Music for Meditation: Tan Dun
August 9th, 2020
By Mark George, President and CEO
Music for Meditation is a weekly recommendation of music of a reflective nature. Find a comfortable chair or lie down, turn on a smart speaker or put in earbuds, and just listen.
This week’s selection is called Prayer and Blessing, a new work by composer Tan Dun. The piece is the composer’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. It is scored for 12 tam tams, strings, soprano and conductor and was premiered on April 12 in a livestreamed performance that united 12 artists from twelve countries. The musicians are performing synchronously using highly sophisticated videoconferencing technology. Tan Dun conducts the performance with the musicians appearing virtually on screens around him. The composer combines a classical sensibility with musical gestures drawn from Chinese culture. About Prayer and Blessings Tan Dun states:
This piece captures my love for us all – may our love for each other protect us until eternity and help us endure the ups and downs together. To me, the number 12 is one of the secret cycles of life. There are 12 months, 12 zodiacs, 12 tones, 12 years to Jupiter’s orbit around the Earth….That is why I have chosen 12 Tam-tam’s from Wuhan, a spiritual connection to send prayers and blessings to everyone, all over the world.
Tam-tams are a prominent feature of the soundscape. These large metallic discs originated in China in the 7th century BC. The instruments produce a wide range of unique sounds. Because their timbre has a large number of enharmonic partials, they have no definite pitch.
The brief and poignant text is attributed to Chinese philosopher Laozi (BC 600-500):
Time is everlasting
May peace be a long blessing
Mercy on me, my nature and spirit
May you and I forever be one.....
Prayer and Blessing (2020)..........Tan Dun (1957)
Tan Dun was born in China’s Hunan province. He was originally trained on traditional Chinese instruments before studying at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. There he met composers from around the world and began his journey of integrating his many musical influences. After moving to the United States to continue his studies, Tan Dun produced music for multiple genres, including opera, chamber music, and orchestra. He became widely known for creating the soundtrack for the award winning film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000.