Symphonic work evokes journey down Grand Canal

The symphonic chorus The Grand Canal by composer Tang Jianping was staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on April 24.

Performed by the Jiangsu Symphony Orchestra, which was founded in 1979, and conducted under the baton of Chen Lin, the piece made its debut in 2020. This performance marked the first time the work was heard at the NCPA as part of the ongoing eighth China Orchestra Festival. Love Journey Chorus, founded in 2007 and affiliated with the Jiangsu Performing Arts Group, also performed.

The Grand Canal is a vast waterway system in China, running from Beijing in the north to Zhejiang province in the south. It stretches nearly 3,200 kilometers and passes through eight of the country's provinces and municipalities.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the canal is the longest and oldest artificial waterway in the world. It has played an important role in ensuring China's economic prosperity and stability, and is in use today as a major method of transportation.

According to Tang, the piece features folk music elements from cities along the Grand Canal, including the well-known Chinese song Jasmine Flower and Suzhou Pingtan, local storytelling told through a combination of Suzhou dialect and folk instruments. He visited cities along the canal to collect folk songs, which allowed him to better understand the canal's history and influence on the lives of those who live along its banks.

Sopranos Zhang Qiping and Fan Xueyan and tenor Yuan Kai performed at the concert along with other singers, and actor Du Chun recited traditional Chinese poems.

"The piece highlights the canal's cultural values, which is significant to Chinese history," Chen said. "It is a romantic portrayal of the canal with music."