Sand-Sifting Waves Song "Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank"

何威廉

Sand-Sifting Waves Song

Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank

By William He

The tune harmonious,
Wild geese wrapped in a cloud,
Who knows what they will look.
Song from their thin and trembling lips,
With the melody, deep and liquid-slow.
A holy orchestrated creation with sunset shades.
What is this they sing,
They keep monotonous tongues now.
Only low lost winds maundering as they wander,
No fair dreams before their mind's eye.

Living in music's breath.
Biding bird's anima quicken and leap to light.
Epitome of tenderness and sympathy,
Harpsichord's bright tones,
With sights a few of them feel a zoom.
They rebuild wings on the way down,
Play a melody deep in their heart.
Layers of river-mist on river.
Earthly emotion here is dour suspension,
How to catch the reflection then.

Honking more gracious song than man can weave.
Fall down and down,
With the pentatonic scale.
Arcane magic of zither,
Chords have wrought them brave.
The birds whose note,
Descending from tangerine sky.
Their quivering limbs,
Grabbing at the arms of old and low rhythm there.


浪淘沙慢

雁落平沙

作者：何威廉

慢朱弦，
云霞解赏，
下瞰轻翮。
云水高流绀碧，
洲边斜起画迹。
且半岸青山藏落日。
歌弹铗、
古今幽涩。
奈问尽诸方眼无语，
文鱼已归息。

高逸。
四机万境瑕壁。
对水色言明，
流光溢、
影落三两只。
正笺纸南天，
鸿阵飞笔。
地仙辨识。
似曲环欲降，
顾瞻回翼。

变奏鸣琴严陵客。
应声落、
吟猱反仄。
幻缘近、
过前汀转侧。
音泛滑、
次第依巡。
爪印浅，
移筝进复携心律。


Notes:
“Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank”: First published in 1634, the piece, Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank, became widely popular in subsequent centuries, existing in many variations and tunings. The music opens with an introduction of harmonic octaves partial scales, evoking the imagery of geese lining up, perhaps flying in formation through distant clouds. The subsequent sections are three parallel variations on the motif, depicting the birds calling to each other and hovering, circling thrice, and landing on the vast sandbank. In the literary sense, the piece portrays one’s detachment from meaningless concerns and the scholar’s freedom to pursue lofty ideals.
“Harpsichord": A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism that plucks one or more strings with a small plectrum made from quill or plastic.
“Honking”: Wild geese honk when they fly as a way of keeping the flock together. But for geese, honking one’s position is a trade-off that helps helps save energy for the flock as they fly. That is because the V-formation makes flight less energetically costly for the entire flock.

何威廉

云水高流绀碧，洲边斜起画迹......