Bright Sheng

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Thirty-Mile Village

三十里鋪

For Two Part Chorus and Harp

2011

 

 

提起（那）家來家有名，              tee chee (na) jia lai jai you mier,
家住在綏德的三十里村；              jia zu zai sui de dee sa si lee tsuen;
四妹子愛見（那）三哥哥，           si mei zi ngai jian (na) sa ge ger,
你是我的知心人。                      nee si nga dee zi shin rarn.

Translation

If you just mention my hometown,
It is the famed Thirty-Mile Village in Sui De.
Where Si Mei Zi awaits for San Ge Ge,
You are my beloved for sure.

 

Program Note

Thirty-Mile Village is commissioned by the Young People’s Chorus of New York, who premiered the work on February 18th, 2012 at Zankel Hall of Carnegie Hall in New York City, conducted by Francisco Nunez.
 
In 2003, I wrote Boatmen’s Song, a work for two-part chorus and harp for the Young People’s Chorus of New York.  It has been my intention to write a few more of these short chorus works based on Chinese folk songs.  So I was happy to oblige to Francisco’s recent request as the second installment. 

Like Boatmen’s Song, Thirty-Mile Village is also from northern Shaanxi Province which is known for its beautiful and soaring folk melodies.        

 

 

—Bright Sheng