Spring on a Moonlight River (Ensemble)

Spring on a Moonlight River is the name of a piece of music in Songs and Odes – Wu Style Songs of the official conservatory in the Han Dynasty. The composer has been unknown and the original lyric has been long lost. This old title had been recomposed by many people in Chinese history, including Zhang Ruoxu, a poet in the Tang Dynasty. One of these lyrics named Spring on a Moonlight River,written by Zhang Ruoxu, is of great immortal artistic vitality and aesthetic value. It is a different popular lyric. Up to now, people do not even investigate and seek the original composer but take him as Zhang Ruoxu.

Spring on a Moonlight River written by Zhang Ruoxu depicts a beautiful world, which is magnificent, peaceful and fascinating. In the face of the colorful world and mysterious everlasting beauty, the poet expresses his love, perplexity and sorrow. They deeply reflect people’s common feeling and thinking of space and time and their existence. The poetry brings an impressive artistic and aesthetic enjoyment. For more than a thousand years, it has been widely sung generations by generations, and has been stretched to different artistic fields. Spring on a Moonlight River we hear today is originally one piece of ancient music for pi-pa, and it is also called Music for Xiao and Drum in Setting Sun. In 1925, it was adapted into an ensemble of folk orchestral music for the first time. After that, it has been adapted for many times. This music is divided into nine verses, each of which depicts a kind of fascinating scenery on the moonlight river. It is clear, easy and smooth. It has appealing tune, changing rhythm and wonderful concept. It brings a landscape picture scroll in a simple but elegant style with mild colors.