Xiaoyong Chen
Xiaoyong Chen: Liberation - a Requiem for Humanity (2021)
Xiaoyong Chen
Liberation – A Requiem for Humanity (2021)
Commissioned by CelloWercken Zutphen Foundation Dat Bolwerck Foundation in 2021
World premiere: 27 August 2021 at the Walburgiskerk in Zutphen, the Netherlands, conductor: Kanako Abe
© Sikorski Verlage (for score)
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying helps us to understand that life and death are two sides of a unity and not opposite polarities. Death begins right after birth and is the mirror of life as a whole. Only those who understand death can take life seriously and realise the true meaning of life.
The Requiem was written during a difficult time when the Corona pandemic had gripped our world. The composition begins with the first movement “Living”, continues in the second movement “Dying” and gradually enters the important process “Bardo”. Through listening, the soul is to be led towards liberation.
I dedicate the Requiem to all humanity and to the innocent dead who have lost their lives through catastrophes and senseless wars.
If we understand what we are doing while reciting the mantra, we can transform our impure body, speech and mind into the pure body, speech and mind of a Buddha and be completely compassionate to our fellow human beings. This is exactly what Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig, Guanyin) stands for. By reciting this mantra we are like Avalokiteshva.
