publisher. Image credits: Front cover: Jacky Chee for Romer String Quartet’s image Photos & images under public licence: “Berklee College of Music Ensemble Building” by Tim Pierce - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons | “Bookshelf ” by Stewart Butterfield - flickr. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons | “Hong Kong Museum of Art 201108” by WiNG - Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Commons | “Josef Danhauser Liszt am Flügel 1840 02” by Josef Danhauser - Own work, 2012. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons | “Bechstein 576 Grand piano (Franz Liszt) - Wooden frame 2” by Annaivanova - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Rest of the photos in the magazine: Andy Bien, James Ho, Jimmy Li, Kurt Chan, Martin Lee, Vantage Music Limited & Young Musicians Series (YMS) © 2015-16 by Vantage Music Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher. JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2 | Vantage

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Concerts You Have Missed being watered-down, ironed-out, made to be exact clones of some nominal sample of assured quality. There was a similar sense of looking back when Mikhail Pletnev last came to Hong Kong for a recital. The range of sounds he managed to get from his Shigeru Kawai was simply fascinating; it felt like he was playing an 18th century fortepiano rather than a modern piano.

the Carmen Fantasy on flute and Portuguese pianist Vasco Dantas playing the Liszt 1st piano concerto under the baton of Choi Sown-Le. Mr. Dantas then entertained the audience with some delightful encores, including a very nice transcription of the Harry Potter film score.

Presented by Hong Kong Piano Music Association: Jeux d’eau Deborah Lee Piano Recital, 14th October 2015 City Hall Theatre Opus Medtner, 3rd & 23rd November 2015 Cindy Ho, piano | Romer String Quartet The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Tsang Shiu Tim Art Hall*

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he Medtner series recommenced on November the 3rd, with the epic 3rd violin sonata paired with York Bowen’s 1st viola sonata, played by Kitty Cheung and Ringo Chan respectively, and with Cindy Ho on the piano. Quite needless to say, the Medtner was wonderful, with its wondrously wonderful cantabile writing; so deep, so intense. Bowen was very typically English, especially the second movement. It really is quite curious why his works are so rarely played, but there was a good turnout for the concert, so hats-off to the brave organizers for giving this music a chance. Having gone through all three of Medtner’s violin sonatas, the last concert was for his piano quintet. On this occasion, Ms. Ho was joined by the Romer String Quartet, and they complemented the Medtner with Faure’s 1st Piano Quintet in D minor. Medtner’s piano quintet is much smaller in scale, compared to his violin sonatas. It is also much simpler, and perhaps even more effective. Such warm music would have been so much more treasurable had the weather been more like a proper winter.

Four-Hands Piano Recital, 10th October 2015 Elena Chiu and Albert Lau All Saints’ Cathedral

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edtner mania aside, this unusually hot weather also brought along some intriguing concerts. Granted, the piano at All Saints’ Cathedral has certain eccentricities, as any old piano would do. However, under the hands of Ms. Chiu and Mr. Lau it worked its magic, especially in the little Brahms Waltzes. The sound was different. It did not have the smoothness of a modern concert grand, but what it had was difficult to put into words; a sort of fragile dignity. It was as if we were listening to a music box or one of those early 20th century wax cylinder recordings—not the most refined experience but one that is oddly pleasing. Perhaps most crucially it was the illusion of being transported back in time, to an era where each thing had its own uniqueness instead of

An Evening of Concerti, 4th November 2015 City Hall Concert Hall

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s. Lee’s playing was also reminiscent of the past, albeit a less distant one. Her passage work was so crystal clear, not only did it resemble drops of water, but also recalls the sound world of piano roll recordings. Unlike acoustic recordings, piano rolls record the action of a piano when played by a performer and reproduce it on another piano. These recordings often have a scintillating definition in its attacks, such as the Ignaz Friedman recording of the La campanella available on YouTube. The programme was thoughtfully put together, with a selection of watery pieces ranging from less heard pieces (Au lac de Wallenstadt by Liszt, Poems of the Sea by Bloch) to favourites such as Ravel’s Ondine, Schubert/Liszt’s Die Forelle, and the two Jeux d’eau by Liszt and Ravel.

Classical Music in a Classic Building 19th November 2015 Euna Kim, violin | Andrew Ling, viola | Evelyn Chang, piano The Helena May

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his was another thoughtfully arranged programme, mainly of light music (such as Shostakovich’s film scores transcribed for two violins and piano), though by no means superficial. (Indeed who would dare call Mozart’s Violin-Viola duos superficial?) The setting at the Helena May was most welcoming. The acoustic was decent, lighting was gentle, the space close enough to be audience friendly but not so close that the music seems imposing. All in all a most suitable occasion for a relaxing night of chamber music on a weekday evening. This series, with the next edition scheduled in February 2016, should prove to be quite a fixture of HK’s musical scene.

On the fourth of November, the Hong Kong Piano Music Association presented another concert with various artists from abroad, most notably with Fernando Francassi playing

Giovanni Ruscello Email: [email protected]

* Highlights of the Opus Medtner concerts are available on Vantage Music’s YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/VML2015

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not represent those of Vantage.

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Named after Hong Kong’s endemic Romer’s Tree Frog, but unlike the amphibian, the Romer String Quartet is never bound by the city. Instead, it is gaining global presence.

Romer String Quartet On Becoming Musicians

R

omer String Quartet [Romer] is one of the most active chamber groups in Hong Kong. They

are extremely pleasant to work with – professional, artistic, diligent, fun and creative. Although I have been involved in other chamber music concerts with individual members of Romer since 2008, I was thrilled with the formation of the quartet in 2012 – that meant an opportunity for us to venture into the world of piano quintets!

an orchestra. Violin then became part of her life very early on and her post-school activities included 3 to 4 hours of practice per day (counted down using a kitchen timer). Her mother would monitor her playing and yell aloud whenever she was out of tune. There was not much negotiation with parents on music practice – she had to do that no matter what. It might sound extraordinary, but she did it anyway. However, she got tremendous joy from learning together with the other young

The members of Romer wear multiple hats. On any given time of the day, they could be performing or rehearsing as members of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, teaching as independent music educators or exploring entirely new quartet repertoire together. Despite having worked together on several occasions, I have never had the luxury to get to know them better besides our musical endeavours. Seizing the opportunity for a cover story for Vantage thus seemed very appealing. Eventually we managed to arrange a get-together luncheon to hear about their stories. In my generation, it would take much courage and support to make a career out of music, be that a teacher or a performer. It certainly would not have been a mainstream choice from the perspective of parents. I wondered how they became professional musicians:

When They Were Young

K

being “sociable” – violinists could play with others in

itty began to learn music when she was 4 yearsold. Her parents let her try piano initially but then

realised that her hands were too small for the keyboard. Violin came to their mind with an extra benefit of it


string players at Yip’s Children’s Choral & Performing Arts Centre [Yip’s] and long-lasting friendships started developing.

Romer String Quartet’s significant milestones

Kiann, the youngest Romer member among the four,

Performance at Carnegie Hall, presented by Vantage Music

started off learning singing at Yip’s and also played the

Feb 2016

Performance at the University of Hong Kong - “HKU MUSE My University Spotlight Encounters”

Oct 2015

piano. While participating at one of Yip’s student concerts, she saw Kitty play the violin and immediately became attracted to the instrument. She then asked her parents to enrol her into a beginner’s violin class, but the course had already started 6-month ago. Catching up with the classmates was hard. Her mother often reminded her that it was her own decision to take these classes, a fact that seemed to revitalize her spirits and keep her going. Kiann was very disciplined and was able to comfortably find

with the composer Krzysztof Penderecki, co-presented by Hong Kong Sinfonietta Performance at City Hall - “Our Music Talents Series,” presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services

Jul 2015

Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government Ensemble-in-Residence, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Sep 2014 - May 2015

Beijing debut

May 2014

Ensemble-in-Residence, Hong Kong New Music Ensemble’s “Modern Academy”

Jan 2014

Malaysia debut

Dec 2013

Shanghai debut

Jul 2013

Debut Medtner Quintet with Cindy Ho at City Hall Foyer - “Good Music this Lunch,” presented by

Jun 2013

Hong Kong Sinfonietta

an hour of daily practice each for

Macau & Hong Kong debut

Feb 2013

both the violin and the piano even

Romer String Quartet founded

Aug 2012

during the secondary school years. Ringo’s reasons for choosing his music instrument were somewhat different. His mother made him play the violin as an alternative to watching cartoons on the television. Driven by the desire for leisure (e.g. TV), he tried to JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2 | Vantage

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Music with Romer String Quartet

I

have had the privilege to perform with Romer on stage on a few occasions. They all have different

personalities and that made working with them good fun. By and large, the rehearsal sessions were smooth, but sometimes they could become quite

be as efficient as possible in completing his

dramatic. Given how complicated the relationship

homework and his music practice along

between a couple can be, sustaining a long-term

the principles of “no mistakes means no

relationship between four people is even more

corrections which means less homework” and

complex, and so their work relationship cannot

“better sight reading means less practice.” I

be smooth all the time. There were times when I

now understand why his sight reading is so

see them discuss heatedly among themselves, with

good. He subsequently came across the viola

conflicting opinions on interpretation and other

at the Hong Kong Baptist University as a 2nd

performance aspects, over a certain part of the piece.

study instrument. Violists were in short supply then and he gradually received more attention

The whole session could be brought to a halt. But

playing the viola in orchestras and chamber

I was even more amazed by how swiftly they came

groups.

back together again as a whole, and it felt like all arguments were resolved, and we moved onwards.

Eric’s earliest exposure to the string family

Moreover, they respect each others’ professionalism

was the violin. He was brought along with

and influence their own behaviours. For instance,

his cousins to attend violin lessons but was later persuaded by the teacher to switch to the cello since he had relatively big hands. (He realized only recently that he enjoyed listening to the cello maestro János Starker’s recordings prior to learning any music!) His father had wanted him to be a policeman and at times seemed indifferent to Eric’s cello studies, but that didn’t stop him from connecting with friends in orchestras and music classes. Subsequently, he decided to pursue his undergraduate studies at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Motivation

I

can see they share something in common that made them so committed to music.

First of all, they truly enjoy making music. For young music learners, graded examinations and competitions are often considered as incentives of the learning process – a definite goal. Although the members of Romer had also worked hard to prepare for these, their mentality is not bound by a set goal or a set target (e.g. Grade 8 distinction). Rather than concrete results, they look for constant improvements. 12 Vantage | JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2

Eric used to thoroughly prepare his part before Each day has to be better than the previous one. There

Ringo learned from photocopies, and they were often

going to rehearsals, and he was dissatisfied that

are only a certain number of graded examinations and

made without the title or the name of the composer, so he

competitions (often restricted by age) that a student can

would unknowingly learn pieces such as Lalo’s Symphonie

the other Romer members came to the session not

enter. To embark on a life-long music career, success in

Espagnole.

having prepared. But now he sees the benefit of such seemingly irresponsible act – by learning a

examinations and/or competitions would be nice to have,

piece afresh ALL together, it could actually save time

but somehow along the way, these external incentives have

String players can often make friends through orchestras.

to be transformed into something internal, such as the drive

These friendships create a virtuous cycle – the players

for self-improvement.

make new friends at orchestra, then they go home and

to all members. Otherwise, if they all prepare their

look forward to the next rehearsal to meet the friends, and

parts individually and come to rehearsals with a

Their teachers also played a great role. They were respected

whilst they look forward to a rehearsal they practise, having

preconceived idea, it would be much harder to reach

and trusted. Eric was going to apply for a music degree at

practised they sound good, the orchestra sounds good, the

the University of Hong Kong, but took the advice from his

concert a success, they join more orchestras and make more

a consensus. To me, it is quite extraordinary that

teacher and pursued the performance path at the Academy

friends etc. Friendships made through music is different.

for Performing Arts instead. Certain strategies used by

It doesn’t matter whether they are performing with the HK

the teachers in those days proved to be very effective. For

Sinfonietta or as Romer String Quartet; it is all about music

example, the teachers helped them over-learn the level

collaboration, having fun, sharing sadness and joy together.

and effort in reaching an interpretation agreeable

while being orchestral players and educators at the same time, they are so committed to the quartet and to performing good music together.

required by a specific graded examination, thus when it came to the actual assessment, they were more than well-

None of them actually set out to become a professional

prepared technically. The teachers would also get them

musician from the start. As Kitty said, it was never about

to learn challenging pieces without saying how difficult

the goal. Maybe it was the music that gave them the drive to

they actually are. Kitty didn’t think practising 3-4 hours

keep moving forward.

a day was tiring because she was used to spending half a day at Yip’s during weekends playing music non-stop.

Interview by Cindy Ho JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2 | Vantage

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Music Matters

A l bum R ele ase

When pianist Alex Ho, bass player Tsang Tak Hong and drummer Ian Chang make music together, the best description is “soundscapism” - a landscape of sound created by layers of tone colour, the result of the spontaneity and creativity of the trio. With influences from jazz, rock, RnB, pop and experimental music, it features the distinctive flavours and personalities brought to the group by each member due to their varied musical (and geographical) backgrounds. 14 Vantage | JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2

Introduction to the Music Business Taught by John P. Kellogg Berklee College of Music Available for FREE to study at edX (www.edx.org)

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his free Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) presents an introduction of the music business industry in the US. John P. Kellogg, Esq., the course instructor and a vocalist-turned-attorney, now teaches at Berklee College of Music in Boston, US. He specialises in the entertainment industry and has represented renowned recording artists such as The O’Jays and Eddie Levert. It makes the course particularly interesting when a practitioner speaks of his own first hand experience.

While an artist focuses on composing and/or performing music, he or she may need other professionals to assist on other matters. These include artistic managers, concert agents and legal professionals. Other types of personnel may be involved in other situations, such as during concert tours. The fourth lesson is devoted to questions related to what roles they perform, how do they get compensated and what would be the terms and conditions for the engagement.

The whole course comprises six lessons and within each, there are subtopics with accompanied lecture videos and quizzes. The first lesson recounts the development of the music industry since the beginning of the 20th century. Besides advances in audio recording, broadcasting and distribution technologies, various socio-economic and political factors have also contributed to the status quo.

In some circumstances, it may be beneficial for an artist or a music group to set up a legal entity, e.g. sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited liability company etc., instead of dealing with different parties on his or her own personally. Each of these entities has its own merits and disadvantages. In the fifth lesson, the course instructor briefly discusses this particular subject.

The rest of the five lessons concentrate on matters closely related to the artists.

This MOOC is available on the edX.org platform for free or with a small fee for a verified certificate upon course completion. Although the materials and examples are US oriented, especially the legal aspects of music, the course does offer a glimpse into the complexity of one of the biggest markets for the global music business industry. Interested readers or artists may find that a useful reference to the related issues for their respective countries.

Two separate lessons, the second and the sixth, address the typical contractual relationship between an artist and external parties such as record labels and concert organisers/promoters. Provisions specified in a contract certainly influence how the artist would be compensated for his or her labour when engaged in live performances and studio recordings. However, modern day contracts could carry so much legal phrases that they become indecipherable for the artists. The course instructor draws special attention to some key terms like royalties, advances and other special deal conditions such as exclusivity.

For more details, please visit www.vantagemusic.org

Kelly Kim Email: [email protected]

An artist’s creative activities may well result in new intellectual properties of a certain market value. The third lesson gives an account of the different types of copyrights, why they are important and how they may arise. The instructor also illustrates with vivid examples of music copyright infringements and resolutions from a legal perspective.


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With HK Duo’s forthcoming concert, Vantage has invited the long-term two- piano chamber partners for an interview.

“[The] musical understanding, communicative power and union in thoughts are astonishing.......not merely a piano duo performance but an interpretation

How long have you been performing as a duo together? What keeps that working for such a long time?

with rich orchestral color.” -Tina Fu from the International Association of Theatre Critic

HK Duo

HL

We formed our duo in 2000. Our relationship

working together they have to be well balanced and

is based on passion for music and challenge,

synchronized, each one is independent but at the same

but most importantly, it is based on trust.

time they rely on each other in order to move on. Deep down you know they will never fail you if you have a

Playing two-piano music by memory is quite challenging.

tough road ahead. You won’t throw them away because

Because not only you need to memorize your own part,

you had gone through a lot with them, lots of experiences

you need to memorize your partner’s music too. And

and memories. So you would put them in a very special

it’s very dangerous—if you make a mistake on stage your

place in your shoe cabinet.

partner might fall apart too because when you input the music into your head, the memory of the sound was from two pianos, so if one of us plays any note wrong we would feel it right away. So trust is very important.

JK

O what an impressive imagery! I am touched and feel lucky and honored. Hui Ling has

amazing thoughts that always keep me interested. I guess to be interesting and creative is also what makes a team

www.hkduo.com

“Four hands destined to meet. Amity achieved by the two

of Hong Kong performing the concerto for two pianos by

as a team. Occasional contrasts brought surprising heat. An

Mozart. The multi-media concert named “Duo & Duologue

earnest challenge to amuse as it seems.” The Beijing born

- In memory of Nadia Boulanger,” interacting music with

Hui Ling met Hong Kong born Julie Kuok at the Hong

drama and dance, marked an innovative breakthrough

Kong Academy for Performing Arts where they formed the

in the performing history of the duo. In carrying out

“HKDuo”in 2000. “HK” is also the combination of their last

It feels like a pair of old shoes: comfortable, when they’re

grow.

“Their performances have won huge acclaim from casual listeners and critical musicians for their power and sensitivity as well as their exceptional unity of musical purpose” - The Munster Express What was the most enjoyable moment for the duo?

HL

For me the most enjoyable moment must

The piece started with Hui Ling playing solo representing

be taken on stage. It happens when we are

Nadia Boulanger (Jenny Lee). Lily Boulanger (Amy Tam)

listening to each other and this concentration of listening

was then represented by my solo. The sisters walked

their social responsibilities, they had given charity recitals

creates a certain power that you could feel the audience is

towards Hui Ling while Hui Ling joined me on my side.

names. The contrasting personalities give a colorful mix of

raising funds for the Association Concerning Sexual

totally with you. At this moment I know I have served my

The Boulanger sisters then sat on the other side of the

tones in their interpretations of classical music, jazz, and

Violence Against Women. Performances abroad include

duty as a pure messenger between the composer and the

piano ready to play music for eight hands. Of course, I

their own compositions and transcriptions. These include

the Waterford Arts Festival in Ireland, the Grand Asian

audience.

only gave a few simple tunes for the actresses to enjoy

Stravinsky’s “Firebird” and Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet”

Piano Concerts held in Korea and Malaysia, the Shanghai

arranged by Hui Ling, and “Nocturne” and “Image- the

Spring International Music Festival, the 2nd Yichang,

Reflection of Don Juan” by Julie Kuok.

China Yangtze River Piano Music Festival and recitals and

JK

masterclasses in the music schools in Xiamen and Taiwan. The HKDuo had been Artists-in-Residence at RTHK Radio 4 and participated in the concert series organized by the

In 2010, the HKDuo released their first CD “In a glimpse,”

Hong Kong government celebrating the 40th Anniversary

an album of original compositions and arrangements of

of the City Hall and the 150th Anniversary of Debussy. They

masterpieces by the duo themselves.

had also collaborated with the City Chamber Orchestra


themselves. Then they danced for the rest of the music. For me, playing in the multi-media concert held

The whole thing was very different from any other

in 2008 “Duo & Duologue - In memory of Nadia

concerts we played. Our concentration started right from

Boulanger” was unforgettable. This is a performance

the moment we stepped on the stage. Every move had to

integrated with drama and dance with special lightings.

be artistic. We also kept ourselves well poised once the

We collaborated with two actresses taking the role of two

music stopped while the drama was on. So we had extra

French musicians, the Boulanger sisters. I particularly

things to memorize apart from the music. It was a very

composed a piece to match a scene expressing the

exciting and challenging experience. I enjoyed having a bit

harmonious bond between the Boulanger sisters. It is

of acting and playing at the same time and would love to

based on a theme written by Nadia Boulanger. My ballet

try dancing and playing with Hui Ling at the piano some

teacher, Stephen Xavier, choreographed the work.

day! JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2 | Vantage

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Can you tell us something about the pieces you will be playing in the January concert?

HL

I chose this set of pieces at different stages. About 2 years ago, I saw a video recording of a piano solo

JK

Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture is originally an orchestral piece. It depicts a blood feud

version of Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture

between two families from which Romeo and Juliet fall in love.

arranged by Emil Naoumoff. His playing inspired me to search

We hear conflicts, love, death and re-union of the two souls in

if there is a two-piano version and later I found two of them

the music. It was faithfully arranged by Klindworth. Playing

online. We tried both of them and chose the one by Klindworth.

such works on pianos is often problematic. For example, it is difficult to create the same kind of tone colour on the piano and

Last year, I found the score for The Butterfly Lovers for two

thus it seems that we need to find something else to compensate

pianos at our annual book fare. CD was included. This was

the limited instrumental colour. Also, it is impossible for us

published in 2013 and arranged by the composer himself, so I

to follow the tempo the way the orchestra takes. A string or a

was very curious as to how this piece would sound on piano.

woodwind player can sustain one single note with different

And I remember both Julie and I cried the first time when we

dynamics to create direction and feeling. However, the piano

were listening to it in different places. I think I might cry on

tone decays once it is struck. So we need to find ways to establish

stage when I perform it, sometimes it’s quite emotional and

a convincing interpretation on the pianos that can stand on its

overwhelming.

own right. It is then a re-creation of music on a new medium. Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess is originally an opera in English.

I never liked the two-piano version of Gershwin’s Porgy and

Percy Grainger had excerpted some of the best songs from the

Bess. I always thought it was very noisy. I only thought of

opera and turned them into a medley for two pianos. So after

putting it into this programme to add more colour and variety.

hearing so much drama from the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy

But after practising and rehearsing, it’s a different story. So this

Overture, the audience can relax a bit before listening to the

tells me, don’t judge anything until you become it.

Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet, The Butterfly Lovers by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang. This is originally a violin concerto

Love and death are eternal themes. These 3 pieces are all about

that has been deeply rooted in the heart of all Chinese. Chen

love tragedies from different times and places, different genres

Gang arranged it for two pianos in 2013. It is a metamorphosis

and cultures. They are all “easy listening” music. I think our

of the “Butterfly” 54 years after the birth of its original. We are

audience would appreciate the variety of the musical drama. It

happy to make a HK premiere of it and hope to bring it to other

would be interesting for us to find out their reaction.

parts of the world in future.

What are your future plans for the duo, any concerts in the pipeline?

HL JK

Normally I don’t make things happen, I only let it

rolling on the sushi bar, I am making order from the menu at

happen, that’s my way of living.

the same time. We plan to bring the “Journey of Romance” to

We have been invited to perform in Beijing in 2016

hope that we can play to the composer and arranger Chen Gang

and I thought why not we make a China tour with

at some point to pay our tribute to him. That would be exciting!

this good program. So, while picking the food

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Quangzhou, Xiamen, Chengzhou, Wuhan, Shanghai, etc. We

Vantage | JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2

Bastian Brook’s Bookish Corner Shakespeare

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few months ago, I came across a short article on the BBC. Here is a quote of its opening paragraphs: “We do not properly acknowledge the stories that truly

BENEDICK

supposed to mean. Seeing that 2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, I dutifully entertained my colleagues and read through some plays, and present here some quotes that give us a glimpse of what role music played in the Shakespearean world.

make up our culture. We might like to think that the Western world is based on the noble myths of the Greeks and Romans, the tales of our greatest novelists, and a common understanding of the Bible and Shakespeare. But in truth, the stories that really bind us together are

Much Ado About Nothing, Act 2 Scene 3—Benedick had before sworn that he would not love any woman, but has since been lured into a love trap, with Don Pedro and the others being the conspirators.

completely different. Our shared mythos, the cultural touchpoints we can

Enter DON PEDRO, LEONATO, CLAUDIO and BALTHASAR (the musician), with BENEDICK hidden

use as a framework to tell each other stories, is no longer the Bible or the Odyssey. It’s Star Wars and Star Trek, Gotham City and Westeros. The average person in the street probably would not be able to tell you the plot of Macbeth, but they all know who Luke Skywalker’s father is. The story of John the Baptist, say, is overshadowed in the popular general knowledge by what would happen if you were to get bitten by a radioactive spider.” (Ben Hammersley, Viewpoint: Why Do Fictional Universes Matter? www.bbc.com, 17 October 2015)

There are people I know who still operate on having that common understanding of the Bible and Shakespeare, though I myself am one of those average persons who know more about radioactive spiders than John the Baptist. I once heard culture defined as the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, and in that sense, yes the stories that truly make up our culture are no longer that of Jesus and Macbeth but that of Bruce Wayne and Katniss Everdeen. Shakespeare and the rest are just part of a heritage given down to us, like the Stonehenge and the Great Wall. Yet some of my colleagues here at Vantage would insist that Shakespeare, just like Bach and Medtner and Giovanni’s beloved historical pianos, is more than just a pretty relic from the past for us to visit in holidays, that they belong to the pinnacle of human creation, attaining the ultimate accolade of being something ‘great,’ whatever that is 20 Vantage | JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2

DON PEDRO

Come, shall we hear this music? Yea, my good lord. How still the evening is, As hush’d on purpose to grace harmony! DON PEDRO See you where Benedick hath hid himself? CLAUDIO O, very well, my lord. The music ended,We’ll fit the kid-fox with a pennyworth. DON PEDRO Come, Balthasar, we’ll hear that song again. BALTHASAR O good my lord, tax not so bad a voice To slander music any more than once. DON PEDRO It is the witness still of excellency To put a strange face on his own perfection. I pray thee sing, and let me woo no more. BALTHASAR Because you talk of wooing, I will sing, Since many a wooer doth commence his suit To her he thinks not worthy, yet he woos, Yet will he swear he loves. DON PEDRO Nay pray thee, come, Or if thou wilt hold longer argument, Do it in notes. BALTHASAR Note this before my notes; There’s not a note of mine that’s worth the noting. DON PEDRO Why, these are very crotchets that he speaks! Note notes, forsooth, and nothing! [Music.] CLAUDIO

[aside] Now, divine air! Now is his soul ravished! Is it not strange that sheep’s guts should hale souls out of men’s bodies? Well a horn for my money, when all’s done. Twelfth Night—opening lines ORSINO If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it, that surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die. That strain again, it had a dying fall: O, it came o’er my ear like the sweet sound That breathes upon a bank of violets, Stealing and giving odour. Enough, no more; ‘Tis not so sweet now as it was before. O spirit of love, how quick and fresh art thou, That notwithstanding thy capacity Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there, Of what validity and pitch soe’er, But falls into abatement and low price, Even in a minute! So full of shapes is fancy, That it alone is high fantastical. Julius Caesar, Act 4 Scene 3—At Brutus’ camp, the night before his battle with Mark Anthony and Octavius at Philippi, after Brutus & co. assassinated Julius Caesar. BRUTUS

… Look, Lucius, here’s the book I sought for so: I put it in the pocket of my gown. LUCIUS I was sure your lordship did not give it me. BRUTUS Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful. Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes awhile. And touch thy instrument a strain or two? LUCIUS Ay, my lord, an’t please you. BRUTUS It does, my boy. I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. LUCIUS It is my duty, sir. BRUTUS I should not urge thy duty past thy might. I know young blonds look for a time to rest. LUCIUS I have slept, my lord, already. BRUTUS It was well done, and thou shalt sleep

again. I will not hold thee long. If I do live, I will be good to thee. [Music, and a song.] This is a sleepy tune: O murderous slumber! Layest thou thy leaden mace upon my boy That plays thee music? Gentle knave, good night: I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee. If thou dost nod, thou break’st thy instrument; I’ll take it from thee; and, good boy, good night. Let me see, let me see: is not the leaf turned down Where I left reading? Here it is, I think. Enter the Ghost of Caesar. How ill this taper burns. Ha! Who comes here? I think it is the weakness of mine eyes That shapes this monstrous apparition. It comes upon me: art thou any thing? Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, That mak’st my blood cold, and my hair to stare? Speak to me what thou art. GHOST Thy evil spirit, Brutus. BRUTUS Why com’st thou? GHOST To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi. BRUTUS Well: then I shall see thee again? GHOST Ay, at Philippi. BRUTUS Why I will see thee at Philippi then: Exit Ghost (This last quote from Julius Caesar bears a bit of resemblance to Bach’s Cantata 82, especially the third movement Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen, “Slumber, my weary eyes.”)

Sebastian Brook Email: [email protected] The views and opinions expressed in these articles are the authors’ own, and do not represent those of Vantage. JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2 | Vantage

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F

Performance Practice Creative Resistance as a Performance Tool* Olivia Sham, Ph.D. (RAM)

T

he notion of creating complications, of actively seeking a sense of resistance, is something that might

seem surprising to classical musicians. Practising, after all, is generally seen as a way of smoothing away difficulties. However, a team of performer-researchers at the Royal Academy of Music [RAM] has been exploring the idea that resistance can be a tool with which to stimulate creativity in performance, both in historic practice and in contemporary music-making. The idea that obstructions might serve as artistic catalysts is one that has been observed not just in music, but also in other art forms. The sociologist, Richard Sennett, has written about this in relation to architecture in his book, The Craftsman, suggesting that: “The designer-planner seeking to bring these dead public spaces to life can succeed by introducing what may seem unnecessary elements, such as indirect approaches to front entrances or bollards arbitrarily to mark out territory… Complexity can serve as a design tool to counter neutrality. Additions of complexity can prompt people to engage more with their surroundings.” Of particular interest in Sennett’s statement is the idea that obstructions are not only inherent problems to deal with, but actively made in order to achieve a more effective ‘performance.’ Seeking out resistance to engage musical creativity can be traced throughout musical history, even if musicians do not always discuss the idea openly. One clear example though can be found in Artur Schnabel’s preface to his edition of the Beethoven Sonatas, in which he says that: “Some fingerings in this edition may appear somewhat strange. In explanation of the more unusual ones let it be said that the selection was

ounded in January 2009 by Nancy Lee, Chairman of the Friends of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and RAM alumna

not made exclusively with a view towards technical facility,

Nicolette Wong, The Sound of Art is a series of free concerts held

but that rather often it originated from the desire to secure –

at the foyer of the Hong Kong Museum of Art the ﬁrst Sunday

or at least encourage – the musical expression of the passages

community, to give local musicians a chance to share their passion

prescribe them for students (to make things simpler), and perhaps the ‘line of most resistance’ is best employed by those who have, to some extent, mastered the craft of instrumental

and experiences with the public, as well as to introduce more people to the Museum of Art. Since its inception,

technique and are searching for something different and

the concerts have been very well-received, and despite a seating capacity

individual. After all, the scholar Aden Evens has noted that:

of 120, there have been crowds of people standing for the entire concert

“At some point in a musician’s training, the instrument ceases to offer adequate resistance. The interface between player and

every time! The series has featured many different instrumental ensembles,

instrument becomes too smooth, and familiar patterns are so

from solo piano to small chamber groups to a cappella choirs, showcasing

comfortable as to discourage the invention or investigation of

diverse musical styles from classical to jazz to world music. RAM alumni

other possibilities.”

and associate members who have performed there include Evelyn Chang,

Four RAM researchers, Professor Neil Heyde (Head

Cindy Ho, Stephen Hung, Colette Lam, Jacqueline Leung, Linda Lin,

of Postgraduate Programmes), Dr Sarah Callis (Senior

Alan Tsang, Romer String Quartet and Nicolette Wong.

Postgraduate Tutor), Dr Zubin Kanga and Dr Olivia Sham (RAM PhD graduates and current Honorary Research

Jasmine Law (soprano) & Francesco Teopini (guitar) on 3 January 2016

Fellows), recently published a joint paper in the peer-reviewed

Symmetry Duo 5 June 2016

As the Museum is currently

online journal, Music + Practice. Through four case studies, the

closed for renovation, the concerts will now be relocated

researchers described modes of creative resistance as observed in the diverse practices with which they engaged as performers

temporarily to the Heritage Discovery Centre in Kowloon Park.

and/or active observers.

RAM alumni Jasmine Law (soprano) and Francesco Teopini

Kanga describes his collaboration with a living composer, David Young. The score for Young’s solo piano piece, Not Music Yet, is a large watercolour painting that lacks any specific notation. However, Young left detailed instructions, including: “every attempt should be made to realize the

(guitar) just presented a recital there. Future concerts by the alumni include, Duo Volce (Kiann Chow, violin, and Harry Choi, harmonica), and Symmetry Duo (Judy Ho and Jennifer Ho, harp).

graphics’ contours and shapes as carefully and precisely as possible.” The unconventional score, as revealed in interactions with Kanga, was designed to provoke a vision of a piece. It prompted Kanga to create a complex system in which he mapped features of the painting to selected musical elements.

(Continue on page 24)

* Callis, S., Heyde, N., Kanga, Z., Sham, O. 2015. Creative Resistance as a Performance Tool. Music and Practice (2), http://musicandpractice.org/?p=320.


of every month. The aim is to bring classical music into the

in question.” Indeed, teachers would probably hesitate to

Duo Volce 3 April 2016 JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2 | Vantage

23

The Curious Relationship of Chopin and Liszt Stephen Hung Piano Recital Programme 12 Studies by Chopin, Op. 10 2 studies by Liszt: La campanella and Harmonies du soir Bach French Suite No.2 and 3-part Ricercar from Musical Offering

Meanwhile, Heyde, Sham and Callis explore their ideas of

Meanwhile, Sham’s case study is focused around Liszt’s two

resistance in relation to music by dead composers. Heyde

versions of his Vallée d’Obermann, and explores the resistances

investigates how the lack of indications on the autographs

Liszt faced in the developing nineteenth-century piano and his

of Fauré’s chamber music, especially the first cello sonata,

changing conceptions of the relation between virtuoso pianist

is a contrast to the final published scores, and suggests that

and notated score. Sham also examines her own interpretation

Fauré provided an empty, and therefore resistant, score for

of Liszt’s resistances in her performances of both versions of

his workshops with performers so that they could ‘finish’ the

the piece, through her choice to perform both versions on

compositions collaboratively. Indeed, when Heyde examined

historical and modern pianos.

the detailed markings in depth at the cello, many of which can seem unusual, it became evident that Fauré was targeting

Finally, Callis observed the Kreutzer Quartet’s approach to

new expressive options through the sorts of performance

Brahms’ Op.51 string quartets, concentrating in great detail on

resistances only a cellist could discover.

the second subject of the first movement of Op.51 No.2. This material’s apparently ‘easy’ lilting character is coupled with an unusually detailed expressive indication, making it less simple to resolve – and the Kreutzer Quartet took advantage of this to workshop highly-nuanced, but resistant bowing patterns, to re-invent the theme at each return in the movement.

Tickets on sale from 1 February via Urbtix

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not represent those of Vantage.

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Vantage | JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No. 2

Friday 1 April 2016 8pm Lecture Hall Sheung Wan Civic Centre $150 ($50 for students and the elderly)

Young Musicians Series 2015

A

fter the U.K. debut, the Young Musicians Series (YMS) continued its musical endeavour, presenting three solo and chamber ensemble

recitals featuring dance and story-telling music in the summer of 2015. Eighty dedicated young musicians showcased their hard work and shared their extraordinary experience with the audience. The concert series reached a spectacular finale at the Chamber Music Concert on 4 October at Sheung Wan Civic Centre, Hong Kong. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the young musicians and their parents for their support and, especially, our teaching artists who offered their guidance, time and patience during the coaching sessions. Without these, the musical events would never be so successful! Cindy Ho, Founder of YMS



27

Live recordings of the YMS 2015 “It’s story time. Let’s dance!” are available on YMS’ YouTube page: http://bit.ly/1N9YFwy

If you are impressed by our young musicians’ performances, feel free to contact us and make arrangements with our roster of teaching artists to advance your playing via [email protected] or +852 5345 5235. 28 Vantage | JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No.

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Sevenoaks IB Music Talk

L

Young Musicians Series Presents

ast October, the Music Director from Sevenoaks School Mr

Christopher Dyer was in Hong Kong to preside over a student concert and to talk about the International

YMS 2016 Spring Recital for Solo and Chamber Music

Baccalaureate’s curriculum. Sevenoaks is one of the first schools in the UK to adopt the IB curriculum. According to Mr Dyer, the curriculum puts special emphasis on the students seeing the global perspective. Its music syllabus

A musical evening featuring

covers such a wide spectr um of world music that the teaching has to be orientated towards the most basic analytical techniques, so the students have the means to make some sense of music from different cultures.

ne of the aims of setting up Vantage is to facilitate the all-round education of young musicians. By that, we mean musicians who are aware of the world beyond the physical proficiency of playing an instrument. Part of this world-beyond-the-instrument is already included in mainstream assessments under the headings of aural, sight-reading and theory. However, aural training, in and of itself, does not necessarily equip you with the means to decipher the trillions of audio stimuli that enter your ears when you play a piece of music. Similarly, drilling theory exercises offers little guarantee that you will actually understand how music works.

The key in all things is to think—to think about what you are hearing, what you are seeing, to question what is going on in the music. Cogito ergo sum. “I think therefore I am.” Thinking defines our existence, and the best way to facilitate thinking is to put it in words, either spoken or written. To write about music is to think about music. It is with this in mind that we send out this invitation to students: make use of this platform and submit your writings on music; let others scrutinise your thoughts. It can be on any musical topic and in any format such as essays, programme notes, reviews etc. Word count should be at least 300. We will publish the ones that are written with the most conviction and award a prize to the chosen student(s). Submission is by email to editorial@ vantagemusic.org and the deadline is 1 April 2016 for the next issue in May, though late submissions will still be considered for subsequent issues. We look forward to hearing from you. The Editorial Board

30 Vantage | JANUARY 2016 | Vol. 1 No.

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Chopin Études Op. 10, No. 1-12, and

Chamber Music by Mozart, Fauré, Brahms &

Shostakovich and many more

and a Masterclass by the renowned pianist

Call for Articles

O

Chiao-Ying Chang on the Chopin Études. (details to be available at www.yms.hk) 7.30pm, Saturday, 30 April 2016 Recital Theatre China Congregational Church 119 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong