Xian’s Yellow River Piano Concerto
Movement I
Xian’s Y e l l o w R i v e r P i a n o C o n c e r t o
Movement I
Section
Measure(s)
A
1
2
6
16
B
17-24
A¹
25-38
B¹
39-50
C
51-74
Subsection
Comments
This section is mostly in 3/4
“Call of the Boatmen” (F# to E) 1: oboe I,
trumpets, violin I)
Chromatic scales (piccolo, flute I and
clarinet). These scales together with the
tremolo in the strings portray the turbulent
waters of the river.
Rhythmic figure in the strings that represents the
rhythmic ‘work chant’ (Hua you!) singing and
actions of the boatmen.
Cadenza-like entrance of the piano with accents
creating crossed rhythms (Shing-Lee, 1995)
This section is mostly in 2/4
This section is based on a two measure motif
(mm. 17-18) repeated four times. This ‘call
and response’ imitatates the haozi between
the leader of the haozi (piano) and the rowers
(orchestra). This section has been described
as the ‘idée fixe’ of the movement (Shing-Lee,
1995).
While the section is based on the major
pentatonic scale of D (D-E-F#-A-B) this
melodic figure is concentrated on the notes DE-A-B.
NOTE: Please notice that the EE edition has
a misprint. The last not of the piano in m. 17
should be a B and not a G. All the subsequent
instances of the same motive are the same.
This section is mostly in 3/4
This is a more compact version of section A.
many of the ideas that were juxtaposed in the
original A are now presented together. For
instance The “Call of the boatman” (this time
in the piano at m. 25) is presented
simultaneously with the chromatic scales
(again in the piano m. 25) and the figure of
the work-chant (Hua you!).
This section is in 2/4
Similar material than section A in a faster
tempo.
At m. 47 the first part of the idée fixe is
fragmented. The idée is presented four times
without the initial D. This acts as a transition
to the next section.
This section is in 2/4
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Xian’s Yellow River Piano Concerto
Movement I
A²
75-83
A³
84-92
Coda
93-113
“Hinting” to the minor pentatonic scale of B
(B-D-E-F#-A). This section is very clearly
organized in four measure phrases: 51-54
(piano) with block chords figures supporting
the top line that presents the notes D-E as in
the opening of the idée fixe.
The second subsection is in mm. 55-58 with
elements of ‘call and response’ between
piano and bassoon and lower strings.
Beginning at m. 59 similar to mm. 51-54 but
beginning one step higher in the major
pentatonic scale of C (C-D-E-G-A).
At m. 67 a bridge built upon
fragmentation/imitation of the idée fixe lead
towards:
This section is in 3/4
Similar to m. 25
M. 83 cadenza section
This section is in 4/4
While, due to tempo and meter changes, this
section would appear quite different to
previous versions of ‘A’ the melody in flute
and oboe in m. 84 is a melodic transformation
of the idée fixe.
M. 88 piano takes the theme presented by
woodwinds in previous measures.
In the Cantata version the text talks about
boatmen arriving safely to shore. However, in
the piano concerto version the committee
suggested this section represented soldiers
“seeing the dawn of the victory” (Shing-Lee,
1995).
Mm. 93-104. This is new material but, since it
is pentatonic it has similarities to previous
materials both in pitch and rhythm
M. 104-end. Compilation of previous materials
mostly from A.
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