Li Huanzhi: Spring Festival Suite

Introduction

Spring Festival Suite (Chinese: 春節組曲; pinyin: Chūnjié Jǔqǔ) is a Chinese orchestral work composed by Li Huanzhi (李焕之) between 1955 and 1956, depicting the scene when folks in Shanbei region were celebrating the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival). The tune is widely heard primarily in Mainland China, where it appears frequently in school music textbooks, as well as being played on various festive occasions. The most known movement of the suite is the first movement, the overture. It is often played by its own, and is known as the Spring Festival Overture (Chinese: 春節序曲).

In 2007 the overture of the work was selected to be carried and broadcast into space on China's first lunar probe, Chang'e 1.

Instrumentation

The suite calls for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, cor anglais, two clarinets in B-flat, two bassoons, four horns in F, two trumpets in B-flat, three trombones, tuba, three timpani, cymbals, triangle, various Chinese percussion instruments, celeste, harp, first and second violins, violas, celli, and double basses.

Structure

The suite is in four movements, marked as follows:

1. “Overture – Da Yang Ge (Chinese: 序曲—大秧歌)”, Allegro con fuoco – Moderato grazioso – Allegro
2. Andante cantabile
3. Rondo
4. Moderato