Lingering Charm of the Silk Road is a multi-movement suite for mixed chamber ensemble and electronic music. The work takes the historical and cultural geography of the Silk Road as its conceptual axis, tracing a symbolic journey through Chang’an – Dunhuang – Kashgar – Central Asia.
Through the interaction between acoustic instruments and electronic sound, the composition explores cultural exchange, spatial imagination, and the continuity of musical memory across regions and eras.
I. Song Rising from Weiyang (未央起歌) — Chang’an
The journey begins in Chang’an, where song rises from Weiyang Palace. As a lasting symbol of the flourishing Tang dynasty, Weiyang evokes the origin of the Silk Road... Reflecting the prosperity, confidence, and cultural inclusiveness of the Tang era.
II. Heavenly Music Without Sounding (天乐自鸣) — Dunhuang
Arriving in Dunhuang, heavenly music resonates of its own accord. Inspired by the flying apsaras of Mogao Cave 321... Electronic textures evoke the vastness of the Mingsha Sand Dunes, while plucked instruments (pipa/zheng) take the foreground.
III. Winds over the Pastures (牧野嘶风) — Kashgar
The path leads to Kashgar. This movement features wind instruments as the primary voices, interwoven through layered melodic lines... resembling the lament of the wind across open fields.
IV. Resonant Harmony, Shared Spirit (灵韵大同) — Central Asia
Looking toward the lands of Zhaowu. The music draws inspiration from Central Asian musicians whose vibrant traditions traveled eastward... conveying the enduring Silk Road spirit of mutual appreciation and shared musical humanity.