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In Memoriam
Leslie Cheung
1956-2003

Our Leslie, beautiful like a flower.
I love you today and always--
a part of my heart beats for you alone,
tonight and forever.

2012-01-17 4:52 / 会员可以看

Anthony Wong Yiu Ming's first album in three years is titled 拂一身還滿 (inadequately rendered into English as "Also Brush a Full" by translate.google.com). Aimed squarely at the Mandarin market (primarily the Mainland), it features 13 compositions: four in Cantonese and nine in Mandarin. Let me say at the outset, I do not understand much Cantonese (especially the tricky lyrics of most Anthony Wong songs) and no Mandarin. On-line translation programs do not produce any workable translations of the lyrics, and generally yield total gibberish. So I was faced with a conundrum: how to review an album whose lyrics I cannot understand? Using Google's translation program, I have been able to glean enough from Chinese reviews of the album posted on-line to see that the lyrics are important--in fact very important--with Chinese reviewers focused almost exclusively on the album's lyrics. But it is precisely the lyrics of the songs that are totally beyond my grasp. Noting this obvious limitation, I am going to discuss the physical object of the CD package (a work of art in its own right) and the music contained inside.

Even with my experience of this release limited to the purely musical and visual, it was a rich and rewarding one. Anthony Wong has a 25 year proven track record of producing music of the highest quality and of presenting this music in releases and stage shows that consistently challenge those who engage with his work. This latest studio work is no exception.

It should be said at the outset that 拂一身還滿 is a proper album, and not simply a collection of individual MP3s ready for download. A great deal of thought has gone into the sequencing of the songs and various musical bridges between numbers. The suite of studio photographs on the the front and back cover and booklet of lyrics are high concept and beautifully executed. These images are created by combining fragments of Anthony Wong shot from different vantage points to produce images that contain multiple view points within a single frame. They are Cubist in concept, certainly, but also share a fundamental characteristic of Chinese landscape painting in that there is no single perspective point and the viewer is invited to delve into different features of the landscape (or, in this instance photograph) independent of the composition as a whole. This deconstruction of the whole into fragments is also characteristic of the music on this album and one has the impression that the artwork was created to be a visual metaphor for what is contained on the CD.

Continuing the analogies between the album and Chinese visual aesthetics, in many ways the musical organization of the album is akin to a Chinese garden, where the visitor moves along a path and scenes unfold in a progression of space and time. Just as no cul-de-sac or dead-end is permitted in any garden space, and pathways always seem to continue in forward motion, so too the album has a noticeable flow from one song to the next. Similar to the experience of a visitor to a Chinese garden who is never allowed to see the panoramic whole of the garden at the outset but only experiences it in a carefully designed sequence of the hidden, the peeking and the revealed, the album presents various "vistas," charming glimpses, and distinctive sensual experiences for the listener. (Discussion of Chinese garden design and landscape painting from Joseph C. Wang, "House and Garden: Sanctuary for the Body and the Mind," in ed. Ronald G. Knapp and Kai-Yin Lo, House, Home, Family: Living and Being Chinese, University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu and China Institute in America, New York, 2005, 91)

Musically, the album can be divided into three distinct sections. It begins with an opening sequence of three slow to mid-tempo songs with minimal electronic effects. These songs (two in Mandarin and one in Cantonese) hark back to some of the gentler, more lyrical strains of Wong's earlier work.

Video: http://youtu.be/rP1gh9xFtqw

Tagged onto the end of the third number (汕尾以南 South of Shanwei) is an eerie electronic ending that functions as a bridge between the first section and the second section, which has danceable, up-tempo numbers that make much greater use of electronic instrumentation and effects, giving these songs a decidedly "club" feel.

First single
Video: http://video.sina.com.cn/v/b/61056994-1733976784.html

The songs in this section exhibit a variety of different approaches in the use of electronic instrumentation and all have a distinct "electronica" feel. The seventh cut, (四大發明 Four Great Inventions), has a decidedly Brazilian flavor, with a samba beat in the drum line. This number has a particularly interesting arrangement; as if to challenge the Chinese fixation on lyrics at the expense of the music, 四大發明 has a single short verse that is repeated over and over again. Wong's voice is heavily processed at times and, unlike traditional pop music where the voice typically dominates the mix, here the voice has the same weight as any other instrument and could really be said to be just one more instrument. Sometimes the voice is even so distorted it has musical but no lyric significance.

Video: http://youtu.be/2GLIJSB-rQI

The third distinct group of songs on the album features three numbers composed for "The Forbidden City," a production presented by Zuni Icosahedron for the 2009 Architecture is Art Festival . Musically, these numbers are the real standouts of the album. "The Forbidden City" focused on the architectural and dynastic history of the Forbidden City in Beijing. Wong portrayed a raven figure who is an observer of this history. The fact that these songs are the work of a single composer and were performed by one character in a stage production gives them a coherent, unified style, even though they are written in a variety of musical idioms. Perhaps, because this stage production also featured a Kun opera singer performing in that musical idiom, the three songs composed for Wong have a more classical (both Western and Chinese) feel, though they are still clearly pop music in the way they are performed. In these compositions, the emphasis is on Wong's singing and these songs beautifully showcase his clear, almost angelic upper register and precise delivery style. That a man of almost 50 should still possess such a beautiful, delicate and pure upper register is truly amazing. In these gorgeous songs Wong takes the listener from the earth to the heavens and back again, riding on his amazingly expressive and crystalline tone. His precise enunciation and exact placement of pitch also are important elements that are fundamental in producing of these gorgeous vocal tracks.

Video: http://youtu.be/6-4HbZjTRHk

Promo for Zuni Forbidden City show
Video: http://youtu.be/C2Oetu4FW0I

One of the glories of pop music sung in Cantonese--as opposed to Mandarin--is the way in which, in the hands of a skillful lyricist and composer, the sounds of the words divorced from their meaning can be incredibly rhythmic, musical and expressive.

Video: http://youtu.be/BMnDouBFETM

Hearing songs performed in both Cantonese and Mandarin on this album, the difference in the sounds of the two languages is quite striking. Cantonese has many words that begin with hard consonants that can be arranged in highly musical, rhythmic, and even percussive sequences. Mandarin, with its many more initial soft consonants and elided double vowel combinations has a much less percussive quality, and I find it less interesting to listen to for its sounds alone. A well-written Cantonese pop song can alternate passages of rhythmic singing featuring hard-hitting consonants with legato passages that emphasize softer initial consonants and long vowels that can be a joy to listen to, even divorced from any linguistic meaning.

Anthony Wong is famous in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China for songs that challenge listeners with their lyrics and musical innovation. But he deserves to be equally famous for his gorgeous music, highly inventive covers, and unique and bewitching way of singing. Singing in Cantonese and focusing on Chinese markets has limited his exposure in Europe and North America, which is a shame since he has been making some of the best music anywhere in the world for the past 25 years. This latest album is another chapter in a marvelous musical legacy that deserves to be as well-known outside of Greater China as within. Although the lyric content of his work is not readily available to those who do not understand colloquial Cantonese (and, to a lesser extent Mandarin), his work more than stands on the strength of the music alone. How much more amazing must Anthony Wong's music be when the lyrics are intelligible! But perhaps it is the strength of so much of his lyric content that has distracted listeners over the years from the vocal ability of this artist and the arresting quality of the compositions and their inventive arrangements. This latest studio release from Anthony Wong is another brilliant example of a restless artist producing highly personal work of the highest calibre. Wong is a true Hong Kong original bridging East and West, mixing Cantopop and Chinese traditional styles with Anglo-American music of various genres with a dash of Continental techno added as piquant seasoning. Anthony Wong is a man of many facets, musically and artistically, and 拂一身還滿 is a highly personal expression of Wong's current wide-ranging interests. A thinking man's singer who can bring a tear to your eye with the sheer beauty of his voice, but who can just as easily get you up on your feet dancing to one of his exuberant up tempo songs, Anthony Wong is Hong Kong's most interesting performer whose releases always exceed expectations. This latest album is no exception.

Excellent and highly recommended.

黃耀明 2011 國､粵語大碟 [ 拂一身還滿 ]

冠軍歌 : 絕色 (粵)

特別推介 : 下流(國), 小心許願

其他好歌包括 : 車路士的男孩 / 飛飛飛 (大紫禁城 II ) (國)

01. 第二次青春 (國)

02. 車路士的男孩(featuring 普普樂團) (粵)

03. 汕尾以南 (國)

04. 下流 (國)

05. 小心許願 (粵)

06. 紅眼症 (粵)

07. 四大發明 (國)

08. 拂了一身還滿 (國)

09. 最大的宮殿 (大紫禁城 I) (國)

10. 飛飛飛 (大紫禁城 II) (國)

11. 燕子飛 (大紫禁城 III) (國)

12. 絕色 (粵)

13. 切爾西的女孩 (featuring 普普樂團) (國)

Anthony Wong 2011 Mandarin, Cantonese album [also brush a full]

01 second youth (M)
02 Chelsea Boys (featuring Pop Orchestra) (C)
03 south of Shanwei (M)
04 downstream (M)
05 carefully Wish (C)
06 red-eye syndrome (C)
07 Four Great Inventions (M)
08 had a brush is also full of (M)
09 Maximum Palace (Forbidden City I) (M)
10 take flight (The Forbidden City II) (M)
11. Yanzi Fei (The Forbidden City III) (M)
12 stunning (C)
13 Chelsea Girl (featuring Pop Orchestra) (M)

630 views

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For Love of Leslie: Fan Art (5)

2011-11-06 8:54 / 会员可以看

This final blog on fan videos has a little bit of everything. There is a radio interview with Leslie provided with appropriate illustrations by a fan. An Anthony Wong Yiu Ming song is turned into a fan tribute to Leslie by way of Saint-Exupery. A Japanese fan created cartoons depicting many of Leslie's greatest roles and stage performances, featuring a fan in a very special role. And finally, to end this series on fan videos, a beautiful tribute video in which a fan not only edited the video, but also recorded the song for it.

English-speaking fans prize the interviews that Leslie gave in English. In support of a Mainland Chinese film, A Time to Remember, in which Leslie played a Communist revolutionary during the Guomindang regime in China, he gave a rare radio interview that, exceptionally, was in English. A fan from England, Jackie, took a recording of this interview and added appropriate photos and video to illustrate Leslie's words.

Video: http://youtu.be/dTufqVxY0YY

Anthony Wong Yiu Ming recorded a song, "The Little Prince". A fan created a video that was illustrated with both pictures from an illustrated version of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's classic by the same name and images of Leslie Cheung. For many fans, Leslie is their "little prince".

Video: http://youtu.be/J-dIo7rvgAs

A fan, who appears to hail from Japan, has created two highly inventive and possibly unique videos illustrated with hand-drawn cartoons featuring Leslie Cheung and a toddler who appears to be a stand-in for a female fan (the artist?). These are among the most delightful works of fan art and display tremendous creativity. They are a fitting tribute to an artist the calibre of Leslie.

Video: http://youtu.be/SXojpACajPI

Video: http://youtu.be/AAgBiuagGZ4

Finally, a touching tribute by a fan who not only created the video, but also sang the song featured in it. For many fans the expression, "Leslie Forever," that frames the video window perfectly describes how they feel about Leslie, even eight years after he has left us.

Video: http://youtu.be/Jzt7U4OC-eA

135 views

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For Love of Leslie: Fan Art (4)

2011-10-30 7:58 / 会员可以看

Fans of Leslie Cheung's movies fall into two basic categories: those who are fans of Leslie as a singer and an actor, and those who are fans of Leslie solely as an actor. In fact, many in the West have no idea that Leslie was as big a singing star as he was an actor. I think it can be argued that Leslie Cheung was one of the greatest and most popular Cantopop performers who ever lived. While he also turned in many great performances as an actor, he did not redefine the history of Hong Kong cinema in quite the same way he did the history of Cantopop. An actor is much more dependent on the script and director, not to mention the myriad other individuals who contribute their talents to a film, to leave such an indelible mark on the history of film. For this reason, a number of the fan videos featuring Leslie that I have watched seem to have been created by fans of the director, in particular Wong Kar Wai, more than they were specifically fans of Leslie. That said, Leslie figures prominently in three of Wong's seminal films, so he figures prominently in many of these director-focused fan vids.

A number of different approaches are evident in these videos. Some of them are set to the music of one or more of Leslie's songs. Others use Western music that, nevertheless, adds an interesting dimension through the juxtaposition of images and sound. Some videos focus on a single movie, while others bring together clips from various movies that are edited to display particular qualities of Leslie's performances.

Here is a thematic video set to Leslie's 1996 song, "Red," featuring clips from films that span his entire career, from Nomad in 1982 to Double Tap in 2000.

Video:

http://youtu.be/c5HUKlh8FAo

The next video is from Double Tap, in which Leslie played a competitive marksman who became a psychotic killer. The soundtrack is one of Leslie's own songs.
Video: http://youtu.be/EBpjA0_XQPg

The next video also features scenes from Double Tap, but the soundtrack is Kane's "Shot of a Gun."

Video: http://youtu.be/-Sbpk_vgn-Q

One of my favorite movie fan videos profiles "Leslie in Action" and is set to an infectious Goldfrap tune.

Video: http://youtu.be/niYyLdrAQ7o

Leslie's masterful performance in Wong Kar Wai's art house classic, Happy Together, has inspired many fans of Leslie and/or the film to create some wonderful videos.

First, a compilation of clips from the film edited to go with Leslie singing "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."

Video: http://youtu.be/dXTkBCRkySA

The second video of Happy Together is set, perhaps surprisingly, to a song by Jeff Buckley.

Video: http://youtu.be/yMVIsz-gRX4

The music of Berlin indie band, The Whitest Boy Alive, paired with clips from Happy Together. In places, the editing brilliantly injects the energy of the music into the images.

Video:

http://youtu.be/4Sixh4p1kWA

And, finally, the beautiful film, Farewell, My Concubine, featuring one of Leslie's most transcendent roles, set to the music of The Guess Who's "Glamour Boy." A fitting tribute to one of Asia's most glamorous and talented actors and singers.

Video:

http://youtu.be/m9gl3iguSC0

132 views

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For Love of Leslie: Fan Art (3)

2011-10-06 8:35 / 会员可以看

Just as religions have holy days and nations have national holidays that punctuate the year and give shape, color and a communal identity to the faithful or citizenry, so too fans of Leslie Cheung have two major dates that are the focus of the fan year.

The first is April first. It was on April 1, 2003 that Leslie Cheung took his own life. For many fans, it is one of the saddest days of their lives, the day their beloved Gor Gor left this earth. Suddenly the words of Don MacLean's "American Pie," the song that Leslie performed at the singing contest that launched his entertainment career, seemed prophetic. The words of the refrain sadly proclaim : "the day the music died" (in reference to the death of Buddy Holly). For Leslie's fans, April 1, 2003 is the darkest, cruelest and saddest day of the year.

The other date fans commemorate is September 12, which is Leslie's birthday. Each year there are public events in Hong Kong and other cities with active fan groups to commemorate the joy of Leslie's birth, mixed with the bitterness of knowing that Leslie will never celebrate his birthday again with fans, friends, and family. He will never hear our well-wishes nor smile at the tributes and gifts his fans have prepared for him. Even in our brightest celebration of his life and legacy, there is always a hint of sadness, as April 1 casts its shadow even over such a joyous event as Leslie's birthday.

Fans have found many ways to commemorate Leslie around these two events. Various tribute videos are produced, commemorating the fans' devotion to Leslie, and featuring favorite songs, slide shows of beloved images, and video montages commemorating favorite moments from his films, music videos and live performances. Some of the videos focus on fan messages, others focus on some special quality Leslie manifested that especially touched the video maker. I have chosen among literally hundreds of such videos to share some of my personal favorites. Some I like because of the authentic fan devotion they display, touching in its sincerity. Others are virtual masterpieces of video editing that forcefully communicate something of the great beauty and artistry Leslie displayed throughout his career. I leave you with seven very different examples of the fans' love and devotion to the memory, works and life of Leslie Cheung.

Video: http://youtu.be/2dTaYiNM-B0

This next video features recorded messages by fans for Leslie on his birthday.

Video: http://youtu.be/vHfDcVbl0vw

Many videos celebrate Leslie's beauty, but this next video is a bit different. Here is how the creator describes the video: "a song about charity, beauty, and sincerity, composed and sung by HK actor/singer Leslie Cheung, who had lived his life in such a spirit.

This version is focused on Leslie's luminous presence - I hope to convey his energy, warmth, vitality, and beneath it all, his genuine kindness and compassion."

Video: http://youtu.be/0GBrCa5NdyY

Leslie's physical beauty was celebrated not only by fans and filmmakers, but also by many photographers. In 2010, Red Mission in Hong Kong put together an exhibition of photographs (many unpublished) and original art work that displayed various facets of Leslie throughout his career. Many fans visited the exhibition and there are several video records, such as the following video.

Video: http://youtu.be/slvA5KgPqLo

I have found many, many videos celebrating Leslie's iconic physical beauty. The next video is especially well-edited, with a mix of footage of Leslie at a photo shoot, performing on stage, backstage (I'm sure the make-up artist never forgot those nights during the Passion Tour when she applied bronzer to Leslie's body

), a public appearance and press conference. All amply demonstrate the grace, poise and elegance that Leslie so effortlessly projected.

Video: http://youtu.be/B-lMyxdviR4

Other fans have created videos focusing on different aspects of Leslie entertainment career. The next video commemorates his 30 years in show business and amounts to a video professional bio.

Video: http://youtu.be/sIMugLXrUGA

A tradition has been established by fans since Leslie's death to commemorate him every 4-01 with videos filled with fans messages. The messages are brief, but sincere, accompanied by one or more of Leslie's songs. This is an opportunity for fans to express their deeply-felt emotions: gratitude, devotion, sadness, grief and love. Even the most positive remembrances have a melancholy and bittersweet quality, for the sense of what we have lost tinges any fan's remembrance of Leslie.

Video: http://youtu.be/bopxUA7Tbn4

For many outside of Asia, Leslie will be forever remembered for his films. The next video ends with a slide show with one iconic image after another, illustrating many of Leslie's most important film roles.

Video: http://youtu.be/VDoMQiN7RRo

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For Love of Leslie: Fan Art (2)

2011-09-24 7:18 / 会员可以看

In addition to songs on the first album, fans over the years have created music videos for songs on other albums that did not originally have professionally produced music videos. Perhaps no album has generated more fan videos than Leslie's final studio album, which was released posthumously. The songs on this album are quite evocative and represent some of the best music that Leslie composed, as well as featuring fine songs by other composers. The lyrics speak to fans and are written in such a way that many of the songs can sustain various interpretations. (This has permitted rather divergent English translations of some of the songs.)

A particularly beautiful video has been created for the song "Red Butterfly" (Hung Woo Dip).

Music composed by: Leslie; lyrics written by: Chow Lai-Mau

紅蝴蝶

紅蝴蝶曲：張國榮詞：周禮茂編：
如你愛過我一點丁
請不必相認如你看到我是運是命
請關起眼睛如你聽見我心底哭聲
請收起吃驚靜靜睡吧不必慰藉
叫我再動情

曾要我意決並沒話別走得不轟烈
由過去細節逐日逐月似殞落紅葉

* 難以去撇脫一身鮮血
化做紅蝴蝶遺憾自問未比起你決絕
遺憾自問未比起你決絕
(遺憾自問未比起你決絕)
(遺憾自問未比起你決絕)
(遺憾自問未比起你決絕)

愛一早變飛灰灰飛了未心領神嫌br>悔最後自已的反悔
(悔死不甘心的反悔)
(悔死不甘心的反悔)
(悔死不甘心的反悔)
心崩潰
(傷心繼續巡迴)
(傷心繼續巡迴)
(傷心繼續巡迴)

如對我抱歉多講不必
燈火先熄滅來再向我說
恨斷義絕愛已沒餘孽

Repeat * *

我恨蝴蝶未配

If you had loved me a tiny little bit

please, there is no need for us to greet each other

If you see me, my luck or my fate

please close your eyes

If you hear the crying in the bottom of my heart

please retrieve your shock

Just quietly sleep, no need to comfort me,

making me fall in love again

I was once made to decide, there were no words of farewell

the departure wasn't extravagant enough

From the little details in the past, day by day, month by month

it is like the falling of red leaves

#Difficult to escape from having a whole body covered in blood

transforming into a red butterfly

Regret that I had not been more heartless than you

(Regret that I had not been more heartless than winter) X2

Love--long ago became flying ashes

ashes--gone flying away, the heart and mind never connected

Regret--regretting myself at the end

(Regret--the kind of regret that you don't let go even until death) X3

Heart--collapsed

(sadness continues to parade) X2.3

If you're apologetic to me there is no need to say much

The lights get blown out first

Come to me again and say, all feelings are over,

there is no longer any remnant songs in this love

(Repeat ##)

Butterfly just cannot match up

Video: http://youtu.be/UlGjKT4n-UI

Another beautiful song is "A thousand type of pretties, a hundred kind of beauties" (Chin Giu Baak Mei)

Music composed by: CY Kwong, Lyrics written by: Lam Chik

千嬌百美

每個轉角也有剎那天地
步步亦是極地慢慢探秘
以為這以為那已是最驚艷
卻發覺原來還未我見過世界最美
卻太眼利望盡日落大道亦未放棄
我還有個十百千的勝地我哪有定力迴避

* 看嬌都只不過霎一眼
前面白裡泛紅紫裡泛藍我還想揀
或者揀中他未必想得到他
廚窗隔著煙花任風光飽覽都算造化
他有幾多億個他誰都只不過霧中花
千嬌百美躍上滑下難認得他能幻想嗎

永遠也有過往哪有失望
後浪霾衕簧未有細看
我和某某和某某流過的汗
哪裡滓?靋鴘看我以兩臂撒網
撒過對岸在二十萬日內慢慢結網
眼略]暢遊過多少臂膀到哪裡完成流浪

Repeat * *

看到快要斷氣看破天地
但願日夜夢寐極樂到尾
我和某某和某某調過的味
已夠我完全忘掉你

At every corner there is an instant paradise

Every step is the ultimate land, slowly exploring the secrets

I thought this and that were already the most exotic sexiness

but I realized that it still wasn't

I have seen the most beautiful of this world

but my eyes were too sharp, I have seen all sunsets down the road,

but still haven't given up

I still have tens and hundreds and thousands of unexplored destinations,

how will I have the strength to resist (the temptation)?

#Look, even pretties are only to be given one quick glance

up front there are red in white, blue in purple--I still want to choose

maybe I have chosen him; but its not necessarily that I want to have him

the fireworks behind the window display;

get a full glance of the beautiful sceneries

Him--how many billions of "him" does he have?

Everybody is only a flower in the fog after all.

A thousand pretties, a hundred beauties, jumping up, sliding down

difficult to recognize him

can I still fantasize?

One will always have some kind of a past, how will there be disappointment

new waves overcoming the old waves, there just isn't time to look closely

The sweat that I and somebody, somebody and somebody once shed--

how will they still retain their same shape

Look, I used my two arms to cast out the net,

cast it over to the other side of the shore

within 200,000 days, slowly knit the net

how many arms have my tears flown through

Until where this wandering will be completed

(repeat ##)

I have seen so much that I will soon suffocate

Have seen through the heaven and earth

Wish I could dream day and night, be in paradise until the end

The scents that I and somebody, somebody and somebody once mixed

are already enough to let me completely forget you

Video: http://youtu.be/WQ9fcFKpSOA

A favorite song of foreign fans has been Leslie's cover of the English-language song "Tonight and Forever." Since it was released without an accompanying music video, a fan who liked this song created a suitable video for it.

Video: http://youtu.be/0bhpVriSDUo

Other wonderful videos have been created to publicize public fan events, like this video a group of Shanghai fans produced to publicize their 9-12-10 event.

Video: http://youtu.be/hAuWnHDkI7o

Something that fans have celebrated about Leslie is his tremendous sex appeal, both in his musical performances and in his film roles. Here are two examples that beautifully capture this notable quality, which Leslie seemed able to project effortlessly whenever he was playing to an audience.

Video: http://youtu.be/htusVxTefUo

Lest we think Leslie appealed only to a mainstream female fan base, this next video celebrates a more "queer" stage persona that Leslie created for his 1997 World Tour.