Programme note

雨后 After Rain is a piece inspired by a Chinese water-colour painting by calligrapher 林曦明 (Lin Xi Ming). The piece attempts to reimagine visual contrast (e.g. heavy/light brushstrokes, dense/sparse shades of colour) sonically. In particular, the contrasting timbral characters of the Yangqin and Pipa progressively converge as their pitches draw closer, and subsequently re-diverge. From such a progression arises various effects of sonic spatiality, which correspond to the control of brush weights used in the water-colour painting. Variations in the rhythmic activity of the instrumental voices also gives rise to different effects of sonic density.

The composition also encourages theatrical spontaneity in live performance, especially the embodied movements among performers, inspired by how elements on canvas interact with the viewer’s eye to give rise to visual dynamism.