Fu I

 for pipa solo (1999), ca. 8’

Fu II

for pipa and five western instruments (1999), ca. 11’

Fu literally means ambush, while in terms of pipa technique, Fu is the action of abruptly stopping the strings after striking them violently.  The extreme contrast between the sharp percussive attack and the silence which follows provided the generative kernel for these pieces. 

In addition to the ensemble version of Fu II, there is a solo version of this piece entitled, Fu I.  The pipa part in both works is nearly identical.  The addition of ensemble in Fu II, however, puts the pipa in a new dimension as the relationship between soloist and ensemble is developed.  The soloist and ensemble are in direct opposition in the first part of Fu II in terms of texture, dynamic and character. Gradually, they begin to appropriate materials from each other leading to the last third, when they share similar materials.

Fu II was made possible by a grant from the Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University. It was premiered in 1999 at Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall by Wu Man and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project with Gil Rose conducting.

《伏二》創作的靈感來自中國樂器琵琶中的「伏」，也就是：當彈奏者用右手撥掃琵琶弦之後，立刻用左手上煞音的技巧。《伏二》全曲分為三段。首段，琵琶和西洋樂器間為對立的情勢，中段時開始相副模仿，最後琵琶則和西洋樂器融合為一，齊奏出合協、優美的弦律。該曲由美國哈佛大學「現代基金會」（Formm Foundation）委託作曲。