Once upon a butterfly
By Vivian Zhang & Yayu Wu
Photos by Yao Fan

“情系听障儿童·安利新春音乐会”上周五晚在市人民会堂举行, 主办方安利(中国)厦门分公司将门票所得10万元人民币捐赠给市慈善总会, 用于厦门听障儿童的治疗. 音乐会上, 著名旅美小提琴家吕思清的演奏细腻抒情, 令厦门的观众大饱耳福. 在记者专访时, 热心公益的吕思清先生还欣然为双语周刊的读者题词.

A charity concert was held on the evening of March 4, when Amway(China), Xiamen, donated its revenue from the concert (RMB 100, 000) to Xiamen Charity Society to help hearing-impaired children. In the concert, Lu Siqing, the renowned violinist captured a Xiamen audience with Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto(《梁祝》) and Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen(《流浪者之歌》). The following is an interview by reporters from Common Talk.


Lu's autograph to Common Talk readers

Q: Your performance of Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto is widely recognized as the best rendition of the work and you've already made four recordings of it. Will it also be included in your program this time?
A: Talking about the concerto, I would like to extend my thanks to Ms Zheng Xiaoying, Chief conductor of the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra. It was in 1988, when she was leading the China Central Opera Orchestra on a visit to Finland, that she invited me to play Butterfly Lovers at the concert. It was the very first time I ever laid my hands on the piece. Before that, I had just heard about it and never given it a try. As a result, I feel honored and delightful this time to cooperate with Zheng Xiaoying again.


Amway(China) donates RMB 100, 000

Q: Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto is among the pieces you play most often in the country and has become so popular. What about abroad then? Do foreigners understand and appreciate it?
A: I played it more often in foreign countries during the recent years. Actually, it is the earliest Chinese-composed musical piece going global. Love is an eternal subject and shared by people worldwide. They understand it perfectly well as long as I explain the content as “China's Romeo and Juliet”. Only the endings are different. Chinese tales tend to conclude with a happy reunion. In this case, the dead couple turn into butterflies and live happily ever after, which is more beautiful and imaginative than its western edition I think.



Q: Most of your time is devoted to touring around the world giving concerts and making recordings. How do you keep up the passion and the quality of your music? What is the piece you love to play the most?
A: I have been endeavoring to go deeper into the works. As my life experience gets richer, my understanding of music gets more profound. To me, giving a couple of concerts within a short period is really a challenge; still I am trying my best to avoid old models and rigid patterns. In doing so, it stirs me thus rendering new feelings with my audiences.
It is hard to name my favorite music piece. I love best the one I am playing. I put much emphasis on the pleasant feelings the music conveys to the musician, and in turn from the musician to the audience. So, I am 100 percent devoted when performing, no matter if it is a large audience or a small one. It doesn't bother me much whether the audience comprehends my music or not. I am satisfied if my music keeps them in their seats and their hearts delighted.



Q: Now you are the father of a baby boy. Will you encourage him to learn music when he grows up?
A: Definitely. I will persuade him to do so even if he doesn't want to. I hold the opinion that music is remarkably helpful in upgrading our living quality. People who have a knowledge of music can not only lead a richer life, but can also generate a deeper and intensified feeling toward living. I am lucky that my parents and my elder brothers all love music and I was encouraged to learn violin when I was four years old. I still keep my first violin and I am more than willing to give one to my son when he one day asks for it.

Q: You have set up home in New York, but it seems you spent more time touring the mainland in recent years.
A: It is true. The reasons are firstly, homesickness, as many of my family members are here. Secondly, the responsibilities I bear. I am in my prime and China is entering a fast developing period in terms of economy and art, which offers many opportunities to musicians. As for me, I will spare no efforts to popularize classical music.



Q: Xiamen concert is held to sponsor hearing-impaired children. What do you think about the charity scene in China? Have you attended such charity concerts before?
A: Charities have swung into full gear in many developed countries. Either the wealthy, wage-earners, or even the poor take pride in joining such events. Nevertheless, China has made a marked improvement in this field recently. Many solutions were taken to generate people's concern toward charity, to donate money and articles for the weak and to relieve the burden of the government.
I generally take part in several charity concerts every year. In retrospect, I have received much care and help from people and organizations. For example, the 1742 Guarneri violin which I am using, is worth USD 6 million, and is a loan from the Stradivari Society. I have gained much from society and I am giving it back with my music, in the way I am most versed.



About Lu Siqing
One of the most celebrated Chinese violinists, Lu was the first Asian violinist to win the gold prize at the Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy in 1987 when he was only 18 years old. Since winning the Pagnini Golden Prize, he has performed with acclaim in more than 30 countries throughout Asia, Europe, South and North America.
In June 1996, Lu became the first Chinese musician to present a personal music week, Lu Siqing Week in Beijing, during which he performed seven concertos and several virtuoso pieces in four separate concerts.

 

 

Concert Notice
音乐会预告

“The Song Of The Earth”Symphony Concert
“大地之歌”交响音乐会
Conductor: Zheng Xiaoying
Mezzo-Soprano: Liang Ning, a world renowned singer
Tenor: Wang Feng, from China Central Opera House
Performer: Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra
Time: March 11, 2005(Fri.),7:30 p.m.
Venue: Music Hall of Senior' s Activity Center (opposite the Botanical Gardens)