Title: Rainbow

Composer:Guo Hengji

Year: [19--]

Genre:

• Small ensemble
• Original composition
• Chinese plucked string orchestra

Call No.: SC931

Description: "Rainbow" is a piece for Chinese plucked-strings composed by Kwok Hang-kei. As one of Kwok's many Yunnan-themed works, this piece depicts a scene where people dance under a rainbow, which is considered an auspicious sign by multiple ethnic groups in Southwest China. It calls for an all-plucked-string ensemble with gehu and diyin gehu providing the bassline; its texture is mostly homophonic throughout except for solo passages. It begins with a slow, expressive introduction that sets the key of D minor. As the ensemble establishes a steady pulse, the second section begins with the main theme, which recurs many times throughout the piece. After a substantial elaboration of the theme, the fast and lively third section follows, starting with triplet figures and then a switch to triple meter. The momentum eventually settles down and gives way to a slow, lyrical ending section that is only briefly interrupted by a reappearance of the main theme in its full, assertive form.

Note:

Instrumentation: yangqin (2), liuqin (1), pipa (1), zhong ruan (1), da ruan (1), sanxian (1), zheng (1), gehu (1), diyin gehu (1)