Symphony nr 3
Chinese symphony orchestra (2 bangdi [1st doubling on xun in the 2nd movement], 2 qudi [1st doubling on xiao in C in the 2nd movement]; 2 gaoyin sheng, 2 zhongyin sheng; 1 diyin sheng; 2 gaoyin suona [1st doubling on levered soprano guan in the 2nd movement]; 1 jiajian zhongyin suona [doubling on levered alto guan in the 2nd movement], 1 jiajian cizhong suona [doubling on levered bass guan in the 2nd movement], 1 diyin suona [doubling on levered double bass guan in the 2nd movement]; 2 yang qin; 2 liuqin; 4 pi pa; 4 zhong ruan; 2 da ruan; 1 gu zheng 1 [tuned to flats]; 1 gu zheng 2 [tuned to naturals]; 6 percussionists [timpani, piccolo snare drum, glockenspiel, 6 paigu, vibraphone, 5 mu yu, ta gu, Chinese suspended cymbal, marimba, banzi, bass drum, xylophone, geophone, yun luo, 6 fang xiang]; grand piano [with ‘sostenuto’ pedal]; 6 gaohu, 12 erhu, 6 zhonghu, 6 violoncelli and 3 basses
Programme notes
Symphony No. 3 is based on an artwork painted by Cheong Soo Pieng in 1961. Born in Xiamen (China) in 1917, Cheong Soo Pieng studied at the Xiamen Academy of Art from 1933 to 1935 and subsequently enrolled at the Xinhua Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai. He arrived in Singapore in Symphony No. 3 is conceptually based on a specific 1961 artwork by the pioneering Singaporean artist, Cheong Soo Pieng. Born in Xiamen, China, in 1917, Cheong Soo Pieng studied at the Xiamen Academy of Art (1933–1935) before enrolling at the Xinhua Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai. He arrived in Singapore in 1946 and became a prominent figure in the Nanyang School of painting.
Inspired by Cubism and Expressionism, Cheong was known for his ceaseless experimentation across various media, including oils, Chinese ink on paper and cotton, mixed-media sculptures, and porcelain work. His style was significantly influenced by his travels, notably his visit to Bali in 1952 and his European trip between 1962 and 1963. He remained highly active until his death in 1983.
Casteels was particularly moved by Cheong's series titled The Village impressed by its successful Cubist reinterpretation of the traditional scroll picture format. The core philosophy of the symphony is rooted in the concept of the native kampong (village) as the origin point for all life journeys. This is structurally mirrored in the music: the entire work is based on the permutations of one single chord built exclusively from natural harmonics. The composer draws a parallel between life and musical development: just as a single element at a crucial crossroads can trigger different chains of events, leading people to divergent lives (the "sliding door" effect), each movement of the symphony starts with the identical harmonic chord but develops in a dramatically different direction.
The three movements each represent a distinct emotional world emerging from the same initial sound:
First Movement: Opens up to a carefree walking bass, establishing a sense of forward momentum.
Second Movement: Shifts to an introverted impression of grief, characterized by a reflective and internal atmosphere.
Third Movement: Moves towards an extroverted expression of confident joie-de-vivre (joy of life), concluding the symphony with exuberance.
Programme booklet of the premiere
see Multi culturalism in Asian Contemporary Music (2013) under Articles
Recording
loink is the video of the premiere
see page 95sq of the green cover logbook #3
Detail of painting by Cheong Soo Pieng (reproduced with the kind permission of the owner of the painting)
Duration:
13'
Composed In:
2006
Dedicated to:
Parts:
To rent the parts, please email <rc@robertcasteels.com>
First performance:
20.09.13 SCO Concert Hall, Singapore Conference Hall complex, Singapore
First performed by:
Singapore Chinese Orchestra conducted by Tsung Yeh
Commissioned by:
979-0-9016519-2-0 (full score) and 979-0-9016519-3-7 (parts)
Download Link: