This thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of composer Li-Qing Yang’s “Elegy.” This concerto for symphony orchestra and erhu is based on the erhu solo called “Whaling Waters,” arranged by Huang Hai-Huai from the same-titled piece of folk music of Northeast China in 1962. “Elegy,” composed in 1991, provides a new perspective on cultures and aesthetics and reflects timbre and tone of varied instruments. Yang overcomes the difficulty of assigning erhu as the lead instrument in an orchestra, and for a rich and diverse form of rendition, he further arranges a piece for piano accompaniment with his student Shen Ye. In this thesis, I first introduce Yang’s background and his experience of composing music pieces. I later examine Yang’s personal style and ideas behind “Elegy,” which is adapted from “Whaling Waters” and performed on erhu. Finally, by providing varied perspectives on the interpretation of “Whaling Waters,” I shed light on Yang’s creativity and musicality for the sonorous strings of the erhu.
