DESCRIPTION:
“Shan Shui”（山水）is a string quartet in two movements, written by Hong Kong composer Samuel Tam. It is made up of “snapshots” of impressions on scenery of Chinese mountains and water. The first movement aims at portraying an objective depiction, while the second movement aims at presenting a subjective lyricism inspired by the scenery. The piece is unified by making use of recurring motives and harmonies in different sections, as well as restating some passages from the first movement in the second movement.

This quartet work shows the interest of coloration between tonality and atonality. Or say, it is Tam’s specific style of atonal music with several tonal chord progressions. Unlikely many other modern works, Tam’s works concern more in harmony, especially the sound combining tonal and atonal elements. Thus the work brings several new sound and colour, however, not strange but seems familiar.

“Shan Shui I” was chosen as a finalist of the 7th International Contemporary Music Contest “Città di Udine” and was published by Taukay Edizioni Musicali, Italy in 2009.

1st movement - Delineation of “Shan Shui”（寫山寫水）
Images of waters and mountains（水影山影）
Unbroken massif（連綿山巒）
Smooth lake（如鏡湖水）
Craggy rocks（嶙峋怪石）
Steep cliff（懸崖峭壁）
[ Song of Joy（愉悅之歌）]
Dark valleys（幽谷）
Fountains（瀑布）
Flowing rivers（滾滾長流）
Singing of mountains and waters（山水之聲）

2nd movement - Playing with “Shan Shui”（欺山欺水）
Playing with mountain（欺山）
Majestic mountains（巍峨雄山）
High into the sky（高聳入雲）
Playing with water（欺水）
[ Song of Joy（愉悅之歌）]
Stormy sea（驚濤駭浪）
Deep ocean（深不見底）
Boundless sea（浩瀚無邊）
Images of mountains and waters（山影水影）
Finale of Praise（山水頌歌）

Concert: New Space of Music 2
Date: 8 November 2015 (premiere)