On 21 March, a new clarinet concerto by Tan Dun premieres at the Maison de la Radio et de la Musique. Three Muses in the Zen Garden is written for the French clarinetist Patrick Messina, and performed by the Orchestre National de France, who have co-commissioned the work with the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne and the National Symphony Orchestra in the United States.
The piece unfolds in three movements framed by a Zen prelude. Throughout the work, Tan Dun evokes a sense of tranquility and contemplation, imagining the calm of a garden where nature connects with silence. This atmosphere leads into the first movement, with its lyrical and meditative character, shaped by a sense of suspended time and introspective calm.
The second movement draws inspiration from the ancient Buddhist caves of Mogao, situated along the Silk Road. During a visit to Dunhuang, the composer was struck by the soundscapes suggested by the frescoes and manuscripts preserved there. The movement’s main musical motif is drawn from an ancient Buddhist chant associated with these caves, with the clarinet taking on a vocal quality, echoing distant spiritual sounds across the centuries.
In the third movement, the music takes on a brighter, more joyful tone. Inspired by the blooming of the lotus – which Tan Dun describes as the ‘happiness of the lotus’ – the atmosphere becomes more cheerful and radiant. Following the introspection of the previous movement, this movement elevates the piece with its radiant character and openness, much like the sun reflecting on the water in the garden.
For more information please contact Andrew Stein-Zeller.
