
CONSORTIUM FOR A NEW WORK FOR ORCHESTRA BY SHUYING LI
Purple Mountains is an orchestral overture filled with dramatic contrast, graceful melodies, and energetic rhythms. Musical ideas are drawn from the opera, When the Purple Mountains Burn, which explores the connection between Iris Chang and Shiro Azuma and the Nanking Massacre in China during World War II. Just like how the opera asks the question — what is it in us humans that could unleash the catastrophic power for one part of humanity to massacre and defile another part of humanity — The orchestral overture will depict the heavy subject in an abstract and absolute musical way: the fast whirlwind of panic and destruction, melancholy melody with dark and heavy harmonies, and uprising waves and textures that hijack the piece into a thought-provoking ending. For more information and musical ideas from the opera, please visit scene 10-11 and 14-15.
INSTRUMENTATION
2222, 4221, timpani+2, strings
DURATION
8-10 minutes
DELIVERY DATE
January 15, 2023
BUY-IN
$400
LEAD COMMISSIONER
Edward Cumming, Director of Orchestra, Hartt School
EXCLUSIVITY
Consortium members reserve the exclusive right to performances until January 15, 2025. Lead commissioner reserves right to the first commercial recording.
JOIN US!
Please click here to join the consortium and the organizer will be in touch with you shortly.
MEMBERS & SCHEDULED PERFORMANCES
Matthew Aubin, Chelsea, Jackson, Southwest Michigan Symphony
Thomas Cockrell, University of Arizona
Todd Craven, Northwest Florida Symphony - October 21, 2023
Edward Cumming, The Hartt School
Harvey Felder, University of Memphis
Matthew Forte, University of New Mexico - September 28, 2023
Jeffrey Grogan, Oklahoma City University - April 11, 2024
Ryan Murray, California State University, Sacramento - December 7, 2023
Danh Pham, Washington Idaho Symphony Orchestra - October 8, 2023
Gil Rose, Boston Modern Orchestra Project - September 24, 2023
Oriol Sans, University of Wisconsin-Madison