Instrumentation: for solo harp

作品编制：为竖琴独奏而作

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Composition Year: 2021

创作年份：2021年

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Duration: ca.9minutes

时长：约9分钟

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• Winner of the New England Conservatory Donald Martino Award for Excellence in Composition

• Performed in Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston, MA on May 19, 2022 in New England Conservatory 151 Commencement Concert, performed by Hannah Cope Johnson.

• Premiered in Williams Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston, MA on March 29, 2022 performed by Hannah Cope Johnson.

• 作品获得新英格兰音乐学院唐纳德.马蒂诺作曲家奖项。

• 作品于2022年5月19日由竖琴演奏家Hannah Cope Johnson在第151届新英格兰音乐学院毕业音乐会代表作曲系演出。

• 作品于2022年3月29日由竖琴演奏家Hannah Cope Johnson在新英格兰音乐学院威廉姆斯大厅作品音乐会首演。

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Program Notes:

In the Buddhist classics, the word Elysium is used. It is a place that is extremely blissful and free from troubles. There the ground is paved with gold. In addition, Elysium has “seven precious pools,” “eight meritorious bodies of water,” and the white lotus flowers constantly fall from the sky day and night. All kinds of peculiar flowers and birds are common, food and clothing come with the thought, and happiness is limitless. There is no war, no disease, no disaster, and all people are equal. Beauty and solemnity can also describe Elysium. Everyone has a wonderful world of bliss in their heart and wishes they could reach it beyond time and space.
 

Elysian Variations is structured as a variation. The main theme of the work is presented in Dorian mode at the beginning of the piece, which brings a peaceful, mysterious, and religious atmosphere. In the following sections, the piece retakes the original pitches from the primary theme, with distinctive musical variations, and each variation achieves more vitality as the piece develops.
 

The piece as a whole expresses my wish to go to the blissful world - Elysium, and I pray that all those who struggle with suffering and troubles will not only have the desire to go to Elysium but will actively seek the genuine way to Elysium and practice it in the present moment, to achieve true and eternal freedom and happiness in our body and mind.

 

作品简介:

在佛教经典中，描绘了极乐世界。所谓极乐，就是极其快乐，没有烦恼。那里黄金铺地，七宝池，八功德水，天乐盈空，昼夜六时，不断的白莲花纷纷从天空落下。各种奇花，异鸟不同寻常，衣食随念而到，无量的乐。那里没有战争, 疾病, 灾难, 人人平等，美好庄严。每个人心中都有一个这样的极乐世界，并希望自己超越时空到达如此的境地。
 

这部作品采用了变奏曲的结构。作品开头的中古调式呈现了作品的主要主题, 带来了一种宁静，神秘且富有宗教色彩的氛围。 随后的片段中作品使用原始的主题音高，使用与众不同的音乐形式进行变化，每一段变奏都更加的富有生命力。作品整体表达了我想去往极乐世界的美好愿望，并祈愿所有在苦难烦恼中挣扎的人们不仅仅是拥有向往之情，更是能立足当下，积极找寻真实通往极乐世界的方法并付诸实践，获得身心真正永恒的自在和解脱。