十月五日一早, 便與先生驅車下新澤西, 先是去了露西家, 隨後再往weehawken的方向去, 途中交通壅擠,特別是往進曼哈頓城的方向. 原本一個小時的車程開了兩個小時. 快到Weehawken 時收到海亮來電, 他們已到紐約, 但因成員當中有人身體不適, 因而出旅館門也晚了些. 當我們開到唐先生家附近時已看到沼澤成員在哈德遜河邊看景色, 我把車開過去先跟他們打了招呼, 於是再往唐先生家. 時已過六點半, 大夥都已到了, 實感抱歉. 沒多久沼澤一行六人便也來到了唐先生家. 雅集正式開始.
On 10/5/2017, 7pm at Weehawken NJ, Zhao Ze post-rock band from China meet New York Qin Society.
People who attend the yaji:
NYQS members: Ralph, Mingmei 葉明媚, Peiyou 張培幼 and John 唐世璋.
Guests: Bin Li 李彬, Yihan Chen 陳逸涵, Xiao fan 蕭凡
Zhao Ze team 沼澤樂團: Hoyliang 海亮 (Guqin, Xiao)
Littledream 細輝 (Guitar)
Roy 阿來 (Bass, Melodica)
Seasean 海遜 (Drums, Glokenspiel)
George from Trail Records
and a young Chinese friend who helped Zhao Ze a lot while they were in the US.
Including spouses, total was 15 people.
Zhao Ze team leader Hoyliang handing their vinyl record, Azure Star (all in white color) to John, as a gift of first meet. 沼澤隊長海亮先生交給唐世璋先生一張他們的黑膠唱片, 滄浪星 (事實上是全白色的)作為初次見面禮.
Hoyliang sign on the record cover, all the band members also signed.
海亮在贈送的唱片封面簽名. 其他成員也都簽了名.
Everyone introduced themselves. Hoyliang and John exchanged some thoughts of composing qin music. John demonstrated a piece of qin melody that he reconstructed to blues. 大家自我介紹. 唐先生跟海亮交流了一些對於古琴創作音樂的看法.
Having Turkish food after everyone shared some talk. 交流過後的用餐.
Music parts:
John first sang and played Shui Diao Ge Tou 水調歌頭 (Prelude to Water Ripple ) from 1687 松聲操. Then he asked Hoyliang if he can play something. Hoyliang first politely rejected but then he decided to play something. Here's some clips of Hoyliang's qin playing on silk string (before 1'25" in the video):
Mingmei played her composed qin piece and 流水 Flowing Water.
Peiyou played 莊周夢蝶 Zhuang Zho Dreaming Himself as a Butterfly. When John heard Peiyou announced the name of the piece, he quickly took this scroll of painting of Zhuang Zho Meng Die out from somewhere, and hung it on the wall to accompany Peiyou's qin playing.
Thanks Bin took this photo.
莊周夢蝶是今年初始打譜, 根據陳長林先生的演奏學習. 才剛打完整首, 因此仍屬背譜階段, 彈得很不成熟, 還需琢磨.
After music, everyone had moon cakes (brought by Fan) and tea, then went out to the river side to see the night view of Manhattan. We were hoping to see full moon, but it was raining.
Peiyou also received the gift of 滄浪星 the white vinyl record from Zhao Ze.
The meeting was officially ended at 10:30pm
Many thanks to John and Suzanne's warm hospitality.
The next day, 10/6/2017 8pm, John, Suzanne, Peiyou and Stephen went to Manhattan to see Zhao Ze's concert.
沼澤樂團: 一個貝斯手阿來, 一個吉他手細輝, 一個鼓手(海亮的弟弟海遜), 一個古琴/蕭手(隊長海亮). 海亮在已有其他弦樂器的經驗下自學古琴. 所有的曲目都是他的創作. 他結合中國古詩的意境於音樂. 海亮認為用電古琴可把許多細微的聲音放大, 會發現很多可能性. 海亮受其父影響. 他的父親是民間樂師, 吹簫與笛. 從小聽其父所吹的中樂民歌長大.
附註:蘇軾 水調歌頭 英譯
明月幾時有？把酒問青天。不知天上宮闕，今夕是何年？
我欲乘風歸去，又恐瓊樓玉宇，高處不勝寒。起舞弄清影，何似在人間？
轉朱閣，低綺戶，照無眠。不應有恨，何事長向別時圓？
人有悲歡離合，月有陰晴圓缺，此事古難全。但願人長久，千里共嬋娟。
English translation of Prelude to Water Ripple （Song）Su Shi (Su Dongpo)
How rare the moon, so round and clear!
With cup in hand, I ask of the blue sky,"I do not know in the celestial sphere
What name this festive night goes by?"
I want to fly home, riding the air,
But fear the ethereal cold up there,
The jade and crystal mansions are so high!
Dancing to my shadow,
I feel no longer the mortal tie.
She rounds the vermilion tower,
Stoops to silk-pad doors,
Shines on those who sleepless lie.
Why does she, bearing us no grudge,
Shine upon our parting, reunion deny?
But rare is perfect happiness--
The moon does wax, the moon does wane,
And so men meet and say goodbye.
I only pray our life be long,
And our souls together heavenward fly!
（by Lin Yutang 林語堂）
