大风歌 Song of the Great Wind by Dr. Zechariah Goh | Singapore Choral Artists

大风歌 Song of the Great Wind by Dr. Zechariah Goh Conducted by Mr Nelson Kwei Soloist: Raymond Lee Singapore Choral Artists World Symposium for Choral Music 2026, Macao Invited Choirs Gala Concert 24th August 2026 Macao Cultural Center Grand Hall, Macao “Song of the Great Wind” weaves together three poetic compositions about the War between Xiang Yu's Western Chu and Liu Bang's Han. Xiang Yu's "Song of Gaixia," with a male chorus as the main body, depicts the hero's achievements, valor and his neverending love for his concubine Yu Ji. "Song of Consort Yu" shows Yu Ji's loyalty to her emperor Xiang Yu; she laments that if he dies at Gaixia, she would have no reason to live on. Both songs are intermittently disrupted by the melancholic Southern folk tunes, reflecting Xiang Yu's despair in the face of an unavoidable defeat. The final "Song of the Great Wind" describes Liu Bang's regret over the death of his sworn brother Xiang Yu after claiming victory and proclaiming himself emperor. In historical records, when Liu Bang wept and mourned Xiang Yu, the young men and women sang this song. The composer used an extremely liberal approach to express the lyrics, showcasing love, loyalty, pride, and regret in the epic story. The emotions of the entire piece are interwoven in the colorful lines of the chorus, vividly portraying the characters' personalities.