"Love & Lost" - Song Cycle for High Voice & Piano from Li Qingzhao Poems 19'

 

The Song Cycle is based on the poetry of Li Qingzhao (1084–1155), arguably the most celebrated female poet in Chinese history.

 

A Touch of Crimson Lips (点绛唇) was written in Li’s early years, capturing the playful spirit of a young girl on a morning outing. Drunken Flower Shade (醉花阴) and A Spray of Plum Blossoms (一剪梅) were composed during her early marriage, both expressing deep longing for her beloved husband, who was stationed far away at the time.

 

In a recitative style, Like a Dream (如梦令) portrays the poet gazing upon fallen flowers in her garden after a rainstorm. Even in her youth, she laments the fleeting nature of time and lost innocence.

 

The final song, A Slow Tune (声声慢), was written toward the end of Li Qingzhao’s storied life. One of her most daring and unconventional works, it reflects her profound loneliness and sorrow as an ailing widow. The music, minimalist in style, evokes the theatrical essence of traditional Chinese drama, amplifying the depth of her grief.

 

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I. A Touch of Crimson Lips - 点绛唇

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II. Drunken Flower Shade - 醉花阴

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III. A Spray of Plum Blossoms - 一剪梅

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IV. Like a Dream - 如梦令

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V. A Slow Tune  - 声声慢

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