Exploring the "soul intervals" : a portfolio of original compositions

Abstract

Before I came to New Zealand I had graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China in 2001. Thus, I had been educated in the traditional Russian musical education system and had a fixed musical outlook. But I felt that composers should always strive to find new thoughts and inspiration by putting themselves into new environments and new situations. This has been confirmed by my study in New Zealand, where I have found new ways to think about music. I always prefer to compose music which grows out of my own way of thinking. While listening to other musical masterpieces is important to me, I do not wish to copy these musical languages. Since studying with Jack Body, I have tried to learn from other composers' music and their musical outlooks without imitating their particular musical styles. When I began my study with Mr. Body in December 2003, I had been in New Zealand for less than two months, so I was still homesick. At first, I had no idea about how to begin the pieces. So I walked out of my house, took a breath of fresh air and tried to find some inspiration. Suddenly, I got the idea to use Chinese musical sonorities. In traditional Chinese scales, fourths and fifths are essential. In Western music, on the other hand, fourths and fifths are regarded as being 'empty sounds'. But why not write something that gives priority to both intervals? For they are the soul of Chinese traditional music and also my favourite intervals. On this basis, I decided to compose pieces in which fourths and fifths are the main intervallic material. By doing so, I wish to demonstrate that they are not intervals composers should avoid, but are most characteristic and impressive.