{"id":481,"date":"2018-02-19T16:36:45","date_gmt":"2018-02-19T15:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/?p=481"},"modified":"2023-08-25T21:55:15","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T20:55:15","slug":"earthly-branches-2012-3-for-large-orchestra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/?p=481","title":{"rendered":"Earthly Branches (2012-3) for large orchestra"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-712\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/DSCI0045.jpg?resize=810%2C608\" alt=\"\" width=\"810\" height=\"608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/DSCI0045.jpg?resize=1024%2C768 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/DSCI0045.jpg?resize=300%2C225 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/DSCI0045.jpg?resize=768%2C576 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/DSCI0045.jpg?w=1620 1620w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/DSCI0045.jpg?w=2430 2430w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Earthly Branches<\/em>\u00a0won a prize in the 2013 Beijing Modern Music Festival&#8217;s &#8220;Orchestral Composition Grand Prix&#8221; (I came third), and the piece was premiered in Beijing Concert Hall by Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Zhang<span class=\"bcTruncateMore\">\u00a0Guoyong.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<!-- Starting bandcamp iframe embed for https:\/\/489a34a4120073517fd18010f3294d24.bandcamp.com\/track\/2361073629\/ --><iframe src='https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=\/track=2361073629\/size=large\/tracklist=false\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5' class='embed-iframe embed-bandcamp' width='350' height='470' data-url='https:\/\/489a34a4120073517fd18010f3294d24.bandcamp.com\/track\/2361073629\/' frameborder='0' style='max-width:700px;min-width:170px;' allowfullscreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' oallowfullscreen='true' msallowfullscreen='true' ><strong>HTML Embed: An unidentified error has occurred.<\/strong><span class=\"error-message\">This feature requires inline frames. You have iframes disabled or your browser does not support them.<\/span><span class=\"error-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/489a34a4120073517fd18010f3294d24.bandcamp.com\/track\/2361073629\/\" target=\"_blank\">Open link in a new tab.<\/a><\/span><\/iframe><!-- Ending bandcamp iframe embed for https:\/\/489a34a4120073517fd18010f3294d24.bandcamp.com\/track\/2361073629\/ --><!-- Cached embed generated on May 12th 2026, 05:22:33 PM) -->\n<p>I added the following text to the inside page of the score for Earthly Branches.\u00a0 This reflects how I felt (and feel) about the direction that the human race is heading in, in the face of climate change and ecological disruption.\u00a0 The piece was in some way a reflection of these worries.<\/p>\n<p><em>We, who encounter another flood,<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Like those in which others went under,<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Remember<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>When we speak of their failings<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The dark time too<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Which we must escape.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>(after Brecht)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I also added this programme note:<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>\u5730\u652f<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u5730\u652f\u201d\u662f\u4e2d\u56fd\u53e4\u4ee3\u5e74\u4ee3\u5b66\u65f6\u95f4\u540d\u79f0,\u6211\u5f88\u5feb\u5c31\u88ab\u8fd9\u4e2a\u8bcd\u6c47\u6240\u5438\u5f15\uff0c\u201c\u5730\u652f\u201d\u7684\u6df1\u523b\u5185\u6db5\u6d89\u53ca\u4e16\u95f4\u4e07\u7269\u7684\u751f\u6001\u5faa\u73af\uff0c\u4ee5\u53ca\u4eba\u7c7b\u751f\u547d\u4e2d\u7684\u8bb8\u591a\u5c42\u9762\u3002\u5728\u672c\u66f2\u4e2d\uff0c\u4e09\u4e2a\u57fa\u672c\u6750\u6599\u4e4b\u95f4\u5c06\u4f1a\u6709\u975e\u5e38\u4e30\u5bcc\u7684\u76f8\u4e92\u5173\u8054\uff0c\u6750\u6599\u4e4b\u95f4\u4e5f\u4f1a\u6709\u8bb8\u591a\u4ea4\u9519\u548c\u91cd\u53e0\uff1a\u5f26\u4e50\u5c06\u6f14\u594f\u4e00\u4e9b\u591a\u8c03\u6027\u7684\u5178\u578b\u88c5\u9970\u6027\u97f3\u7b26\uff0c\u6728\u7ba1\u5c06\u4f20\u6765\u68a6\u5e7b\u5fae\u5206\u97f3\u7684\u97f3\u4e50\uff0c\u94dc\u7ba1\u7206\u53d1\u51fa\u65e0\u8c03\u6027\u97f3\u4e50\u3002\u5728\u4e00\u7cfb\u5217\u7684\u5168\u594f\u4e2d\uff08\u5728\u5f00\u5934\uff0c\u5b57\u6bcdH\uff0cR\u53caU\u5904\uff09\uff0c\u8fd9\u4e09\u4e2a\u6750\u6599\u201c\u6c11\u4e3b\u4e92\u52a8\u201d\u4e2d\u2014\u2014\u5373\u662f\u8bf4\uff0c\u867d\u7136\u5e76\u4e0d\u5b8c\u5168\u548c\u8c10\uff0c\u4f46\u5374\u5728\u4e00\u79cd\u4e0d\u534f\u8c03\u7684\u878d\u5408\u4e2d\u8fbe\u5230\u5747\u8861\u5171\u5b58\u3002\u5728\u5176\u4ed6\u65f6\u95f4\uff0c\u4e00\u4e2a\u6750\u6599\u5c06\u4f1a\u652f\u914d\u884d\u751f\u5176\u4ed6\u6750\u6599\uff08\u5b57\u6bcdE\u7684\u68a6\u5e7b\u822c\u7684\u97f3\u4e50\uff0c\u5b57\u6bcdN\u7684\u706b\u5c71\u822c\u7684\u97f3\u4e50\uff0c\u5b57\u6bcdT\u7684\u8f6e\u5531\u7684\u97f3\u4e50\uff09\u3002<br \/>\n\u5728\u8fd9\u9996\u66f2\u76ee\u4e2d\uff0c\u6211\u5e0c\u671b\u5c06\u6211\u7684\u771f\u5b9e\u751f\u6d3b\u4e0e\u6211\u5bf9\u97f3\u4e50\u7684\u7eaf\u7cb9\u70ed\u7231\u534f\u8c03\u5728\u4e00\u8d77\uff0c\u53bb\u5bfb\u627e\u4e00\u79cd\u97f3\u4e50\u98ce\u683c-\u5b89\u6392\u5728\u6750\u6599\u4e2d\u53ef\u4ee5\u4e0e\u97f3\u4e50\u4ee5\u5916\u7684\u4e8b\u60c5\u6709\u5173\u7cfb\u3002\u800c\u73b0\u5728\u6700\u7d27\u8981\u7684\u95ee\u9898\u662f\u4eba\u7c7b\u6587\u660e\u7684\u5ef6\u7eed\u53ef\u80fd\u6027-\u6709\u4e9b\u4e8b\u60c5\u4e0d\u80fd\u60f3\u5f53\u7136\u3002\u97f3\u4e50\u6709\u4e00\u79cd\u79ef\u6781\u7684\u7cbe\u795e\u5b9e\u8d28-\u50cf\u4e30\u9976\u7684\u5927\u81ea\u7136\uff0c\u539f\u5b50\u80fd\u7684\u7efd\u653e-\u90fd\u5728\u6211\u521b\u4f5c\u65f6\u7ed9\u4e86\u6211\u5de8\u5927\u7684\u5370\u8c61\uff08\u5728\u6211\u521b\u4f5c\u65f6\u6211\u542c\u4e86\u8d1d\u5c14\u683c\u7b2c\u4e09\u4e50\u961f\u7ec4\u66f2op.6\uff09\u79ef\u6781\u3001\u4e50\u89c2\uff0c\u8fd9\u5fc5\u987b\u8981\u7b26\u5408\u56f0\u6270\u7684\u53ef\u80fd\u6027\u90fd\u5b8c\u5168\u5d29\u6e83\u3002\u95ea\u95ea\u53d1\u5149\u7684\u7b2c\u4e09\u5168\u594f\u4f53\u73b0\u4e86\u8fd9\u4e00\u4e50\u89c2\u7684\u524d\u666f\uff0c\u4f46\u7b2c\u56db\u5408\u594f\u548c\u4e0b\u9762\u7684\u707e\u96be\u6027\u9ad8\u6f6e\u5e26\u6765\u7684\u89e3\u4f53\u548c\u7a81\u7136\u53d8\u6210\u4e86\u9eef\u6de1\u7a7a\u865a\u3002\u201c\u5730\u652f\u201d\u662f\u70ed\u60c5\u5730\u732e\u7ed9Cornelia Bogen.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Earthly Branches<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <em>Earthly Branches <\/em>were designations of time in ancient Chinese chronology; the phrase immediately attracted me for its metaphorical connotations relating to the deep interconnectedness of the ecological cycles of the planet and the wild, chaotic co-existence of the many different realms of life.\u00a0 Such rich interconnectedness finds musical expression in three fundamental textures or materials which are overlaid and interleaved in different ways through the work: a polytonal and canonic tapestry belonging to the strings, an aerial music of high woodwind notes in quartertones, and a volcanic, atonal music in the brass.\u00a0 In a series of <em>tuttis <\/em>(the opening, letters H, R and U) the three materials exist in a \u201cdemocracy of the elements\u201d\u2014that is to say, not a harmonious existence, but a turbulent co-existence.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At other times one material comes to dominate the others (the aerial music at letter E, the volcanic music at letter N, the canonic music at letter T).<\/p>\n<p>In this work I hope to have reconciled my purely musical interests with real-life concerns, to find a musical style- sets of materials and procedures- that can parallel extra-musical concerns.\u00a0 The issue at hand is the possible continuation of civilisation- something that cannot be taken for granted.\u00a0 The music has an essentially positive spirit- that of teeming nature, of atomic energies bursting forth- yet it struck me as I composed (while composing I had listened to the third of Berg\u2019s Orchestral Pieces Op.6) that this positivity and optimism must be tempered with the haunting possibility of the total collapse of it all.\u00a0 The glittering third <em>tutti <\/em>embodies this optimistic outlook, but the fourth <em>tutti<\/em> and the following cataclysmic climax bring disintegration and an abrupt descent into bleak emptiness.\u00a0 <em>Earthly Branches <\/em>is dedicated affectionately to Cornelia Bogen.<\/p>\n<p>(Thanks to Feng Chuguang for his help with the Chinese translation, which at that time was far too difficult for me.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Earthly Branches\u00a0won a prize in the 2013 Beijing Modern Music Festival&#8217;s &#8220;Orchestral Composition Grand Prix&#8221; (I came third), and the piece was premiered in Beijing Concert Hall by Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Zhang\u00a0Guoyong.\u00a0 I added the following text to the inside page of the score for Earthly Branches.\u00a0 This reflects how I felt&#8230;<span class=\"clearfix clearfix-post\"><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/?p=481\" class=\"more-link\">Continue Reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">&#8220;Earthly Branches (2012-3) for large orchestra&#8221;<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[394,301,316,373],"class_list":["post-481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-1","tag-beijing-modern-music-festival","tag-competition-prize","tag-large-orchestra","tag-links-audio"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=481"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":713,"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/481\/revisions\/713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgehollowaycomposer.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}