《Jasmine Blossoms in June》

Folksong ()

Jasmine Blossoms in June is a folk song that originated in the coastal districts of Fukien Province in China, brought to Taiwan by Chinese immigrants. Taiwanese lyricist, Hsu Bing-Ting, wrote new words for the song, making it a truly Taiwanese song. The song’s beautiful melody and elegance have made it immensely popular. The song describes the flowering of the jasmine blossoms in June, which symbolize the coming to maturity of a young girl, who is sad because she has no admirers, subtly conveying the girl’s longing for love. This piece for the cello was transcribed by a Chinese composer, Mr. Chen Lechang, who teaches at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music. Divided into three sections, the first section starts with a short piano prelude before moving into the main theme, the folksong, performed by the cellist. In the second section, the prelude is played on the cello, and the piano then takes up the main theme. In the third section, the cello takes up the main theme once more, but with overtones, before the piece winds up with a short concluding section.