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Red Cliffs
(wind band), 2007 [7'50"]
This piece was world-premiered at the National Concert Hall
in Taipei, Taiwan on October 17, 2007. It was performed by the
Taiwan Wind Orchestra, with Prof. Lian-Chang Kuo conducting.
Program notes
This piece describes the famous military campaign in the
Chinese history, “the Battle of Red Cliffs”. In
208 AD, warlord General Cao attempted to invade the Wu
Kingdom, bringing his troops over 200,000 soldiers southbound.
General Sun of the Wu Kingdom and General Liu combined their
forces, fighting Cao with only 50,000 soldiers. The alliance
positioned themselves on land and water, fighting with few
against many, and converging at the decisive battle site of
Red Cliffs. In the end, Cao was completely defeated at Wulin,
resulting in the three-way division of the country. The music
is consisted of the following parts:
- Overture – Zhuge Liang prodded General Sun into an
alliance with General Liu against Cao’s invasion.
- The Battle of Changban – impending danger, thunder
of the war drums.
- The Qiao sisters – beauties and the heroes.
- The Battle of Wulin – burning of the chained war
ships, Cao’s defeat at Wulin.
- The Battle of Jiangling – Cao’s escape from
the Wuarong passage, beginning of the Three Kingdoms era.
This piece was commissioned by the Taiwan Wind Orchestra in
2007.
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