遥远的音符,融入深邃的夜色,如同神秘星辰点缀天空。须弥乐团,名字承载着博大的思维,正如“须弥藏芥子,芥子纳须弥”一般,以纤小之物寄寓宇宙之奥秘。在这场音乐的仪式中,他们超越了传统,超越了乐器的局限,将音符交织成一幅华美的图景,勾勒出新民乐的瑰丽轮廓。
曲,是音乐的律动,亦是酒令的律动。自古以来,乐曲与酒便是祭祀活动必不可少的元素。在我国古代祭祀典礼中设有乐舞表演和音乐演奏,称“雅乐”;在祭祀活动中,以酒浇地,表示祭奠,谓之“祭酒”。雅乐悠扬,如同祭祀之歌,而祭酒则是与神明对话的媒介。祭祀活动的对象包括天地、山川等,还有众多神秘而重要的神话人物。
神话,是先人对自然的思考,是先人天马行空的想象力、无穷的创造力,是华夏民族灿烂精神文明的见证。在这张名为“神曲”的专辑中,中西乐器共鸣,谱写出了一幅神秘而丰富的音乐画卷。主奏乐器大提琴和扬琴,一个源自西方,一个蕴含东方情韵,交织出中西文化的和谐之音。
这张专辑由新锐作曲家JAM C执笔,邀请了扬琴演奏家侴文静、大提琴演奏家潘畅、大提琴演奏家宋昭、笛箫演奏家陈冬、琵琶演奏家顾圣婴、二胡演奏家范晓丽、独唱演员夏桐等出色的音乐家加盟共同演奏。他们的合奏,宛如酒令之声,如同祭神的乐章。专辑之“新民乐”不只是民乐与西洋乐器的中西交汇,更首次加入了AI人声的使用,为新民乐作品的创新再抛一种可能性。
专辑描述上古神话中10位女神人物的故事,由《娲皇创世》拉开序幕,深沉的鼓声仿佛迎接宇宙的创生,女娲抟黄土做人,是华夏民族的起源,她的形象在音符间得以永存;《日御》和《月神》两曲如同日月的循环,热烈而清冷,用音符描绘出天地的壮丽;《女魃》和《天降玄女》则是描述了神话故事中战争的激烈与残酷;《洛神宓妃》、《湘水祭》、《嫘祖始蚕》旋律婉转缠绵,三位女神不同的美态被淋漓尽致地展现眼前;《九幽神乐》与《昆仑瑶池会》完美地用音乐表达了九幽盛世以及蟠桃盛宴的盛大、祥和以及热闹之景。女神们的降临,如同醇美的美酒,神秘而令人陶醉,她们在音乐中起舞,为整个专辑刻画出神秘而多彩的神话图景。
这就是《须弥·神曲》——一场神话与酒文化的盛宴,一次对音乐的探索与创新。在须弥乐团的演奏下,中西乐器相得益彰,酒乐之曲,神曲之礼,交汇成一曲华美的音乐画卷,娓娓道来古老神话,借酒追溯人类的远古历程。
Distant notes blend with the profound night, like mysterious stars adorning the sky. Sumeru Musical Ensemble, carrying a vast mindset in their name, just as “a mustard seed contains Mount Sumeru, and Mount Sumeru fits within a mustard seed”, conveys the cosmic mysteries through humble objects. In this musical ceremony, they transcend tradition and the limitations of instruments, weaving musical notes into a splendid panorama, outlining the magnificent contours of new Chinese music.
Music, or melody, is not only the rhythm of music but also the rhythm of drinking games. Since ancient times, music and alcohol have been essential elements of sacrificial activities. Ancient Chinese sacrificial rituals included musical and dance performances, known as “yayue (elegant music)”. During these ceremonies, pouring wine on the ground as an offering was called “sacrificial wine”. Yayue is melodious, like a song for sacrifices, while sacrificial wine serves as a medium for communication with deities. The objects of these rituals include heaven, earth, mountains, rivers, and numerous enigmatic and significant mythological figures.
Mythology is the ancestral reflection on nature, it is the boundless imagination and limitless creativity of our ancestors, and it bears witness to the brilliant spiritual civilization of the Chinese nation. In this album titled “Divine Songs” resonating Chinese and western instruments compose a mysterious and rich musical tapestry. The prominent instruments, cello and yangqin, one originating from the West and the other encapsulating eastern charm, intertwine to create harmonious melodies of both Chinese and western cultures.
This album is composed by the rising composer JAM C and performed by a stellar lineup of musicians including yangqin player Kaitlyn CHOU, cellist Peter PAN, cellist AIYS SONG, dizi and xiao player Dong CHEN, pipa player Shengying GU, erhu player Clare FAN, and solo vocalist Tiffany XIA. Their performance resembles the sound of drinking games, like chapters of music offered to the immortals. The New Chinese Music the album expresses not only represents the fusion of traditional Chinese music with the western music by both Chinese traditional musical instruments and the western musical instruments, but also incorporates the use of AI vocals for the first time, opening up new possibilities for innovative works of new Chinese music.
The album describes the stories of ten goddesses from Chinese ancient mythologies. Opening with “Nuwa, the Empress of Creation of Humanity”, the deep drumbeats seem to welcome the birth of the universe. Nuwa molded humans from yellow clay, representing the origin of the Chinese nation, and her image is immortalized through the notes. The tracks “Sun Goddess” and “Moon Goddess” symbolize the cycle of the sun and moon, passionate yet tranquil, capturing the magnificence of heaven and earth. “Nuba, the Goddess of Drought” and “The Mysterious Maid from Heaven” depict the intensity and cruelty of warfare in mythological stories. The melodies of “Fufei, the Goddess of the Luo River”, “Love Story of the Goddess of the Xiang River”, and “Leizu, the First Empress of Silk” are gentle and lingering, fully showcasing the beauty of the three goddesses. “Sunu, the Goddess of Music” and “The Celestial Gathering at Kunlun’s Jade Pool” perfectly express the grandeur, tranquility, and liveliness of the Nine Hades era and the Peach Banquet. The descent of the goddesses, like fine wine, is mystical and intoxicating, as they dance within the music, painting a vivid picture of mythical splendor throughout the entire album.
This is “Sumeru · Divine Songs” - a feast of mythology and wine culture, an exploration and innovation in music. Through the performance of the Sumeru Musical Ensemble, Chinese and Western instruments complement each other, combining music and wine, creating a beautiful musical panorama. It narrates ancient myths, tracing the distant history of humanity through wine.