Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) is set to breathe new life into Mandarin hits from the 1970s to the 1990s with a concert in Kuala Lumpur next month.
Symphony of Memories: A Journey Through Mandarin Classics will take the PETRONAS Philharmonic Hall (DFP) stage on March 28, featuring 17 well-known pop and classical tracks.
The song list includes The Olive Tree, a 1970s Taiwanese folk song written by Sanmao and composed by Li Tai-Hsiang, and Rainbow which was originally performed by Taiwanese rock duo Power Station.
These classics will be given fresh symphonic interpretations by Jenny Chin, Ilham Subri, Azhad Sulaiman, Teuku Umar Ilany, Leonard Yap Wong Jun Xian and Shahakam Mokhtar.
Under the baton of Hong Kong conductor Francis Kan, the MPO will be joined by vocalists Janet Lee, Izen Kong, Layla Sania and Daniel Cheah.
At a press conference, Lee and Kong said the combination of pop numbers with orchestral arrangements would create a “big” and “rich” sound, thanks to the scale and range of instruments involved.
They said the songs would not simply replicate the original versions.
“As they will be given fresh arrangements and because both of us are singers who do not copy anybody, the numbers will have their own style.
“We won’t get too far away from the nostalgic and romantic feel of these songs, because they were written that way,” said Lee.
Kong said he was particularly looking forward to performing Solace, which was originally sung by Jacky Cheung.
“I will be doing a solo for Solace. It has a lot of Chinese elements.
“I am working on it to make it not sound too old with the orchestra.
“I need to figure out how to make it more heartfelt and real,” he said.
Lee, who will perform a solo of The Olive Tree, said she was excited to work on the new arrangement by Chin, who would retain the song’s original B minor key.
“The song is wildly famous and has a special composition.
“If you have time to listen to the original, you’ll find that it is loaded with emotion.
“It is known as a highly ingenious composition owing to the use of chords,” she said.
Lee also highlighted A Hymn To Spring Night, originally by Wu Xing Yin.
“It’s a song that basically tells you to go home and make babies at night, but Chinese people are very poetic.
“The lyrics say it’s spring night, the flowers are all in bloom and therefore one should make good use of the spring night and not waste time,” she said.
The concert starts at 8pm, with ticket prices starting from RM249. For details, visit www.mpo.com.my
