Seeing Fou T'song, Remembering Fu Lei
Standing on the stage was Fou Tsong (傅聪), who is turning seventy this year. As he bowed to the audience, I came to think about his father, Fu Lei (傅雷) and the many letters he wrote to Fou Tsong.
It was sad to remember how Fu Lei's life came to an end. He and his wife suicided together during the Cultural Revolution - all for the sake of dignity.
Fu Lei is one of the greatest traslator in modern China. A scholar in French language and culture, Fu Lei was also an expert in European fine arts and classical music.
His legacies remain until today. His work, A History of European Fine Arts and Introduction to Classcial Music, once again became popular book titles in China in recent years, not to mention the Fu Lei Family Letters (傅雷家书), a collection of corespondences between him and Fou T'song that touched upon a wide range of topics from life in Shanghai, music, life philosophy to moral character.
Standing on the stage this night is his son, Fou T'song, a person whose written words I have read so much just a few years ago from some of his letters to his father. This night, he played a number of songs. Some are familiar; some not so.
Eveytime when he finished playing a song, he would stand up, bowed with dignity to the audience. His face was serious. Rarely a smile. He looked old and indeed he is as he turns seventy this year.
It was strange how fast time has passed and how much had happened to his nation during his lifetime. He seems to be someone I know given the public knowledge about his and his father's minds at one point in their lives. His father seems so closed in my mind, yet he is very very far away...
Some tunes I really like from the concert (I think Fou T'song is best at playing Chopin):
Franz Schubert, Sonata in C major. (played almost exactly as in the CD recording!)
Chopin, 3 Mazurkas Op. 50
Chopin, Sonanta in B-flat Minor, Op 35, "Funeral March"
Soong Fu-Yuan, Four Poems for the Piano
