Wen-Chung Chou

Eternal Pine

Commissioned by the Contemporary Music Ensemble Korea (CMEK) for gayageum player Yi Jiyoung, Eternal Pine (2008) is dedicated to Dr. Lee Hye-ku, who taught Chou about Korean music, in honor of the scholar's 100th birthday. The pine of the title is a symbol of longevity and the eternity of nature. The work comprises in five parts, totaling twenty minutes: "Prelude - Exploring the modes", "Meditation on Eternity", "Lofty Peaks", "Profound Gorges", and finally a brief "Codetta". Composed using Western notation, the score includes a full English glossary of the symbols used to indicate various playing techniques. Originally composed for 18-string gayageum accompanied by a quartet of Korean instruments, Eternal Pine is here presented in a version for solo gayageum accompanied on changgu, first premiered in 2010.