Farewell (2024)
Percussion requirements:
Pre-Recorded Audio (included with score), Vibraphone, Yunluo (substitute glockenspiel), Multiple Percussion Setup: Chinese cymbal Hi-Hat, large Chinese drum (substitute bass drum), 5 Chinese Pai Gu (substitute 5 toms), wood drum (substitute large woodblock), Peking opera gong, suspended Chinese cymbal, mark tree.
- Performed by Scott Hsu
Farewell is scored for solo percussionist and pre-recorded playback, all directly inspired by the song The Romance of Lake Dalupalringi (“The Love of Ghost Lake”) - an ancient song and legend of the native Rukai people of Taiwan. The work opens with the presentation of the song in its original form, sung by two Rukai singers:
Main Vocal: 巴筱艾/Dremedremane
Supporting Vocal: 杜彩虹/Lezeme
The song tells the ancient story of a princess who is in love with the God of the Lake (a human-shaped snake) and leaves her family/tribe to be with her “husband.”
The Indigenous song The Romance of Lake Dalupalringi used in this work is a composition by 盧正君 Dumalalrathe Mai Chu Su, based on the ancient melody "Senaiki Balheng," with reworked story background, melody, and lyrics. This work has been officially licensed by the copyright holder, 盧穎璋. It is performed by Rukai singers 巴筱艾/Dremedremane and 杜彩虹/Lezeme, and recorded by 徐易達 at the Pingtung Performing Arts Hall. The electronic music element in this work may not be used for purposes other than performing this piece without the consent of the copyright holder.
Farewell was commissioned and premiered by Taiwanese percussionist Scott Hsu.