Poem rings a bell

German composer Robert Zollitsch delves into old Chinese words and sounds, Chen Nan reports.

In his poem, Ju Song, or Ode to an Orange Tree, patriotic Chinese poet Qu Yuan from the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) praised the beauty of an orange tree in southern China. He compared the tree to a virtuous man who is determined and dedicated. The poem is often cited for its indication of the poet's loyal, unyielding and unselfish image.

When German composer Robert Zollitsch was commissioned to write a song for a gala produced by China Central Television, marking Spring Festival, he chose to compose for the poem by using bianzhong, one of the oldest Chinese musical instruments that originated about 2,500 years ago, consisting of a set of bells of varying sizes that produce different sounds when struck. The song, performed by Zollitsch's wife, Chinese singer Gong Linna, will debut on Feb 1, Lunar New Year, the biggest traditional Chinese festival.

"We recorded the song in Beijing last November by working with a bianzhong band from the Hubei Provincial Museum and my own band," says Gong, adding that her husband composed the song in Germany.