As Beijing counts down to the 2008 Games, world-class musicians are locked in
a heated contest to compose the Olympic theme tune.
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Giorgio
Moroder
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Famed Italian composer Giorgio Moroder, a multi-Grammy and multi-Oscar awards
winner, is one of the numerous composers interested in writing the song.
The beginning of the song should include some Chinese string music and
singing by a Chinese child, said Moroder on the sidelines of an Olympic music
forum last Friday in Beijing.
"Children are our future, and many successful Olympic songs were performed by
kids," said Moroder, who suggested that a national singing contest should be
organized to select over 1,000 children aged between five and 10, the best of
whom would perform at the opening ceremony.
"At the core part of the song, the thematic lyric 'One World One Dream'
should be repeated by one Chinese singer and a foreign singer," Moroder said,
adding that he would also find an appropriate Chinese word to end the song with,
as he did for "Hand in Hand," the song he wrote for the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
"Hand in Hand" was regarded as the best ever Olympic theme song by former
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch.
In fact, Moroder's connection with Beijing Olympics can be traced back to
1993 when he produced "Good Luck Beijing" for the city's bid for the 2000 Summer
Olympics.
This time round the famed composer is working with renowned Chinese
contemporary pianist Kong Xiangdong, who will help acquaint him with Chinese
music.
The two previously worked together composing the "Garden of Harmony" for
Shenyang China International Horticultural Exposition 2006.
Besides Moroder, Quincy Jones, the famed American musician, composer,
conductor and producer, best known for his work on Michael Jackson's "Thriller,"
has also offered to write a theme tune for the 2008 Olympics.
Like Moroder, who plans to use Chinese instruments in
his song, 73-year-old Jones said his work would contain many international
elements but its core would be Chinese culture. He said he hopes it could teach
the world much more about China.
