WANG CHENWEI: The Sisters' Islands

The Sisters’ Islands is a symphonic poem inspired by a local legend of the Sisters’ Islands south of Singapore. The 15-minute
piece features four sections:
Fishing Village: A strike of the gong opens the piece, introducing the peaceful tropical scenery of Singapore. After a short duet between the bamboo flute and bassoon, a horn solo introduces the deep and broad “sea” theme in the pelog pentatonic scale upon a backdrop of wave-like ornamentations in Indonesian Gamelan style. Next, the graceful “sisters” theme enters with the bamboo flute, representing the beautiful young Malay sisters Minah and Linah in an Asli dance. The music then proceeds into a lively Malay Zapin dance portraying the festivities in the village.
Capture of the Bride: Suddenly, a throng of pirates raids the village, illustrated by the menacing “pirates” theme in hexatonic scale played by the bass trombone. The captain, awestruck by Linah’s beauty, intends to abduct her as a bride. A weeping cor anglais solo implores the release of Linah but to no avail as she is
dragged away, and a violin solo represents Minah stumbling into the sea to chase after the pirate ship.
Raging Waves: Bass instruments play a transformed “sea” theme, while woodwind glissandi in octatonic scale and percussion
effects depict the stormy sea. A struggling “sisters” theme emerges amidst the chaos as Minah swims after the pirates, until she is overcome by exhaustion and disappears amidst the raging waves. Linah struggles to break free of her captors and jumps
into the sea to join her sister, represented by a violin solo fading into the depths. This tragedy incurs the wrath of the gods; thunder and lightning strike, and a giant orchestral wave engulfs the pirate ship. After a long timpani roll, calmness is restored.
Spirit of the Sea: In the morning, a conch (seashell) calls out for the sisters’ spirits to rest in peace, while an ocarina responds. The “sea” and “sisters” themes are recapitulated and finally played together in counterpoint, building up to a climatic ending as two islands emerge from the sea where the sisters drowned.
Originally composed for the Singapore Chinese Orchestra by Wang Chenwei at age 17, The Sisters’ Islands won the Singapore Composer Award at the 2006 Singapore International Competition for Chinese Orchestra Composition and was subsequently featured on CD albums by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and Taiwan Philharmonic Chinese Orchestra. The composer’s own adaptation for symphony orchestra was premiered by the Orchestra of the Music Makers (Singapore) at Esplanade Theatre on 25 August 2009 with the late President of Singapore Mr S. R. Nathan as the guest of honour. (Programme note by Wang Chenwei)
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Darrell Ang, conductor
Danny Yeo, master of ceremonies
Abigail Chow, sign language interpreter
For more information about the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, visit sso.org.sg.
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[@richardwang1775]

The sign language interpreter really makes music alive!

[@felixbonetnieto6948]

great!!!!

[@thmsrttg]

11:31 and 15:20 the timpani nearly gave me a heart attack