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Concert blends the exotic
and romantic

Each year, the Honolulu Symphony proudly celebrates Hawaii's rich and diverse cultural heritage with concerts that blend Eastern and Western musical influences. Our "East Meets West" concerts have generated an enthusiastic following, thanks to the introduction of traditional Asian instruments and harmonious new sonorities.

'East Meets West' Featuring Yang Jing (left) on pipa: In concert: 8 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday Place: Blaisdell Concert Hall Tickets: $21, $33, $43, $51 and $64; 20 percent discount available to seniors, students and military Call: 792-2000 or Ticketmaster at 877-750-4400

This weekend, listeners will hear enchanting exoticism combined with Western romanticism. The symphony, led by guest conductor Alistair Willis, will introduce one of China's most popular instruments, the pipa, in a concerto written by Japanese composer Minoru Miki.

There is an immense appeal when this instrument, placed among violins, cellos and oboes, joins a Western orchestra. Few of us are familiar with it, but Yang Jing, pipa soloist for the evening, will be quick to make fans out of all in attendance.

The pipa is more than 2,000 years old, which is fairly young compared with other Chinese instruments. It resembles the lute, a half-pear-shaped instrument that is an ancestor of the guitar. The pipa usually has four or five strings and as many as 30 frets (ridges set across the fingerboard of a string instrument).

Like the guitar, the strings are plucked and produce a sharp, distinctive sound. The pipa's versatility makes it popular with people of all ages and means.

The pipa requires finger dexterity to master rolls, slaps, pizzicato, harmonics and other effects. But, as is the case in music from all corners of the globe, the flamboyant technique serves a more noble purpose: to express human feelings.

In the preface to his verse "Ode to Pipa," Jin Dynasty (265-420 A.D.) poet Xuan Fu wrote: "When the people suffered from being forced to build the Great Wall, they played the instrument to express their resentment."

Throughout history the instrument has been used in music just like a voice. Different combinations of tones, whether they are low, high, ascending or descending, represent different meanings: simple aspects of everyday life, heroic battles, sorrowful love and spiritual closeness.

With respect to this tradition, Miki's Pipa Concerto is acclaimed throughout Asia and is hailed as the highest level of its genre. The work is written in the style of a tone poem, which follows a specific narrative. The concerto is divided in three movements and depicts the trials and tribulations of a mesmerizing female pipa player.

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COURTESY T. SUZUKI

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WE'LL ALSO BE featuring music inspired by another ancient culture: majestic and untamed Scotland. Back in 1829 a trip from Germany to Scotland might have been considered exotic. Traveling to the British Isles, composer Felix Mendelssohn found inspiration for several of his works, including "The Hebrides" overture, also known as "Fingal's Cave," and the "Scottish" Symphony, No. 3.

While "The Hebrides" musical motives represent Mendelssohn's impressions of the famous cave on the island of Staffa, the "Scottish" Symphony bears a few traditional folk elements. Both are among his most engaging and enjoyable works. The marchlike tune of the symphony carries a Scottish flavor, and a distant drone near the end reminds us of bagpipes. "The Hebrides" and the "Scottish" Symphony are popular whenever they are performed, filling the concert hall with honeyed melodies and a driving pulse.

The Pipa Concerto will be a new discovery for Willis, who is making his first visit to the islands, but as is often the case, conductors apply extra care in crafting sounds in a new environment. One guest conductor once confided to me: "To conduct a new orchestra is like going out on a first date. You're excited at the prospect but feeling just a bit insecure. If you show too much anxiousness, your date will notice, feel uncomfortable, and the rest of evening will be ruined."

Just one piece of advice for the maestro: Play it cool!

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