in dialogue with a poem by Li Duan (~743-782)
for guitar solo (2026), 10 min.

Some time ago, a loyal attendee of my concerts gave me a small book of ancient Chinese poems as a gift. One of these poems—which dates from the Tang Dynasty and was written by Li Duan (~743–782)—inspired me to compose this piece. It is a subtle love poem in which missing a string while playing a Chinese zither is reinterpreted in a creative way to capture the beloved’s attention. The short poem follows a very strict cross-rhyme structure, consisting of four verses, each containing only five characters. This textual architecture also shaped the form of my composition for guitar. I hope that the strings I missed will now receive the attention they deserve. At the very least, I hope my music will invite listeners to practice listening closely.

Li Duan (ca. 743-782)

聽箏

鳴箏金粟柱，
素手玉房前。
欲得周郎顧，
時時誤拂弦。

Tīng zhēng

Míng zhēng jīnsùzhù,
sùshǒu yù fáng qián.
Yù dé zhōu láng gù,
shí shí wù fú xián.