Title: Dian Lake capriccio

Composer:Guo Hengji

Year: [19--]

Genre:

• Small ensemble
• Original composition
• Chinese plucked string orchestra

Call No.: SC1226

Description: "Dian Lake Capriccio" is a piece for Chinese plucked strings composed by Kwok Hang-kei. Being one of Kwok's numerous Yunnan-themed compositions, it evokes images and sounds by the Dianchi lake in Kunming, Yunnan. It features a full set of plucked strings as well as winds and percussions. It begins, in the key of G major, with an expansive and graceful introduction that highlights several solo passages by the yangqin. Scalic melodies on the yangqin paves the way for the appearance of the first theme, led by the pipa and soon echoed in the rest of the ensemble and elaborated fully with a rich homophonic texture. A more lighthearted section follows, introducing the second theme while establishing the key of D major and a brisk 2/4-meter rhythm. A transitional phrase by the zheng then precedes a lively dance-like section, and the music turns to triple meter briefly afterward, revealing a modified first theme. When the music returns to duple meter and reaches a climax, its momentum is interrupted, leading to the coda and the reprise of the first theme before concluding the piece with a series of slow, expansive chords.

Note:

Instrumentation: di (1), xiao (1), zhongyin sheng (1), diyin sheng (1), yangqin (1), liuqin (1), pipa (1), zhong ruan (1), da ruan (1), da sanxian (1), zheng (1), timpani/large cymbals/medium cymbals (1), percussion (1), glockenspiel/xylophone (1), cello (1), double bass (1)