The Royal Festival Hall in London recently hosted a significant musical event, as Chinese-born American composer Tan Dun led the UK premiere of his Choral Concerto: Nine with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Tan, renowned for his Oscar-winning score for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the official music for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, showcased his latest work, which was commissioned to commemorate Beethoven's 250th anniversary.
A Grand Stage for a Unique Performance
To accommodate the extensive requirements of the piece, the stage at the Royal Festival Hall was extended, allowing space for the London Philharmonic Orchestra, along with a full battery of drums and additional percussion. The combined forces of the London Philharmonic Choir and the London Chinese Philharmonic Choir were positioned behind the orchestra, creating a visually and sonically impressive setup.
Innovative Choral and Orchestral Elements
The Choral Concerto: Nine features a rich tapestry of sounds, including choral sound effects such as hisses, synchronized mouth noises, pitch slides, dramatic collective inhalations, and subtle hints of Mongolian throat singing. The more traditional choral sections presented English translations of texts by Chinese poets Qu Yuan and Li Bai, with the vocal blend meticulously calibrated for emotional impact.
Orchestrally, the work includes heavyweight bass pedal drones, Tan's signature mix of diatonic and pentatonic harmonies, and brief quotations from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Special effects, such as dampened pizzicatos, brass players palming their mouthpieces, and percussionists clicking pebbles, added a layer of novelty that helped avoid any sense of blandness.
Beethoven's Ninth Under Tan's Baton
Following the premiere, Tan Dun also conducted Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The performance was characterized by fast tempos and crisp rhythms, yet it lacked the magical touch and large-scale directional coherence often associated with this monumental work. The opening chord of the finale, intended to convey chaos, came across as overwhelmingly loud rather than dissonant, with brass sections dominating the sound.
The vocal soloists—Elizabeth Watts, Hongni Wu, John Findon, and Matthew Rose—were well-matched, with Rose delivering a particularly powerful and stentorian entry in the Ode to Joy. Despite their efforts and the chorus's immense vocal power, the overall performance felt somewhat workaday and moderate, failing to fully capture the symphony's transcendent spirit.
Tan Dun's Enduring Legacy
Tan Dun's extensive career includes collaborations with classical megastars like Yo-Yo Ma and Lang Lang, a full-length work for the Metropolitan Opera, and even an Internet Symphony for Google/YouTube. His ability to blend Eastern and Western musical traditions continues to resonate, making his compositions, including this new choral concerto, immediately appealing to diverse audiences.
This UK premiere not only highlighted Tan's innovative approach but also underscored the London Philharmonic Orchestra's commitment to presenting contemporary works alongside classical masterpieces, offering a fresh perspective on orchestral and choral music.
