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Comments and Reviews on Hún Qiáo, Bridge of Souls

Our Society's presentation of the world premiere performance of Hún Qiáo, Bridge of Souls, on May 30, 2001 at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts was a triumphant success. Many in the packed house found it a most moving and meaningful experience. The event was extensively covered by the local press, including several Asian papers and both the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The following are excerpts from several articles and their urls:

'The memory of a massacre' by Kate Stanley, Commentary Section, Star Tribune, June 17, 2001:
'The 11-year-old wants to tell you a story -- the one about the rivers of blood that once flowed at Yijiang Gate, about the heaps of bodies that filled the streets of Nanjing. It's a story every school kid in China knows by heart -- about the winter of 1937-38, when the Japanese Army came to town… Ghosts walk the street, and the past haunts the present…No one in China can forget…It's the China of unburied bones and unbound wounds and forgotten numbers. '

To read the full article please follow this link: The memory of a massacre

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'Bridge of Souls' concert is for Asian reconciliation' by Mike Anthony, Star Tribune, June 1, 2001:

'…there was no denying the seriousness of the occasion… Nor was it likely that anyone present remained untouched…Kim's piece is punctuated by temple blocks, a common feature of Korean court music…Chen's striking "Ning" aims…toward a spacious but emotion-packed simplicity…Mezzo-soprano Mutsumi Hatano gave dramatic point to the text of Mamiya's "Germ," in which the actual sounds of the words became their own kind of music…Imbrie's deftly written "From Time to Time" travels in three movements from past to future…'

To read the full article please follow this link: 'Bridge of Souls' concert is for Asian reconciliation

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'Healing All Wounds', by Ron Clark, Editorial Seciont, St. Paul Pioneer Press, May 29, 2001:

'…a world premiere concert in St. Paul May 30 seeks to heal wounds suffered by the people of various Asian nations before, during and after that war…Organizers hope the concert will provide a bridge of reconciliation for all who were involved in Asian fronts...It is a high honor for St. Paul and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts to host the concert…All involved in bringing this concert to life should experience the gratitude of the community for their healing work.'

To read the full article please follow this link: Healing all wounds

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'Concert pays tribute to Asian victims of war', by Matt Peiken, St. Paul Pioneer Press, May 29, 2001,

'Is there room in Western consciousness to absorb and deal with another Holocaust in our past? And can that reckoning start with music? The Chamber Music Society of Minnesota says yes, mounting the most intriguing and ambitious concert on this season's classical calendar…Seeking remembrance -- opening old wounds -- is a touchy proposition. Asking reconciliation and forgiveness . . . are altogether different propositions…'

'It can be really hard to take our imagination to another place and time, but that is what music is for, to take us someplace, intact, and then bring us back with a different perspective.' Yo-Yo Ma

'Music can remind people how the evil spirits come out through the history of humanity, but there are many wonderful spirits gathering here.' Young-Nam Kim

To read the full article please follow this link: Concert pays tribute to Asian victims of war

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'Players of Remembrance', by Michael Anthony, Star Tribune, May 27, 2001:

'Her mother's nightmares are one of the things that haunt Chinese-American composer Chen Yi about her early years in China…'

'Music has a wonderful ability to bring people together. It's a memory collector. People who have gone through a certain time period, you play a song from that period, and it brings back the memories. Music has healing power,…' Yo-Yo Ma

''There was no music to commemorate the Asian war. I feel the pain of the generation of Chinese -- also the Koreans and the Filipinos -- who went through the wart. They felt they were forgotten.' Pearl Bergad

'I believe, as corny as it sounds. that music is the most powerful tool to move the human soul.' Young-Nam Kim

To read the full article please follow this link: Players of remembrance

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'Hún Qiáo', Editorial Section, Star Tribune, May 27, 2001

'In the Minnesota heart resides a distinctive sweetness…this sweetness teases into bloom remarkable works of what the Dalai Lama calls compassion… The seed of inhumanity resides in all humanity. Thus all are invited, continually, to cross Hún Qiáo -- in dignity, for reconciliation. Hún Qiáo brings together a remarkable group of musicians and composers…that might have occurred anywhere in this world. That it blossomed here speaks volumes about an inherent goodness in Minnesota…'

To read the full article please follow this link: Hún Qiáo

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'A concert to help us remember: The Hún Qiáo [Bridge of Souls] premiere' by Han Lee, Korean Quarterly, Summer 2001

It was an extraordinary evening of musical feasting. Since Dennis Russell Davis’ Perspective Series concerts, it has been difficult to find live contemporary music events, and suddenly here were four world premieres in one sitting, the Hún Qiáo [Bridge of Souls] premiere.

With a very well orchestrated publicity effort, most local music enthusiasts had been informed about the concert - its conception out of protest by non-Japanese Asian American organizations and veterans organizations of the Japanese commemorative concert Requiem Hiroshima six years ago, and the planning and execution of the musically ambitious concert by an independent group, led by Twin Citians Pearl Bergad, Young Nam Kim, and Weiming Lu, and by noted cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The concerted efforts of Chinese Americans and Korean Americans in support of the cause were well publicized, as was the dedication by the participating musicians to the project.

A pre-concert informal seminar, facilitated by Mindy Ratner (classical music host of KSJN), was conducted with the four composers, at which they were invited to discuss their approach to their composition.

Korean American composer Hi Kyung Kim discussed the use of folk instruments and folk tunes in her piece, At the Edge of the Ocean. Kim used the tune from Arirang, the well-known folk song, in its many regional versions. She intended, she said, to evoke the many versions of the tune from both north and south to suggest Korean reunification. The composer referred to one version of the words to the song, sung during the Japanese occupation, which describe a journey to the other side of the mountain, where lies hope and a better life.

Yo-Yo Ma announced before the concert began, that a few more pieces of music would be added, by way of explaining, musically, the folk songs from which some of the compositions were derived. Thus, before Kim’s composition, we heard a Jin-do version of Arirang on a solo clarinet. Clarinetist Burt Hara delivered clean, introspective and fluent music. It demonstrated the potential and the power of folk melodies, to the rank of Joseph Canteloube’s Chants d’Auvergne, particularly Bailero.

Kim’s piece started with the sound of a jing (gong), a bit too tame for my Korean ears. From that moment the musicians (violin, viola, cello, flute, B-flat clarinet and percussion) were truly absorbed in playing, weaving a broad tapestry of textures, in which the flavors of Arirang seemed lost in the complexity. The melody was either too abstract or too deformed to be identified by the average listener.

An interesting two-note utterance was frequently played on the viola throughout the piece. It sounded like a moan, a lamentation, or even a subdued scream. Toward the middle , the percussionist took over and played a section reminiscent of a sa-mool-no-ree ( traditional percussion music played with small and large jings, hour-glass drum, and drum). The percussionist Earl Yowell effectively handled the whole section as a solo. At the Edge was at times difficult to digest, yet it is an interesting piece of music, particularly if the listener is not compelled to find the complex meaning intended by the composer.

Next came Serenade No. 3, Germ by Michio Mamiya of Japan. The 15-minute performance was comprised of three movements: Tempest, Germ – Episode, and Dream. In the program notes, Mamiya expresses his profound "fear that the selfishness of mankind and the environmental hormones will spoil the germ--the origin of life on Earth."’ With that we can assume what the title means.

Mamiya’s composition began with a startling, bold, loud slap on the timpani, louder than a gun shot, followed by a complex and interesting percussion part. It missed a beat and the music restarted, only more subdued. Soon, the percussionist demonstrated more virtuosity by using drums and a metallic instrument in intervals which created a dissonant and contrasting timbre. Mezzo-soprano Mutsumi Hatano, in a dress made of an alien-like thin metallic fabric, presided on stage for the duration, and contributed abstract qualities to the music. Her voice sounded more like an instrument, devoid of voice like characteristics, which created highly abstract effects. Mamiya’s piece was followed by a beautifully executed Japanese folk song, crisply sung by Ms. Hatano with support from a half dozen strings.

Chinese American Chen Yi wrote the next piece, Ning, for performance by Young Nam Kim, Yo-Yo Ma and Wu Man, three friends whose expressive artistry she admires. The title is a shortened form of Nanjing, the site of the Japan’s extraordinarily inhumane attack of rape, mutilations, and carnage. The word ning also means peace in Chinese, making the title a Chinese pun. The 17-minute piece was preceded by pipa player Wu Man’s tender rendition of the folk song Molihua, the Jasmine Flower. Unlike Kim’s piece, the folk melody in Yi’s composition is clearly rendered throughout by the pipa, effecting a sharp contrast to the expressions by the violin and cello.

It was an interesting contrast of classics and their contemporary counterparts, a quality that made Ning perhaps the most approachable of the four, all musical significance aside. The simpler instrumentation and the more focused, disciplined structure of the music helped make it understandable.

The final piece was Andrew Imbrie’s From Time to Time, in three movements -- Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. The movements were played for about 7.5, 5 and 9.5 minutes, which made it the largest piece of the concert, involving the most musicians. Imbrie imparted his ideas at the pre-concert session: "Yesterday tries to capture the sense of pain and helplessness...Today depicts the present time...often interrupted by sudden reminiscences of past tragedies. The third movement [Tomorrow] is an attempt at reconciliation and faith in a brighter future." For this there erupted an enthusiastic round of applause. He also stressed that, apart from its literal content, the piece should survive the true test of worthwhile music - it should stand on its own merits. He explained his use of the Japanese version of the pentatonic scale for the haunting quality in the middle movement. Imbrie also mentioned that cello solos were assigned to the task of both commentator and advisor, and not in the sense of the traditional solo parts of a concerto.

During the first movement I reminisced about one small village church with its thatched roof, near Suwon, jam-packed many adults, children, elderly and infants on their mothers' backs, brought together by the Japanese with the promise of a moving picture show, who then nailed the doors shut from outside, dumped gasoline on the building, and got rid of the whole group with a toss of one lit match. I could hear the outcry. We grieve the infant souls, elderly souls, and souls of all the others. Since forgiving is a matter of will, we can forgive any atrocities if we want to. What is difficult is to erase such memory from our minds, simply because it has been recorded within us, over where our will does not have much reign. In a way remember we must, for the ultimate prevention of such tragedies in the future. If Japan refuses to take moral responsibility (this would be "Today's" task as Imbrie stated), and remains in its petty, regressive feudal mentality, is it not ultimately their own problem, and their loss as well? As their neighbors, are we willing to assist Japan to heal its self-absorption.

At the conclusion Maestro Mark Russell Smith lead the audience in a three-part round of the ancient (yet highly relevant) verse, Dona Nobis Pacem (Grant Us Peace). Toward the third round the booming audience’s voice grew smaller as if all were overwhelmed by insuppressible emotion.

I salute those who dreamed of this concert, the most effective, gentle persuasion possible, appealing directly to people’s hearts, and those who labored for the past six years to make the event such a proud and magnificent monument. Now the torch of hope is blazing, and should be carried down through the generations until there is no further need for such reminiscence.

Han Lee is a Twin Cities architect with interests in Korean traditional music, literature and culture. He is the culture editor of the Korean Quarterly.

This article was originally printed in Korean Quarterly, Summer 2001 edition, and is reprinted here with permission. Korean Quarterly is a newspaper by and for the entire Korean American community, including first and second generation Korean American families, adopted Koreans and their families, and other multi-racial/multi-cultural Korean American families. www.koreanquarterly.org

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Audience Comments:

'What an inspirational event you planned for so many. I feel fortunate that I am alive to have been able to be present.' Evelyn Amdur, Pittsburgh, PA

'Thank you so much for your incredible performance of Hún Qiáo. My wife and I were extremely moved.' Mark Anderson, St. Louis Park Public Schools, MN

'It is difficult to find any words to tell you how very much the Hún Qiáo Concert -- and what it so unforgettably stands for -- meant to us. The music was extraordinarily eloquent, and its brilliance and beauty rare indeed.' Ian and Deane Barbour, Carleton College, Northfield, MN

'It was a thrill to be in the audience during the Hún Qiáo Concert of Remembrance and Reconciliation.' Andi Bidwell, St. Paul, MN

'Congratulations! It was impressive to see such a full house. Your hard work paid off and gave everyone a real treat.' Bruce and Ruth Dayton, Minneapolis, MN

'It was an absolutely wonderful concert. I could not control my tears during the singing of Dona Nobis Pacem.' Kathleen Murphy Fischer, West Hartford, CT

'The Hún Qiáo concert was perfectly splendid and marvelous. Congratulations!' Priscilla Goldstein, St. Paul, MN

'Thanks again for all of your wonderful work with the Asian Holocaust project. I was honored to attend the rehearsals and the concert.' Fred Harris, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

'Many, many congratulations on a wonderful and inspiring achievement, Hún Qiáo.' Barry Kempton, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra

'We are so grateful for the fantastic Hún Qiáo concert. We will follow with great interest the next phase of the project.' Mary Kim, Altadena, CA

'Seldom in life does one achieve what one dreams.' James and Sheryl Lammers, Chisago city, MN

'The Hún Qiáo concert was inspiring and wonderfully moving! Thank you for including General Mills in this fabulous evening.' Ellen Luger, General Mills Foundation, Golden Valley, MN

'Congratulations on such a wonderful concert. It was really meaningful to me after so many years of working on reuniting family members of persons from war zones.' Angela McCaffrey, Hamline University, St. Paul, MN

'Congratulations!! The advance publicity (we are regular NPR/MPR listeners) led us to have great expectations, and the program exceeded them. We know you're hoping this is but a first step for the program itself and also for more understanding and reconciliation regarding that part of history.' Tom and Sharon Merritt, Minneapolis, MN

'Many thanks for a wonderful concert. The students thought the whole experience quite meaningful.' Carolyn Nayematsu, Multicultural Center for Academic Programs and Research, University of Minnesota, MN

'Thank you for making your dreams a reality for so many to share. I will never forget the impact this event had on me.' Nelda Njos, Japan America Society, MN

'The Hún Qiáo evening was a most refreshing evening of music. Its energy not only aroused many emotions, but it also piqued my listening in a way that made the evening end much too quickly.' Jean Pajuner, St. Paul, MN

'It was such an honor to be included in Hún Qiáo. It was absolutely spectacular!' Leon Pearson, St. Paul, MN

'Congratulations on an extraordinary concert! You have let miracles happen.' Ona Pinsineault, Normandale Community College, Bloomington, MN

'It is a world-shaking accomplishment to address these wounds and reconcile pain with creative spirit and music. A blessed example for the world to follow, and an important one. What a courageous undertaking!' Marjorie Pitz, St. Paul, MN

'I teach an eclectic mix of Americans, Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Tongans in my classes. Native-born, immigrant, and international students, they all live in a world shadowed by the cataclysmic events of their parents' and grandparents' generations, much of it not very well understood by them. My attendance at Hún Qiáo opened discussions which began to dispel some of those shadows.' Lynne Wangsgard Sadler, Oregon Episcopal School, Portland, OR

'It was a truly special and spectacular evening.' Julie Sand, Jungle Theater, Minneapolis, MN

'It was an unforgettable experience for me.' Peter Sandys, Pittsburgh, PA

'Thank you for a most moving experience.' Karen Graff Scholnick, Philadelphia, PA

'My sincere congratulations for the great success of the Hún Qiáo premiere last night. It was a forcefully moving and purifying concert.' Yue-him Tam, Macalester College, St. Paul, MN

'I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful the Hún Qiáo concert was last night!' Leo Treadway, Theater Mu, Minneapolis, MN

'Hún Qiáo was an absolutely extraordinary evening.' Mary Vaughan, Minneapolis, MN

'That was a very wonderful concert Wednesday night. Many people in my Department were there and the next day we were all talking glowingly about it.' Eric D. Weitz, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

'I so appreciate what you have done to bring the Asian community together through music. The playing was inspired, the new compositions stirring, and the audience deeply engaged.' Alan Yamamoto, Colorado Chamber Music Festival, Boulder, CO.

'Your vision was compelling, your efforts unflagging, and clearly, the world responded. I am sure there is thinking about how to follow on your success to extend this vision. Please do keep me in the loop to see if there is any way the Committee of 100 Cultural Institute can work with you to help. Congratulations!' Shirley Young, Committee of 100

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