Saibei Suite No. 2 - Saibei Dance
An-lun HuangPiece Duration: 4:02
About this Piece
Program Note: "Saibei is a region of northern China, including part of Mongolia. This dance is from the Saibei Suite No. 2, composed in 1975. It does not quote actual folk tunes, but the leaping melody and brash winds and percussion reflect traditional music of the area, albeit in a bright and vigorously jazzy Gershwinesque mode." - John Henken
Form / Dynamics Listening Map: (Also view the Notable Passages, below!)
A Section:
-0:00 p, flute solo
-0:15 ff, main theme
-0:21 mp < f, mp < f
-0:31 f, full orchestra
-0:41 p, clarinet solo, mf transition
B Section:
-0:58 mp, woodwind trio
-1:18 f strings
-1:30 p < f, bassoon solo, then full orchestra
-1:41 mp, brass instruments featured
-2:14 mf, strings enter
-2:39 mp < ff, largest crescendo in the piece!
A' Section:
-3:08 ff, main theme
-3:14 mp < f, mp < f
-3:22 mf, strings, trombones, and a gradual crescendo
-3:40 ff, closing section
-4:02 end
Notable Passages
Description:
Listen to the triplets in the flute's opening melody!
Keywords: Triplet
Description:
Hold onto your hats! After this opening flute solo, the orchestra changes abruptly from a piano dynamic to a raucous fortissimo! Huang didn't call this movement a "dance" for nothing!
Keywords: Contrast , Dynamics - Composition Technique , Dynamics - Expressive Elements
Description:
The ensemble crescendos twice in this section, from mezzo-piano to forte!
Keywords: Dynamics - Composition Technique , Dynamics - Expressive Elements
Description:
To close out the A Section, the full orchestra plays at a forte, before dropping down to piano underneath the solo clarinet!
Keywords: Contrast , Dynamics - Composition Technique , Dynamics - Expressive Elements , Symphony Orchestra
Description:
This section of the piece features many instruments of the Symphony Orchestra:
-0:31 full orchestra, percussion / timpani are shown
-0:41 clarinet solo
-0:58 woodwind trio
-1:18 strings
-1:30 bassoon solo, then full orchestra
-1:41 brass instruments featured
-2:14 strings enter
-2:39 large crescendo
-3:08 full orchestra, percussion is shown
Keywords: Symphony Orchestra