Gansu's rich tapestry comes alive in music

An original symphonic suite tracing the landscapes, history and cultural traditions of Northwest China's Gansu province made its premiere in the provincial capital, Lanzhou, on Aug 9.

Produced by the Gansu Opera House, Journey Through Mountains and Rivers (Shanhe Xing) was conducted by Wang Lu, resident conductor of the Gansu Symphony Orchestra.

The new composition, written by Yang Zhuang, composer-in-residence at the Gansu Opera House, takes inspiration from six aspects of the province: intangible cultural heritage, nature, history, humanities, folk customs and spiritual traditions.

Six cultural landmarks and regional images provide the foundation for its six movements, featuring folk music elements of Gansu.

One of the production's most distinctive features was its presentation. Departing from the conventional format of a symphonic concert, the performance was linked by a dialogue between an old man and his grandchild. Their conversations guided the audience through different places and periods, offering an accessible entry point into the history and culture behind the music.

The first movement, Hua'er: Love Songs in the Clouds, draws on the free and expansive style of hua'er, a traditional folk song form popular in Northwest China. Qilian: Awakening of the Sacred Mountains, the second movement, develops musical ideas from the Yugur ethnic group folk song, titled Little Lamb.

The third movement, Two Passes: Echoes of a Lone Fortress, evokes Yumenguan and Yangguan, contrasting martial and literary imagery while reflecting the openness of ancient civilization. Maiji: The Eastern Smile takes inspiration from the Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui, Gansu, and explores themes of compassion, tolerance and resilience.

The fifth movement, Eastern Gansu: Harmonious Homeland, is a concerto for banhu (a northern Chinese bowed string instrument), depicting the warmth and vitality of rural life on the Loess Plateau. The final movement, The Great River: Raft Songs Through the Four Seasons, follows the people living along the Yellow River, culminating in the image of an individual becoming one with the river.

To develop the work, the creative team traveled to locations including the Qilian Mountains, Yumenguan, and Yangguan. They also visited inheritors of intangible cultural heritage and folk artists, incorporating local melodies and historical memories into symphonic language.