Great minds think alike: Tan and Wells on Olympic music
Video: Interview with Tan Dun and Robert Wells
(BEIJING, August 5) -- Both Academy Award winner Tan Dun and world-renowned pianist Robert Wells agree: Beijing's Olympic music must have Chinese tones.
The two composers were on hand on Tuesday to talk about their cooperation and involvement in creating Olympic music to be used for demonstration events and medal ceremonies during the 2008 Summer Games. Pandora Battery
Tan relied on his philosophical instinct to guide him in his compositions, contemplating how thousands of years ago, the Chinese used traditional ways to spiritually present great honors to the people. He went back 2,400 years in Chinese history to bring back the original sound of chromatic gold bells and combined this instrument with a brand-new one -- jade chimes -- to "create harmony through instrumentation." According to Tan, the two instruments share the same wavelength, or have the same yuan fen, which, in traditional Chinese belief, is a kind of fate that brings people together.
World-renowned pianist Robert Wells
Interestingly enough, gold and jade are also the same two elements that make up the Olympic medals to be awarded at Beijing's Olympic Games.
Tan was invited to work on Olympic music after Olympic officials attended a dress rehearsal for an opera that the composer was conducting in New York.
Wells likes to keep it simple, using only five tones, the same number as the Olympic rings, when writing music. He incorporated his interest in rock and roll and classical music in his composition but couldn't find the right Chinese spirit to add to it, until he met with Tan.
Robert Wells on his Olympic compositions
Wells believes that Olympic music must be positive and "wake people up." It's about people all around the world getting together in friendship, he continued. PA3107U-1BRS
Everyone dreams about someday writing music for the Olympics, said Wells. As such, two years ago, when he heard about the competition soliciting songs for the Games, he jumped at the chance. The musician was invited to perform in front of the Forbidden City on August 8, 2007, as part of the celebration for the one-year countdown to the Beijing Games. Now, he is known as one of the main composers for medal ceremony music for Beijing 2008.
Wells concluded the interview by expressing his happiness for the Chinese nation for having been awarded the honor of hosting the great sports event. "We wish the best, best luck in the Olympics," he said.
One World One Dream
Video: Interview with Tan Dun and Robert Wells
(BEIJING, August 5) -- Both Academy Award winner Tan Dun and world-renowned pianist Robert Wells agree: Beijing's Olympic music must have Chinese tones.
The two composers were on hand on Tuesday to talk about their cooperation and involvement in creating Olympic music to be used for demonstration events and medal ceremonies during the 2008 Summer Games. Pandora Battery
Tan relied on his philosophical instinct to guide him in his compositions, contemplating how thousands of years ago, the Chinese used traditional ways to spiritually present great honors to the people. He went back 2,400 years in Chinese history to bring back the original sound of chromatic gold bells and combined this instrument with a brand-new one -- jade chimes -- to "create harmony through instrumentation." According to Tan, the two instruments share the same wavelength, or have the same yuan fen, which, in traditional Chinese belief, is a kind of fate that brings people together.
World-renowned pianist Robert Wells
Interestingly enough, gold and jade are also the same two elements that make up the Olympic medals to be awarded at Beijing's Olympic Games.
Tan was invited to work on Olympic music after Olympic officials attended a dress rehearsal for an opera that the composer was conducting in New York.
Wells likes to keep it simple, using only five tones, the same number as the Olympic rings, when writing music. He incorporated his interest in rock and roll and classical music in his composition but couldn't find the right Chinese spirit to add to it, until he met with Tan.
Robert Wells on his Olympic compositions
Wells believes that Olympic music must be positive and "wake people up." It's about people all around the world getting together in friendship, he continued. PA3107U-1BRS
Everyone dreams about someday writing music for the Olympics, said Wells. As such, two years ago, when he heard about the competition soliciting songs for the Games, he jumped at the chance. The musician was invited to perform in front of the Forbidden City on August 8, 2007, as part of the celebration for the one-year countdown to the Beijing Games. Now, he is known as one of the main composers for medal ceremony music for Beijing 2008.
Wells concluded the interview by expressing his happiness for the Chinese nation for having been awarded the honor of hosting the great sports event. "We wish the best, best luck in the Olympics," he said.
One World One Dream
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