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Robin Lynam

Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto

8pm, tomorrow, Saturday, Cultural Centre

It's probably the  best-known piece of Chinese classical music  from the 20th century - and  it has  long been popular   in Chinese restaurants around the world.

The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto was written in 1959 by two students at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Chen Gang  and He Zhanhao,   principally as an experiment in trying to adapt Chinese folk themes to  a western classical form.

It went on to achieve a degree of popularity of which they could barely have dreamed and has been rearranged countless times for different ensembles.

Many liberties have been taken with it, but this arrangement for the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra by Ng Tai-kong stays close to the composers'  intentions. It will  be the climax of a concert that features the orchestra under the baton of  Shao En (above),  with guest violin soloist Xie Nan.

Although it's likely that the violin concerto will be pulling  in the crowd, admirers of Shao will be equally interested in hearing the world premiere  of the conductor's first major composition for 18 years.   Chinese Music Suite No1 was commissioned by the orchestra specially for the concerts.

Shao was born in Tianjin, graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and became second principal conductor of the Chinese Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra. He's  now music director and principal conductor of the Macau Orchestra, but continues to conduct in Britain, Europe and North America.

His new suite in four parts, entitled  Joy, Sorrow, Parting and Reunion,  explores folk themes from Hebei province. 'The first movement is written in memory of those who have suffered untimely death because of  war, natural causes, political persecution, terrorist acts or accidents,' says Shao.  The  second movement celebrates  the fleeting joys of life, and the third reflects the feelings that accompany separations.  The fourth movement is an expression of Shao's religious faith.

'Reunion here refers to man's reunion with God,' he says. 'It's the way of the Lord. He guides  us to cross the threshold of death to everlasting life. It's our final destiny, as we live forever in peace and harmony.'

That theme fits closely with  the folkloric origin of the Butterfly Lovers story, in which two dead lovers transformed into butterflies are reunited.

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Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto