Silk Road Project: Yanzi (Swallow Song)

In this well-known Chinese folk song, Kazakh in origin, the singer addresses a girl named Yanzi (swallow), praising her bright eyes, graceful neck and long hair. "Please do not forget your promise and change your heart," he sings. "I am yours, and you are my swallow."

Wu Tong, who studied the sheng (Chinese mouth organ) at the Central Conservatory in Beijing, also has a career as a rock vocalist. His former classmate, Zhou Lin, was moved to arrange "Yanzi" for voice and cello after hearing Wu Tong's a capella rendition. Here he sings "Yanzi" with cellist Yo-Yo Ma during a Silk Road Ensemble concert.

For more on the Silk Road Ensemble and the Silk Road Project, visit http://www.silkroadproject.org

Category:

Music

Tags:

• yanzi
• swallow song
• silk road ensemble
• yo-yo ma
• yo yo ma
• wu tong
• duet
• cello
• Chinese
• music

[Malangsufi]

where can I buy the entire dvd?

[silkroadproject]

@Malangsufi Sorry, we don't have a DVD for sale yet, but it's great to know you're interested. We'll keep posting videos of performances on YouTube as often as we can.

[amina0311]

In case you wonder how it sounds in Kazakh, here is one by a couple young Kazakh singers of this love song:

watch?v=v9FDhl_itLY

[Sulik94]

Total mess-up a perfectly good song. It is corny and and sounds a like an old man crying for the good days gone by. Remember, Kazakhs are nomadic people. Their songs are meant to reach from mountain to mountain, pasture to pasture, not from mouth to your ear. When listen the original Kazakh version you feel like he is calling out for his lover beyond the mountain, beyond the limitless pasture. You are supposed to feel the open space, not a depressing living room or old couch.

[Wolfesthane]

Is there an exact date for the origin of the song or lyrics?

[dpawlmusic]

This is amazing!!!!

[kickirk]

I celebrate this song!!! I was so inspired by this that I sang it in a performance in NYC to a similar arrangement but with piano and cello. Surprisingly, the westerners loved it. Thank you for being a part of promoting the Chinese/kazakhstan cultures.

[sandrinepi]

With music like that you don't even need to know what the words are. Damn.

Which is good, because I don't speak Chinese.

[jedenbeen]

This is heartbreaking, not to mention beatioful. The rich story behind the gorgeous melody is enough to make you cry.......

Yo yo Ma and Wu Tong make a excellent duo.

I could listen to them for hours.

[truthwyn]

Astounding! Fantastic! This is simply awesome music. It gives me the goose pimples. I hope you release the audio - DVD soon.

[Malangsufi]

Please if there is going to be such DVD releases, let us know so we can pre-order. If music can add this much joy, who knows what the motion picture can do to our imaginations.