Water Concerto – Tan Dun
Tan Dun is a super-talented composer—you might know him from the excellent soundtrack of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), which won an Academy Award, Grammy, and BAFTA. With the Water Concerto, he uniquely mixes old and new sounds. Picture bowls with different water levels make magical sounds and beats that blend perfectly with the traditional orchestra. It’s like watching a painter create music with watercolors!
Now, meet Beibei Wang, the amazing percussionist from London who plays the water bowls like a pro. She leads the group with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Pavel Šnajdr. When their performance went on Instagram and YouTube, it blew up with lots of views. But not everyone loved it.Some were confused and some were really impressed with considering Water as an instrument. It’s a real mix of feelings!
Online, people had various responses. Some, however, were physically shocked at how the sound was created, and others were bemused as to why Water was being utilized instead of normal instruments. For example, one said, “There is NO WAY I would have made it through this without laughing,” and Rager Queen wondered if “this meant to be funny or an actual orchestra performance?” Clearly, Tan Dun’s work gets people talking, and that’s what art is all about!
WE Orchestra, Tan Dun – Tan Dun: WE (West & East)
So, what makes the Water Concerto so unique? It’s not just a show; it’s a bold piece of art that changes what classical music can be. Tan Dun’s story is really inspiring. Born in 1957 in a small village in Hunan, China, he loved music from a young age, thanks to a local shaman who used rocks and Water to make sounds. Even though The Cultural Revolution made him work in rice fields and learn traditional Chinese string instruments, fate had other plans. A tragic ferry accident involving a Peking Opera troupe member led Tan Dun to pursue music seriously, and he joined the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 1977.
Jump to 1998, and Tan Dun created the Water Concerto—a three-part piece that mixes Water sounds with an orchestra, dedicated to Japanese composer Tōru Takemitsu. It’s a beautiful tribute to his childhood in Hunan, where water rhythms were part of everyday life. In a 2007 interview with Classic FM, he said, “Water was everyday life for us when we were in Hunan. Day after day we washed all in the river. You know, all the old women, they always went to river for laundry – it was beautiful sound, really! and rhythmic. I take those memories of beautiful sounds from washing clothes, swimming, body popping, Water dancing, teasing and popping into my orchestrations.”
Tan Dun(譚盾) – Water Concerto (水協奏曲) performed by Yi Chen
Critics loved it! The Australian called the concerto “one of the most staggering music works” they’d ever heard. Tan Dun takes something as simple as Water and turns it into high art, showing that even everyday sounds can become something amazing.
But wait, there’s more! In 2023, Tan Dun released an EP called Five Souls, especially the song “WE (West & East).” This time it was not by using water bowls, but he still upended the conventions of traditional music by making it sound new. It’s super versatile and shows how much he’s willing to go out of his way to get to different sounds that are exciting.
So, whay is this so special? Water in an auditory sense is what you get with the programme’s key piece titled: “Water Concerto”, a unique performance that combines Nature with Classical music arranged into a “dry water symphony” which surely feed not only for your ears but also your souls. Here at Viral Music we are always celebrating groundbreaking performances such as Tan Dun’s that push boundaries and broaden how we experience music.
Fascinated by this wonderful music, want to hear more about this composer? More great music on Tan Dun’s YouTube Channel, and follow him on Instagram for news on his new pieces. I promise you, you will not want to miss his next creation