Ancient Chinese culture has had a profound impact on the aesthetics and cultural life of modern people with regard to music and sound art. Its emphasis on values such as harmony, benevolence and inner cultivation has permeated the aesthetic orientation of music, making people more inclined to appreciate works that express emotional resonance and convey messages of peace and harmony. At the same time, the natural concepts of ancient culture and the inheritance of traditional music forms have also influenced the innovation and development of modern sound art, so that people feel the beauty of nature and think about the philosophy of life through music and sound art, thus enriching their spiritual world and cultural experience.
Taking Tan Dun’s works as an example, we can understand more deeply the influence of ancient Chinese culture on modern people’s music and sound art. Tan Dun is a famous contemporary Chinese composer whose musical works fuse traditional Chinese musical elements with modern Western musical language, reflecting the inheritance and innovation of ancient Chinese culture in contemporary music. His musical works usually express values such as harmony, balance, and benevolence, which make people feel a sense of inner peace and tranquility when enjoying them. His symphonic works often fuse classical and modern musical elements, showing the splendour and heaviness of China’s millennium-old culture, making people feel the brilliance and tolerance of ancient Chinese culture. He often blends traditional Chinese instruments and classical music elements with modern music language to create unique musical works. Ancient Chinese culture emphasizes the harmony between man and nature, and Tan Dun often uses natural sound effects and natural rhythms in his musical works to show his reverence and praise for the beauty of nature.
- Self Portrait, from “Death and Fire” (1983)
- On Taoism (1985)
- Yi1: Intercourse of Fire and Water (1994)
- Heaven Earth Mankind: Symphony 1997 (1997)
- Concerto for String Orchestra and Pipa (1999)
- Water Music (2004)
- Earth Concerto for stone and ceramic percussion with orchestra (2009)
- Percussion Concerto: “The Tears of Nature” (2012)
- Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds (2015)