Melodies and Themes of the Paiwan and in the style of Bunun tribe

 

Fabian Müller‘s commentary:“Lai Su” is one of the most beautiful and flawless melodies I have encountered in my life. To my mind it captures the immensity of Taiwan’s gorgeous mountain landscape. I attempted to reinforce this image with a sound carpet of slowly moving strings and with the soft but harsh sound of artificial flageolets in the violins. The very high-pitched sound reminds me of the chirping of insects in Taiwan’s forests. In the dramatic part of the rhapsody I used the triad motifs I encountered while listening to the polyphonic singing of the Bunun tribe. At times, the powerful singing of the tribe reminds me of the call-like traditional singing in my home country of Switzerland. Maybe the vastness of the high mountains in both countries invite people to “call out” emotions in their singing. This fast-moving and joyful part is interrupted by a calm interlude based on the Paiwan tribe’s wedding song “Qiyuljaljayi” ─ a very pure melody which I saw wonderfully performed by a children’s choir. The music then returns to the jubilant mood of the Bunun polyphony and ends with “Lai Su” slowly fading into peacefulness and silence.