繞樑十日 The Resounding Music

這些年來，我聽過不少胡琴大師閔惠芬女士的錄音。可是真正會晤她本人，這是第一次。
Over the years, I have often listened to the recording of Madam Hui Fen MIN, the legendary erhu maestro. However, I have never had the fortune of meeting her in person until now.[/COLOR]

滿以為曾患重疾，經過幾次大手術，而因此有引致雙手不靈等不尋常經驗，閔女士應該是一位沉鬱而帶有秋氣的人。怎料這些經歷卻使她磨礪出積極進取，魄力過人的性格。我見到的是一位遇事從容不迫，平易近人，有著和藹的長者風度，慈祥的目光與及象孩子般純真的笑容。與她共事，如沐春風。
I would have thought that Madam MIN should be a person of somber or even lugubrious character, after having suffered from serious illness and gone through several major surgical operations. On the contrary, these agonies have notched her into a person with positive and tough attitude and in the face of adversities; she perseveres and perfects her artistic life. What I have observed of here is that she is capable of keeping calm and sober in unexpected situations and is very approachable and considerate towards people around her. Her heartiness and sincerity genuinely makes you feel like at home when working with her.[/COLOR]

我又體會到閔女士的演奏之所以會如此扣人心弦，除歷精湛技藝，和真知灼見的演繹以外，最重要的是她的完全的投入，以一絲不苟琴藝，真摯的感情，拉出了樂曲的靈魂，產生無比的感染力，在聽者的心中留下深深的印象，歷久彌新。難怪指揮大師小征澤爾說:"她的琴音在休止符時也有感情。"
I have also found out why Madam MIN's performance is so arresting. Apart from having superb artistry in erhu playing and exquisite interpretation of the music she plays, she plays with her whole heart and portrays the soul of the music. The audience is often so captivated that her music would remain engraved in their mind for a long time. Renowned conductor S. Osawa once admiringly said that Madam MIN's music and feelings still lingered on even after she stopped playing.[/COLOR]

我還清晰地記得在收錄江河水一曲時，從控制室的窗，看到她閉目全神，恍如已與她的樂曲及她的胡琴融匯為一體。每個拉出來的音符都充滿著世紀的憂鬱，人間的痛苦，使人戚然於五中。 當時幾個美，加籍的錄音師，雖不懂中樂，卻不其然地站起來，肅穆聆聽。 曲終良久，仍然黯然無聲。當閔女士走進錄音室，崇聽錄音時，個人都不約而同地鼓掌，對它致敬。
I still remember the scene very clearly during the recording of "River of Sorrow". From the control room window, I could see madam MIN, with her eyes closed, was so deeply amalgamated with the music and her instrument that it seemed the three components had become one entity. Each note that she played was the symbol of sadness and suffering of mankind. The recording team consisting of American and Canadian engineers got mesmerized, stopped doing what they were doing and unanimously stood up and listened intently. When Madam MIN finished, the team still kept reverently silent until she came in to listen to the playback. All members clapped their hands and gave her an eye salute.[/COLOR]  

閔女士坐在錄音台前，閉目聆聽。我注意到她的身軀仍然顫抖激動著，眼角微濕。坦白說，我也差點兒忍不住流淚。
She quietly sat down in front of  the console, put head in her hands and listened. I could see that her body was still trembling with emotion and there were tears in her eyes. Frankly, I was so moved that I too had a hard time to control my tears from not falling down.[/COLOR]

事後，索尼公司SACD技術部主任Skinas說，自聽過閔女士的演奏，十多天來每天晚上都作夢。夢中總是聽到她的琴韻，無法忘懷，這是他從未有過的經歷。我笑道，這就是繞樑時日吧！
Two weeks later when I met Mr. Gus Skinas, Director, Sony SACD Technical Support, he confided that for the past ten days or so, he dreamt of Madam MIN's playing every night and her music continually echoed in his mind. This is an experience he has never had before.[/COLOR]

另一位參與這次難得的錄音的是年輕的古箏演奏家李煒先生。李先生從十八歲開始就不斷獲獎。他對國樂有廣博的認識，是位充滿創作細胞的天才。他把古箏的音色和音域拓展到新的境界。又把古箏的音頻動態，演奏法等，大大地擴展到前所未有的極限。用技驚四座來形容李兄決不是誇言。
Another virtuoso player in the album is a young guzheng talent, Mr. Wei LI. Mr. LI received many awards in China, his first being  at the age of eighteen. He has profound knowledge of Chinese music and is very creative in composing and in exploring new ways of broadening the dynamic range of and techniques in playing guzheng. His breath-taking performance here in this album can aptly exemplify his achievement in the respect.[/COLOR]

李麗君小姐出色的揚琴伴奏，功不可沒。她能天衣無縫地配合閔大師的演奏，樂曲神髓的表達，達到無懈可擊。
Mention must be made that Michelle LI did faithfully well with her yang qin in her accompaniment to Madam MIN's performance.[/COLOR]

為了這次難能可貴的錄音機會，我們特邀索尼公司世界錄音尖端科技DSD制式器材，同時也用最好的模擬器材，一併收錄，務求確保這次陸奏達到世界級的傳真效果。這張最新的XRCD24版本是從母帶直接印製。效果是終極的巔峰，可算是這張傳奇錄奏的最佳版本。
On this once-in-a-lifetime occasion, we cannot afford to fail but to enlist the assistance of Sony SACD Division in providing the DSD (Direct Stream Digital) recording equipment and technical support for this project, for which we express our sincere thanks. We utilized, at the same time, the best analog equipment to ensure that the best analog format of this recording would also be secured. This latest version in XRCD24 format is done direct from the analog master tape. Another version in SACD format (FIMSACD 032), released in October 2000, has received unprecedented popularity and numerous accolades. [/COLOR]

祝閣下聽了這錄奏也繞樑時日！
Hope you will enjoy and that the music, as recorded, will always continually resound in your mind![/COLOR]

馬浚 二零零三年深秋
Winston Ma
Autumn 2003[/COLOR]

River of Sorrow-- Immortal Chinese Instruments 江河水--不朽中國名曲

Hui Fen MIN, erhu / Wei LI, guzheng / Michelle LI, yang qin 閔惠芬二胡/李煒古箏/李麗君揚琴伴奏

1. RIVER OF SORROW 江河水
Folk music in northeast China 中國東北民間音樂

2. LADY ZHAO JUN BIDDING FAREWELL OVER THE FRONTIER 昭君出塞
Guangdong folk music, arranged by Wei LI 廣東民間音樂 李煒改編

3. FISHERMAN SINGING THE NIGHT SONG 漁舟晚唱
Ancient theme, ararnged by Zhen CHAO and Yu Sang ZHU 古調 曹正，朱郁三改編

4. LOFTY MOUNTAIN AND GUSHING CASCADE 高山流水
Ancient theme 古調

5. THE HORSE RACING 賽馬
Hoi Way WANG and Li Kuen SHUM 黃海懷，沈利群曲

6. MOOD & DREAM OF AN OPERA 戲夢
Wei LI 李煒曲

7. MOONLIGHT OVER CASCADE ERQUAN 二泉映月
Yin Kuen HUA 華彥鈞曲

8. NIGHT RAIN FALLING OF THE LANTAIN TREE OUTSIDE THE WINDOW 蕉窗夜雨
Ke Ja folk music 客家民間音樂

9. A MAIDEN'S DREAM IN A CHINESE GARDEN 遊園
Quan folk music, arranged by Guan Ren GU 崑曲 顧冠仁編曲

10. MOONLIGHT OVER THE FLOWERY RIVER IN SPRING 春江花月夜
Ancient theme, arranged by Wei LI 古調 李煒改編

(Label: First Impression Music 一聽鍾情)

the texts above were all entered manually. i didn't know there is a chinese version available online until i had completed the text entry. Ouch! i liked winston ma's essay very much. i first read the enlgish version online and then the chinese version from the CD brochure, both versions touchy.  

What drived me to go through all the pains to put this online is the excellent english translation of winston ma's chinese essay. it is a good example of translating the ideas, not the words. especially in paragraphs two and three, you can see how the english is made to express the thoughts of the author. did the english translator "faithfully" translate the set phrases? did he follow the grammatical structure of the original chinese sentences? what did he do when the original chinese was grammatically flawed?...

also please note how the titles of the tunes are translated into english, for instance, 江河水, 二泉映月, 遊園, and 春江花月夜.

Source: CD Booklet "River of Sorrow", First Impression.[/COLOR]

(data entered manually)

1. 江河水 River of Sorrow
東北民間音樂 Folk music in northeast China
閔惠芬二胡 Hui Fen MIN, erhu
這曲表達百姓對苛政壓迫的辛酸感受。那哀傷的二胡琴音，正是人民苦難即無助的心聲，使聽者惻然。
This piece describes the mystery, poverty and suffering of the people under the suppression of a corrupt and tyrannical administration. The deeply melancholic tone of the melody, as expressed by the solo erhu, echoes the grievances and helplessness of the people. The tune touches the heart of those who listen to it.


7. 二泉映月 Moonlight over Lagoon Erquan
華彥均曲 Yin Kuen HUA
閔惠芬二胡 Hui Fen MIN, erhu
作者 華彥均 阿炳 之辛酸生平及本曲之背景，載於「話說胡琴」文中，請讀者參考。
音樂以深沉憂傷的情感抒發了作者孤獨凄苦的內心世界，琴聲蘊含著憧憬，憂憤和對光明的企盼。
Despite that the title of the music is a description of beautiful scenery, it is, in fact, a narration of the very miserable life of the composer. The composer, being blind, had had much suffering and bitterness throughout his life. The deep notes and melancholic tone of the music echo his feelings and grievances. However, he could still maintain a positive outlook for a bright future as he tried to express at the end of the piece. For more details about this piece and the composer, please refer to the text of The Story of Huqin.


8. 蕉窗夜雨 Night Rain Falling on the Plantain Tree outside the Window
客家民間樂曲 Ke la folk music
李煒古箏 Wei LI guzheng
這是一曲由 羅九香 傳譜的著名客家 軟線調 傳統箏曲。樂曲詩意盎然，描寫窗外夜雨，滴落蕉葉的景象，令人思緒萬千。
This is a well-known ruanxian ("soft string") piece from the Hakka zheng repertoire. The music evokes the sound of raindrops on banana leaves outside a window, rendering a rather poetic atmosphere in concert with the lonesome mood of a traveler.


9. 遊園 A Maiden』s Dream in a Chinese Garden
崑曲 Quan Music
顧冠仁配器 arranged by Guan Ren GU
閔惠芬二胡 李煒古箏 李麗君揚琴 呂均初蕭 Hui Fen MIN erhu, Wei LI guzheng, Michelle LI yangqin, Charlie LUI xiao'
音樂典雅優美，表現古代少女 杜麗娘 傷春感懷，響往大自然的心情。
This piece is a part of a kind of incidental music, like Mendelssohn's Mid-summer Night's Dream. In an ancient time, a beautiful girl, called Li-liang DU, had a dream, while having a nap in her garden. The music depicts her feminine sentiment and appreciation of nature. It is a graceful and pleasant piece.



[B]10. 春江花月夜 Moonlight over the Flowery River in Spring[/B] (Moonlit Night on Spring River)
古曲 Ancient theme
李煒改編 李煒古箏 Arranged by Wei LI, Wei LI guzheng
《春江花月夜》 原名 《夕陽花鼓》。本是一首琵琶古曲，目前能見到的最早樂譜是一八七五年的手抄本。后被改編成合奏，重奏等。他是中華民族音樂的代表名曲之一。本輯唱片中聽到的是由李煒將其改編而成的古箏版本。全曲以「江樓鐘鼓」，「月上東山」，「花影層疊」，「水雲深處」，「漁歌晚唱」，「回瀾拍岸」，「乃歸舟」和「尾聲八段」組成。該曲通過優美質樸的旋律，流暢多變的節奏，豐富巧妙的指法，形象地描繪了月夜春光的迷人景色，生動的表現了泛舟暢遊的歡樂心情，盡情地讚美了江南水鄉的錦繡河山。全曲就像一幅色彩柔和，工筆精細，千姿百態的山水長卷，引人入勝，動人肺腑。
This is an ancient pipa tune, originated from "Flute and Drum at Sunset" written in 1875. It is one of the best known pieces of Chinese national music. Moreover, it is often been adapted for ensembles of various instruments. Wei LI re-arranged it into a guzheng solo piece. He divided it into eight movements: "Bell and Drum from the Tower", "Moon Rising above the Eastern Mountain", "Multi-layered shadows of flowers", "At the Distance Where the Water and Clouds Meets", "Fisherman』s Song at Dusk", "Whirling Willows Lapping against the Shore", "Boat Returning Home", and "Coda". Developed from simple and beautiful melodies, LI transformed it into a beautiful piece with varying rhythms and smart motif. The music depicts the fascinating scenes of the moonlight over the river in springtime. The movements seem like a long scroll of Chinese traditional painting in soft colors with detailed sketches of an infinitively enchanting landscape. Listening to his piece of music does soothe one's soul!