Tan Dun’s Concerto Pizzicato for piano and ten instruments in terms of his piano work

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the musical poetics and dramaturgy of Tan Dun’s (PRC) first of four piano concertos – Concerto Pizzicato for piano and ten instruments (1995). The methodology is a comparative-historical method and method of musical-theoretical work analysis. The scientific novelty of the research involves the first attempt to the in-depth study of the musical poetics and dramaturgy of this highly artistic work in Ukrainian and Chinese musicology. Conclusions. The Concerto title reflects the main genre idea associated with the interpretation of piano as a fretted instrument, assimilated in sounding to the Chinese zither (tsin). The score is accompanied by a stage-arrangement scheme of instruments, a list of phonation approaches, and performance methods. The composition is dedicated to the memory of J. Cage, which was reflected in САGElight theme–name anagram of the outstanding avant-gardist of the XX century. Semantic sphere of the work involves nature images, national rituals, and theater with a highlight of the Chinese philosophy of “native places” and ideas of American transcendentalism. The single-frequency dramatic model reflects the idea of “organic music,” embodied by means of polystylism, minimalism, rehearsal, theatrical, and film music techniques. The orchestra has soloists dominated, with a significant role of percussion instruments.