Chou Wen-chung’s final recording is entitled Eternal Pine. Produced in 2015—four years before his death at 96—the recording features four chamber pieces, each written for instruments of a different cultural lineage. In East Asian cultures, the ancient pine tree is a familiar symbol of longevity and of perseverance against the adversities of life. Gnarled by the winds and forces of nature, the tree survives throughout the ages, its beauty enhanced by the brutality which it has endured. For Wen-chung the image represented the spirit of the Chinese literati scholar, or wenren, whose integrity is unwavering despite persecution and suffering. In looking back over almost 10 decades of the composer’s life, the resilient pine seems emblematic of his own personal story, much of which has been expressed only through his music.
Contemporary Classical Music Festival in Ojai, CA
Chou Wen-chung, composer
