The Cowherd’s Flute (牧童短笛) by He Luting (贺绿汀) performed by Zhou Guangren (周广仁). 1934.
The Cowherd’s Flute is one of the first contemporary piano pieces written with a distinctive influence of Chinese traditional music. The piece features polyphonic texture, the presence of two or more melodic lines, and is written in ternary form, following an ABA structure. The piece depicts the lighthearted playfulness of the cowherd, and the vastness of the nature that surrounds him.
Composer He Luting was born in 1903 and throughout his life had written a myriad of works including choral music, piano music, orchestral music, and movie soundtracks. In 1949, he was appointed director of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and the main concert hall there is named after him.
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