Chamber Concerto No. 4: Confluence

Chamber Concerto No. 4: Confluence is the last piece for my first concerto cycle, which I have been working on since 1999. The previous three works are: Chamber Concerto No. 1: Yueh Fei for 8 Musicians (ca. 19 minutes), Chamber Concerto No. 2: The Lost Garden for 8 Musicians (ca. 18 minutes), and Chamber Concerto No. 3: Divergence for 5 Musicians (ca. 11 minutes). I use the term ‘concerto’, in old Italian, means “to bring together," and was used to describe works in which individual lines, either instrumental or vocal, were assembled into a harmonious whole. The whole concerto cycle not only focuses on different individual instrument, but also the ensemble as a dramatic whole and various combinations among them. In other words, it is about dialogues of musical instruments. The whole concerto cycle is linked together both musically and theatrically. Musicians and conductor are asked not only to act with body motions and movements, but also to sing, chant, and speak with their pure human voices. Therefore, it is not just concerto for instruments, but performers. Thematically, the four concertos can be divided into two circles. The first two are both written for eight players with same instruments (except Chamber Concerto No. 1 requires a larger percussion section); the last two completes the circle of process from divergence to confluence, which also converges the whole cycle. All the four concertos can be performed individually as four independent pieces, or in any combination, or together as a full cycle. They represent the different stages and styles of my writing in the past few years. It is a journal of my traveling in both the Western and Eastern world from the past through today, and to the future. 

Alike the previous three concertos, Confluence should be continuously performed in order to fulfill the continuity of the dramatic effect, even though it has four main sections. In English, ‘confluence’ means several streams flowing together into one. It’s equivalent in Chinese is ‘hui liu’.  As a title for the last piece of the concerto cycle, its meaning is very obvious. However, the more important thought is where the streams are going after they converged into one. Therefore, music doesn’t just simply ends on the last note, but travels in a journey which I might spend my whole life to compose.  

Confluence runs about 16 minutes, and is scored for Flute (Piccolo), Oboe, Clarinet in Bb, Bassoon, Horn in F, Trumpet in C, Trombone, Percussion (Bongos, 2 Congas, Bass Drum, Large Indonesian Button Gong, 5 Chinese Opera Gongs, Police Whistle, Slapstick, Chimes, Small Wood-block, Finger Bell, Rain-stick, Glockenspiel), Harp, Piano, Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, and Double Bass.