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Post by Henry on Mar 8, 2010 8:18:58 GMT -5
Dear Colleagues,
Please click on this youtube link and listen to this popular Chinese song being sung by the Concert Choir of Lenape High School, located in Medford, New Jersey, USA:
Enjoy,
Henry
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Post by douglaslam on Mar 10, 2010 0:00:26 GMT -5
Ye lai xiang 夜來香 is one of my favourite songs. I first heard it in the mid-fifties in HK. It is laudable a high school choir in the US chose to present it to a Western audience There are many versions of course, I think Zhou Xuan 周璇 made the song popular with the first recording back in the 1930s in Shanghai. A more recent popular rendition was recorded by Teresa Teng 鄧麗君 in the 1980s. Zhou Xuan and Teresa Teng were tragic figures, both died young.
Old Hong Kong hand like tyuti1668 would also know the humour associated with the song title. Ye Lai Xiang literally means evening fragrance. Back in the days before flushing toilets in Hong Kong, the chamber pots were emptied out in the evening by the collectors. The overpowering stench was euphemistically called ye lai xiang. I know it well having lived in Hong Kong during that era, in places with no flush toilet.
Now, this is a real tear-jerker of a song, it never fails to move me. Judging by the comments in Chinese on youtube, there are many listeners also moved by this "sad dark melody." Do read the comments chronologically in English / Chinese or both. They give a good background to the song. And for those of us who did not get a chance to learn written Chinese, there is also a good translation of the lyrics. Feel free to shed a tear or two.
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Post by Ah Gin on Mar 10, 2010 15:39:46 GMT -5
For some reason yet to be understood, I could not open the particular URL. No matter, as even before I could open the file, fond memories of the song sung by Zhou Xuan and I did recall it always struck a sad note for me. It reminded me of growing up in the jungle of Malaya, of listening to Radison (Spelling?) wired music to Kopitiam (Coffee Shop) -- which I miss so much -- of the noise, of the smell of fresh Kopi, not of the Blue Mountain type, nor Star Buck, but simple life as it was.
Thanks Henry for finding and sharing and Douglas for reminding us of the yester years.
Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by Ah Gin on Mar 10, 2010 21:03:06 GMT -5
Henry,
I got the Utube going and I am impressed with the Choir and the School for encouraging this performance. If I am correct, I can't see any Asian kids in the Choir. Good on them. The confidence of the soloist and the good support by the team is a joy to see. Are you connected with this school? Thanks again for sharing.
Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by chansomvia on Mar 11, 2010 19:31:59 GMT -5
Hi Henry, Thanks for the information on the song, a similarly famous song was sung by our New Zealand girl (my son's school mate): Christchurch girl Hayley Westenra was the lead performer at the opening of the World Games in Kaohsiung, Taiwan on Thursday last week. After a couple of her famous songs, Hayley sang the Chinese classic Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin (月亮代表我的心) to an ecstatic crowd of 40,000 at the Kaohsiung Main Stadium.
The well-loved Teresa Teng song is literally translated “The Moon represents my heart”. This song is etched in my memory because my dad used to have this running in the cassette deck of his car all the time when I was a kid.
What was most amazing is that she made the effort to get the intonation right. Most Mandarin learners would attest this is the hardest bit. It is usually very difficult for native English speakers to to sing in Chinese because of the need to get the tones right. She would have no doubt put in countless hours to practice this one song. And for her persistence, her album sales will go through the roof in Taiwan/China and other parts of Asia in the coming months
See her on:- blog.euroasia.co.nz/2009/07/21/hayley-westenra-sings-in-chinese-the-moon-represents-my-heart/. I will be in New york on 2nd August for a week and will miss your talk which is of much interest to me. regards Joe of Christchurch |
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Post by Henry on Mar 11, 2010 20:02:20 GMT -5
Hi Ah Gin, No I am not connected to this school, but, I enjoyed hearing this Western choir sing this old Chinese favorite. Hi Joe, I was also wowed by this lovely young lady Haley Westenra - he is not only beautiful, she also has a wonderful voice ! Thank you for sharing the video of her performance. If you have a couple days and plan to visit the Washington, DC area - please let me know. Perhaps we can connect and I would enjoy showing you some of the sights in our Nation's capital. I will be running the Chinese Genealogy Workshop on April 3, 17, and May 1st, so if you are in New York City during that period - please attend: siyigenealogy.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=news&action=display&thread=1134Regards, Henry |
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