ancient stone - Jasmin Kent Rodgman (2019)

ancient stone  (2019) is a piece for flute, percussion, yangqin, and piano composed by Jasmin Kent Rodgman and premiered by Yi-Hsuan Chen, Angela Wai Nok Hui, Reylon Yount, and Jessica Zhu.

The piece was commissioned for Tangram's 1-year anniversary and Lunar New Year concert on 25 January 2020 at LSO St. Luke's.

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Writing ancient stone for Tangram - especially with the concert taking place as part of the ensembleʼs first anniversary and this yearʼs Lunar New Year celebrations - got me thinking about rituals and the traditions of community.

On the odd occasion when my family have made it back to Malaysia for Lunar New Year to celebrate with everyone, it was like Christmas on steroids and I loved it. The whole family get together and it is loud; everyone is talking over one another, thereʼs a constant stream of food and youʼll probably see upwards of four generations under one roof! And of course, thereʼs always an uncle, auntie or grandmother (if youʼre lucky, all three) not too far away, keen to enquire about life plans (I change mine every year) whilst you nod and smile…and eat some more, listening to their pearls of wisdom and advice.

​Chinese culture is strongly rooted in history and heritage and Iʼve always been fond of how visual the Chinese language is, providing some of the most beautifully or bizarrely described stories youʼve ever heard! And so, perhaps oddly, this Tangram commission and hours of ʻsage family adviceʼ merged and I began looking into various proverbs and fables.

ancient stone is a set of four miniatures, each inspired by a Chinese proverb. Many of these relate very closely to familiar English phrases too:
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“You have only to rest in inaction and things will transform themselves. Smash your form and body, spit out hearing and eyesight, forget you are a thing among other things, and you may join in great unity with the deep and boundless.”
― Zhuangzi, The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu

“Watch until clouds part to see moonlight”

“Small as it is, the sparrow has all the vital organs”

“To know a fish go to the water; to know a bird's song go to the mountains”

Photo by Fachry Zella Devandra

There are also some musical quotes scattered throughout, most noticeably the famous ʻMo Li Huaʼ song or ʻJasmine Flowerʼ, in English. I cannot tell you how many times Iʼve been asked if I can sing/play this song given my name, so I thought this time, itʼs going in!

ancient stone is a theatrical and colourful piece. Each miniature has its own personality and is to be performed as if there were an invisible dancer or actor in the room, accompanying it. Each proverb is announced, spoken, sung by members of the ensemble as they move through each movement.

Photo by eastphoto / Getty Images

This is, in part, inspired by Chinese Opera. Chinese opera and theatre are different to their Western counterparts and I have long since been fascinated by its expression and form. If Western theatre is founded upon Aristotle and Ancient Greek practice, Chinese (pre-modern) theatre inherited text and poetry from movements such as Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism.

​In-depth exploration into the harmony between nature, art and human emotion results in a very particular style, structure and mode of expression. For example, the picture ʻpaintedʼ by words and music often uses scenic description to relay the emotions behind the story.

During my time in China in 2019, I really enjoyed watching the different regions perform in their own styles. Travelling in the north and south of China, I came across Qinqiang, Jingju and Sichuan operatic styles. Some of these were performed in theatres, whilst at other times in the park on a weekend, by local musical groups! I wanted to include a musical nod to these performances in ancient stone.

ancient stone is driven by memory & storytelling; individual memories as well as those passed down through history. Within these four miniatures, Iʼve tried to capture the essence of passing moments and collective experience, against a backdrop of cultural heritage.

Photo by Sam Beasley

Notes by Jasmin Kent Rodgman

Jasmin Kent Rodgman is a British Malaysian-Chinese composer and producer. In 2018/19 she was a British Council PRSF Musician in Residence in China and in 2017/18, an LSO Jerwood Composer. Her music has been performed across the UK and internationally with partners such as London Fashion Week, World Music Festival Shanghai, Edinburgh International Festival, Wilderness Festival, Barbican, Oxford Playhouse and the Royal Albert Hall. Her film scores have featured at festivals such as Sundance, SXSW, Toronto International Film Festival and the London Short Film Festival.

www.jkr-music.com/