Pytheas Center for Contemporary Music

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Qu Xiao-Song (1952-     )

Qu Xiao-Song’s music has a crystal clarity and a love which embraces the magic cantilena handed down by Feldman, Takemitsu, Messiaen, Debussy, Chopin, Schubert and Mozart. Qu’s voice speaks softly in a world which has little time to revere silence and beauty. His music is as necessary for our sense of well being as it is for the continuation of the most elevated traditions themselves which he clearly respects.

COMPOSITIONS                                                             Qu Xiao-Song Links     ~ ~ ~     Works by Genre
String Symphony, string orchestra, timpani, percussion, harp and piano (1981)
The Girl of the Mountain, violin and orchestra (1982)
Mountain Song, cello and orchestra (1982)
The Mountain, symphonic suite, orchestra (1983)
Mong Dong (Innocent), cantata, low voice and large ensemble (1984)
Cello Concerto, cello and orchestra/chamber ensemble (1985)
Qing chun ji (Sacrificed Youth), film score (1985)
Symphony No. 1, orchestra (1986)
Dao ma zei (The Horse Thief), film score (1986)
Cleaving the Coffin, oratorio, soprano, 2 tenors, chorus and ensemble (1987)
Huan [Piano Concerto?], piano and orchestra or string orchestra (1987) [1985?]
Yi ge shi zhe dui sheng zhe de fang wen (Death Visits the Living), film score (1987)
Lun hui (Samsara), film score (1988)
Ji No. 1: Still Valley, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, double bass, piano and percussion (1990)
Ya ya, piccolo, clarinette, violin, cello, piano and percussion (1990)
Lam Mot, percussion ensemble (1991)
Mist, soprano, baritone and large ensemble (1991)
    - Mist 2, soprano and 3 percussionist (1991-95)
    - Mist 3, soprano, fl, cl, perc, pf, vn,va,vc (1991?-????)
Bian zou bian chang (Life on a String), film score (1991)
Yi, flute, clarinette, violin, viola, piano, percussion and double bass (1991)
Xi, 6 percussionists (1991)
Tui shou (Pushing Hands), film score (1992)
Oedipus, chamber opera (1992-93)
The Death of Oedipus, chamber opera (1993-94)
Ji No. 2: Floating Clouds, shakuhashi, clarinet, piano and percussion (1994)
Ji No. 3: Silent Mountain, guitar (1994)
Ji No. 4: Bare Land, percussion solo and tape (1995)
Ji No. 5: Broken Stone, koto or guitar, sho and string quartet (1995)
De Oogst van de stilte (Broken Silence), film score (1995)
Fang Yan Kou, low voice and 9 players (1996)
Ji No. 6: Flowering Sands, biwa/voice and six instruments (1997?)
Ji No. 7: Motionless Water, violin solo or cello solo (1997)
Life on a String, chamber opera (1998)
Weisst du wie der Regen klingt.../Rain, chorus, chamber ensemble and tape (1999)
Cursive, cello, ensemble and percussion ensemble (2000-01)
The Test, opera (2003-04)
awaking, orchestra, theater and video (?) (2008)


WORKS BY GENRE                                                            Qu Xiao-Song  Links     ~ top of page ~
Dramatic/Theater
Oedipus, chamber opera (1992-93)
The Death of Oedipus, chamber opera (1993-94)
Life on a String, chamber opera (1998)
The Test, opera (2003-04)
awaking, orchestra, theater and video (?) (2008)

Orchestra
String Symphony, string orchestra, timpani, percussion, harp and piano (1981)
The Mountain, symphonic suite, orchestra (1983)
Symphony No. 1, orchestra (1986)
Huan [Piano Concerto?], piano and orchestra or string orchestra (1987) [1985?]

Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
The Girl of the Mountain, violin and orchestra (1982)
Mountain Song, cello and orchestra (1982)
Cello Concerto, cello and orchestra/chamber ensemble (1985)
Huan [Piano Concerto?], piano and orchestra or string orchestra (1987) [1985?]
Cursive, cello, ensemble and percussion ensemble (2000-01)

Chorus w/Orchestra
Mong Dong (Innocent), cantata, low voice and large ensemble (1984)
Cleaving the Coffin, oratorio, soprano, 2 tenors, chorus and ensemble (1987)
Weisst du wie der Regen klingt.../Rain, chorus, chamber ensemble and tape (1999)

Chamber/Ensemble
Ji No. 1: Still Valley, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, double bass, piano and percussion (1990)
Ya ya, piccolo, clarinette, violin, cello, piano and percussion (1990)
Lam Mot, percussion ensemble (1991)
Yi, flute, clarinette, violin, viola, piano, percussion and double bass (1991)
Xi, 6 percussionists (1991)
Ji No. 2: Floating Clouds, shakuhashi, clarinet, piano and percussion (1994)
Ji No. 5: Broken Stone, koto or guitar, sho and string quartet (1995)
Ji No. 6: Flowering Sands, biwa/voice and six instruments (1997?)

Solo Instrument
Ji No. 3: Silent Mountain, guitar (1994)
Ji No. 4: Bare Land, percussion solo and tape (1995)
Ji No. 7: Motionless Water, violin solo or cello solo (1997)

Vocal
Mong Dong (Innocent), cantata, low voice and large ensemble (1984)
Mist, soprano, baritone and large ensemble (1991)
    - Mist 2, soprano and 3 percussionist (1991-95)
    - Mist 3, soprano, fl, cl, perc, pf, vn,va,vc (1991?-????)
Fang Yan Kou, low voice and 9 players (1996)
Ji No. 6: Flowering Sands, biwa/voice and six instruments (1997?)

Incidental/Film
Qing chun ji (Sacrificed Youth), film score (1985)
Dao ma zei (The Horse Thief), film score (1986)
Yi ge shi zhe dui sheng zhe de fang wen (Death Visits the Living), film score (1987)
Lun hui (Samsara), film score (1988)
Bian zou bian chang (Life on a String), film score (1991)
Tui shou (Pushing Hands), film score (1992)
De Oogst van de stilte (Broken Silence), film score (1995)

Electronic
Ji No. 4: Bare Land, percussion solo and tape (1995)
Weisst du wie der Regen klingt.../Rain, chorus, chamber ensemble and tape (1999)


QU XIAO-SONG  LINKS                                                            Works by Genre      ~ top of page ~
awaking (Singpore Arts Festival)
awaking (review - Jade Greenleaf's Sanctuary)
Concert of Percussion (China Daily)
Qu Xiao-Song (CRIENGLISH.com)
Life on at String (Zeitgenössische Oper Berlin)
The Test (Zeitgenössische Oper Berlin)

Qu Xiao-Song @ Wikipedia
Qu Xiao-Song @ Chinese Movie Database
Qu Xiao-Song @ IMDb (Internet Movie Database)
Qu Xiao-Song @ Karadar Classical Music
Qu Xiao-Song @ Macao Orchestra
Qu Xiao-Song @ The New York Times
Qu Xiao-Song @ Peermusic
Qu Xiao-Song @ Shanghai Conservatory of Music (translated from original Chinese)
Qu Xiao-Song @ Warszawska Jesień 2005
Qu Xiao-Song @ Zeitgenössische Oper Berlin (translated from original German)

Streaming Audio
[none at the moment]

Recordings
Qu Xiao-Song @ ArkivMusic
Qu Xiao-Song @ ClassicsOnline

Qu Xiao-Song @ YouTube
[none at the moment]