Press conference: Beijing Olympic sports exhibitions and victory ceremonies music

Beijing Radio Station

How come you thought of using the bells and jade stones to express your ideas? The Marquis Yi is a national treasure. What do you feel when you strike the bells?

Tan Dun

The Olympic Games is the best gift given by the Chinese people to the people of the world. That is the competition of the sound of jade and gold. The jade and gold represented by medals, either by music or medals are the best gift the Chinese people give to the world. Why is this so? Because the original sound of stones around 2400 years ago is the source and essence of the Chinese philosophy features the harmony. Therefore, through the musical instruments, we can combine the traditional harmony together with the theme represented by the jade musical stones. That is to say, we used the music produced by the instruments about 2,000 years ago. Also, the modern music produced by the jade and chimes of modern musical instruments which perfectly represent the very traditional Chinese philosophy of peace, harmony, co-exist and vibration, which exactly represent the essence of the Chinese philosophical culture.

So I'm thinking that what is difficult in composing the music is for the medalist I've never done. I've never composed music for the heroes I admire. I'm thinking of how much it will benefit if I can find the source of Chinese spirit and culture and what makes a champion? Actually that is the balance of thinking of physical and mental balance by which the athletes can win the title of the gold medalist and what they can give back to society. They will best promote the peace of mind, balance of mind and also the social balance, and that is what we called harmony. Finally, I think we used the very traditional idea of gold combined with jade. That is, using the jade stone, and bells to produce the sound from the heart of the Chinese. I think that is the best gift we can give to the whole world.

2400 years ago, you talked about the national treasure of the serial bells. They could not be struck but then in 1997 when Hong Kong returned to China, Chinese former President Jiang Zemin allowed us to strike it at once. I still remember that people asked us what it means by one. And with one strike, you have to finish the music. So we stored the most precious record in the computer.

Zhao Dongming

In this time, we got the record out from the computer database of the museum. So what Mr. Tan said is very important, we don't demand to play the national treasure because we really stress on preserving the national treasure. So Mr. Tan used the record of that time and used it in this composition. Actually it is a great combination for the music thousand years ago and this Olympics.

Tan Dun

As for the 2008 jade chimes, we actually got the jade from Anhui and Hubei Province under the supervision of Mr. Jiang and the technical director of the Hubei Museum. I designed again the first world jade chime record band. It was formed for the Olympic Music composition. This jade chime has been designed especially for the Olympic Games. I think this new music is combined with the two-tone set-bells of Marquis Yi of Zeng State 2,400 years ago.

Beijing Daily

I noticed that Mr. Tan Dun is especially interested in Jasmine and has used it several times in different pieces. I would like to know why and how Jasmine entered your composition and in the whole process of your composition, did you meet any difficulty?

Tan Dun

I think that during the solicitation and process selection, the public voted and the official decided that we have to find Chinese characteristic and Chinese music symbol of the Olympic Games Music. So with all the public support and official solicitation and selection, they thought that Jasmine fits the idea because it is very simple, from Puccini to Zhang Yimou, from Hong Kong to China. The melody of Jasmine is a very simple. So that is why everybody decided to use the element of the melody of Jasmine in this piece. So when you listen to the music, the most glorious moment for the athletes, we used the original sound of Jasmine piece. Then you enter the gold and jade sound.

Foreign Reporter

On directly on the music you have been talking about. But there have been lots of music composed for the Beijing Olympic Games. I am wondering how this is compared to the previous Olympic Games? Also what inspired such a great number of people to compose a lot of music for the Beijing Olympic Games? Thank you.

Zhao Dongming

Thank you very much for that question. During the preparation of the Olympic Games, there is indeed lots of music created. A lot of lyrists and musicians supported the Games. They also dedicated their work to us. Because of their passion, they initiated the efforts to us. We actually had the activity of solicitation and selection and that serve as a platform to collect platform of pieces and music. After a few years of composition, what really moved us is that we received almost 4,000 melodies and over 90,000 lyrics. The total finished product is over 1,000 pieces. So when all the songs reached our office, experts were invited to make the selections. For these few years, during this process of preparation, a lot of sounds have been spread out in the public. You can hear them on TV, radio and website. They actually play a very important role in promoting the Olympic Games. All the songs express the emotions and passions for the Olympic Games.

Even now we still can hear all the songs. We still used the song to route for the Olympic Games. During the Games, we believe in a lot of venues and a lot of areas of activities. You will be hearing a lot of the songs of the Olympic Games. You can tell that the songs can express the passion and the love of the Games.

Beijing Evening News

I would like to ask Mr. Wells a question. You are a famous composer. How do you treat this cooperation with the Chinese musician and how do you see the Beijing Olympic Games and the Opening Ceremony?

Robert Henry Arthur Wells

I am representing not only myself but also Sweden from North Europe. My story in China is actually 8 years old. I've been here 22 times around old China and I've been studying their music. It's very important for me to come from the outside to bring a little western touch of rock beat but not to forget the treasure of Chinese folk music. I'm so happy to have a lot of help to Tan Dun with the songs we have created. It has been a great journey so far. On the 28th of August, we are here to perform the music live on stage and I'm very glad to be here on stage today. I am so grateful to the Chinese people and the organizer. I think the most important thing, not only to the music, is it's such an important event, music combined with sports and friendship and we are all in China. It's wonderful. Thank you.

Voice of Strait Broadcasting Station

I would like to direct this question to Mr. Wang HeSheng. I would ask you for the entrance music when you composing, what kind of elements that you combined, what was the difference from the past military music? Another question, I was very moved about the awards ceremony music, I would like to ask Mr. Tan Dun, what kind of message do you want to deliver in your music? Thank you.

Wang Hesheng

Thank you for your question. Everybody knows, in the world and in China, the brass music and military music, actually play a very important role in the music. For military music, the marching music actually is irreplaceable by other music elements. I'm actually a brass music composer. So I'm very honored to participate. First of all, it is a marching music, it has to be vibrant. Because the time is changing, is entering this era, so the music has to be distinctive too. This music has actually a world language, not just for the Chinese athletes but for the world, it should be easy for the other athletes to remember it, to remember and sing. So it is very suitable for today's language, and it is also soft, and at the same time vibrant. But the chorus part is upbeat. I also use some folk music. I don't know If you noticed that or not. Also there are western elements as well, so this is my breakthrough. I want to stress, to feel both Chinese and western music at the same time, this is quite rare. I really like this piece of music. I also composed both pieces of music for Hong Kong's return to China and Macau's return to China. I really appreciate this opportunity, because I think this is good for the brass music and the military music.

Tan Dun

When I was composing the award ceremony music, I was thinking what makes a champion, from mental balance to the physical balance. How many times, how many days and nights of training, how much money, how much love, how much passion it takes to make a champion. So at that moment, I believe that music has to play this nobility, this love, this respect of Chinese people. Medal award ceremony music has to have this glorious sense because I believe this can relate to the people of the whole world. Most importantly, this is in Beijing. I hope that through this award ceremony music, after 6000 gold medals and many award ceremonies, I would like people of the world to remember this gold and jade sound harmony. And people can remember this harmony, this fusion. I think this is the gift from the Chinese people to the world. This is the culture, this is the gold and jade sound culture. Through the Olympic Games, we can actually make this culture, economy, and everything about China more long lasting. That's why I had this kind of thought, in my music, this Chinese spirit. So I would like to take this opportunity to thank to Jiang Hu and all these officials, and the production department. They have given me a lot of support. They collected all the different award ceremony music of other Olympic Games. That's why we are able to make a consistence with the music of past Olympics. However, this time we also put in the Chinese characteristics, so that the people of the world can join in this glory, this warmth, and this can only happen in China. This piece is played made in China.

CCTV

I would like to ask all the three composers. We heard all your pieces. All the pieces sound beautiful. I understand that when you compose, you need inspirations, so I would like to ask you if you have that moment of inspiration? What are your inspirations? Where did they come from?

Robert Henry Arther Wells

The five tones are the explanation to the Olympic Rings, but still with the touch of Chinese pentatonic scale. So that's my first thing. How do we do it simple so that people can recognize it as soon as they heard the melody, "OK, it's the Olympic Games". We did four different sessions to really get the right spirit. And finally with Mr. Tan Dun's help, we could make it with Chinese sound. Because still, if you have a positive effect of people when they listen to it, "OK, it's sports time, let's do good Games", it symbolizes friendship with the five Olympic Rings of all parts of the world. But still we remember that we are in China. That's my inspiration.

Wang Hesheng

My inspiration came from my profession and also the honorable sense when I was doing my job. Brass music actually is the music for flag rising. So this honor of the country and the military music belong to one family. I don't think we need that many languages to describe it, because it's from your heart. It's like you go forward with courage. But then since we are Chinese, we have to put in that kind of Yellow River current. So this is the pride of being a Chinese. That's my inspiration during my composition.

Tan Dun

As you all know, my wife is a Shanghainese. I'm always in Shanghai. Once I went to Yuyuan to drink tea. That was an old temple. I was thinking what is the award ceremony music. And Jiang Hu found some for me. Jiang Hu actually found everything for me. I felt very pressured. I think the award ceremony music actually is from everybody, from the world, from the BOCOG. That's why I felt so much stress. Mr. Zhao came to Shanghai to give me this task and talked to me about the importance of this music. He handed me all the information. So I told my wife, why don't we go to Yuyuan for tea. When I was having tea in Yuyuan, I raised my head. Yuyuan was an ancient temple. There was a plaque, and the plaque says "Gold and jade sounds". I felt kind of strange. How come they have such a thing? This is not even a music chord. So I went to look for the origin of this phrase. I found that that could be musical terms. And I found the origin of the phrase. And I found out that the fusion of fire and water back in 2000 years ago. The Chinese people raised the final harmony of the world in the future. That's why I find this phrase of gold and jade sound. It should be the beginning of the 21st century. In this era of culture, economy, and if everything, what is our philosophy, our spirits. That's why I thought it was very interesting. In the 21st century, the Chinese culture, politics, economy are with western counterparts. Back in 2000 years ago, I actually can sense this kind of fusion from the Mencius, Zhuang Tzu and Lao Tzu. I felt that Chinese culture is quite special, that's why I always go to seek out the Chinese music, which gives people a sense of eternity, of fusion. A lot of western economists, men of letters came to China. They didn't come here for the Chinese market, or for the materials. My understanding is, they came here and are still coming here for the Chinese tradition and also its effect to the future.

Zhao Dongming

I'd like to add a few words. After we had this idea, we discussed together. We checked the origin of the phrase. At entrance of the Temple of Confucius, there was a very important where a plaque says "Jin Sheng Yu Zhen", meaning that gold and jade sound together.

Sun Weide

Because of lack of Time, we're going to close this press conference. Tomorrow we'll have a press conference about the opening of the Olympic Games. Thank you very much for taking part of this. Thank you.