Changzhi Gao - “Rosa Sulla Tastiera” - Op.21a

The organ is a vast instrument. A century ago, it was bathed in divine radiance, regarded as the sublime voice for prayer to heaven. Later, it became secularized. Yet even in a godless socialist country, in an era that surpasses what we call modernism in its own modernity, it continues to sound its voice. A few months ago, I attempted to compose a piece for the organ. I titled it "Seeking," a questioning of everything, conceived from the perspective of "greatness." Now, I wonder whether such a massive instrument can also tell subtle stories, just like every other instrument? "Nocturnes and Fantasias" —I haven't given much thought to this genre. I simply reflect that the memories I once held dear, those things I used to call emotional pillars, have gradually eroded in the long river of my recollections. Perhaps they weren't deep enough to remain vivid in every detail; perhaps not shallow enough to linger endlessly on each fleeting moment. I wonder: why not just sit by the piano and play something, or sit at my desk and losemyself in quiet contemplation, savoring the beauty in my own life? Maybe I should write down every sweet moment, every trace of pain, every spark of anger, every shade of sorrow? Perhaps it seems ordinary, but if I pour every bit of this ordinariness into the cause I have long dreamed of dedicating my life to, why shouldn't I feel joy and happiness? Isn't that itself a form of greatness? If I regard the organ, this foreign artifact, as my outward appearance, and the piano—the instrument that will accompany me from the beginning to the end of my musical journey—as my inner self, why can't I dance a "fantasy waltz" all by myself? It could be any kind of dance, but it would undoubtedly, absolutely, be a moment I cherish. The commissioner of this piece asked me to create a more lyrical musical image, so clearly I couldn't literally dance on stage in response to the sound. Instead, I chose to "add" a rose within the music—but not a real one. It will bloom, it will wither; during these eight minutes when memory completely dissolves, during these eight minutes when the scent of roses is at its most intense, I will watch it: —Isn't this even more worthy of celebration as the “Rosa Sulla Tastiera"? Performer: Changzhi Gao and Wenhao Zhao Performed on 23 June 2026 Composed on June 2026 Performing Site: Affiliated Middle School to Shanghai Conservatory of Music - Small Concert Hall Welcome to my personal website! changzhigao.com