SONGS OF THE DRAGON KILN
Ding Yi Music Company
Esplanade Recital Studio
Sunday (3 December 2017 )
This review was published in The Straits Times on 5 December 2017 with the title "Nostalgic ode to the dragon kiln".
This
was not a concert in the traditional sense, but more a semi-interactive
show-and-tell session accompanied by music from traditional Chinese
instruments. Conducted and conceptualised by Quek Ling Kiong in collaboration with the team of
composer Zechariah Goh Toh Chai, film director David Yap and heritage reseacher
Lee Kok Leong, the concert centred on one of Singapore's dying trades – wood-fired
pottery and porcelain created by a dragon kiln.
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| Photo credit: Tails from the Lion City |
There
are only two dragon kilns remaining in Singapore today, both located in Lorong
Tawas (off Jalan Bahar), in the western reaches of the island. Come 2023, the
36-metre long brick-lined and clay-covered ovens, which can fire tens of
thousands of pottery pieces at one go, will be no more as the government seeks
to close them down. Gone, like traditional kampongs, fishing kelongs and
long-demolished monuments like the National Theatre and National Library on Fort Canning
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| Photo credit: The Finder Singapore |
Composer
Goh's score was high on nostalgia, playing upon a recurring theme that was
reminiscent of the Beatles hit song And I Love Her. Whether Freudian in
intent or not, it certainly tugged on the heart-strings, especially when heard
on Chee Jun Sian's cello or Yvonne Tay's guzheng. This memorable
leitmotif accompanied the short film features on the Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle
Two
percussionists struck on pots with resounding clarity as a prelude, and the
films rolled successively like chapters of a storybook. The history of
pottery, architecture of the dragon kiln, the production process and associated
rituals were outlined in basic terms such that even a child could understand.
This was also aided by conductor Quek's engaging banter in Mandarin and a
smattering of English.
As
if to pad up the concert's hour-long duration, there was a slide-show segment
featuring pottery and porcelain from around the world, with Suzhou
Then
audience members were given an opportunity to accompany the orchestra by
hitting and blowing on a wide array of pots that had been lying on the stage
floor from the beginning of the concert. Striking to Quek's baton, a symphony
of cacophony ensued, much to the relish of the invited performers.
The
final chapter was provided by soprano Cherie Tse who sang a mellifluous ode to
a Jurong urn, with words by Choo Liang Liang, Lu Yi and composer Goh. It
dwelled on the sweat and toil of three generations of potters and the thousands
of beneficiaries of their artistry. On that note, one pondered whether this
nation could afford to forget and bury its heritage in the all-conquering name
of progress.
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