“Through the Forest of Songs” is a 20-minute, three-movement concerto for one piano, four hands and orchestra, written especially for the Brazilian piano duo Durval Cesetti and Nan Qi. The commission is generously supported by The Canada Council for the Arts.
The theme of this work comes from my fascination with the forest. To me, the forest is nature’s wealth, a magical place of history and mysteries where one can focus and discover, from tiny organisms to species of extreme dimensions. Many forests in the world embody a unique and primeval ecosystem that is unfortunately disappearing, therefore I am prompted to create a work that pays tribute to this precious treasure of nature, to remind us of the wonder and beauty, where forests have an everlasting bond between our lives and society. Having these ideas in mind, the composition is a musical journey exploring the meaning and marvels of forests across three continents: Manitoba’s Elk Glen in Canada, Jiangsu’s Bamboo Sea Park竹海in China, and Brazil’s Amazon Rain Forest.
The three movements are of contrasting characters and each presents a specific element of cultural significance:
I. The Elk Glen – music evokes a Canadian wintry wonder world, the deep and vast icy landscape, characterized by a diverse mosaic of animals: bear, moose, elk, and the sound of the Canada warbler.
II. The Bamboo Sea Garden – music evokes imagery of Chinese brush painting: green waves dance with the wind, rising and falling, unusual creaking sound of the wind through the bamboo leaves. One can imagine exploring through a sanctum of light and shade that opens to a hidden Golden Palace of ancient time.
III. The Amazon – a vibrant array of orchestral colors and rhythmic energy to depict a world of biodiversity where an abundance of mysterious species co-exist, the use of wood percussion, congas and bongos has a nostalgic reference to the disappearing woods of the Rain Forest, and evokes the sounds of re-invented Brazilian tribal music.
