Butterfly Lovers

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Created: 26 June 2007

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Two young students from Shan Hai Musical Academy composed the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto within a year in 1958. This single-movement violin concerto is familiar to many Chinese-speaking communities. The original score is written for a solo violin and a Western orchestra, but it has been adapted for various solo instruments, including the erhu, pipa, and piano. However, in my opinion, the best version is still the original one for violin, as it was originally written for that instrument.

After its premiere in Shanghai, the work became very popular in Asia. I first listened to it during my school days, but I don’t remember buying the cassettes I bought because they are no longer playable or have been lost. I do remember listening to a version played by the famous Japanese violinist Takako Nishizaki. What I like about Nishizaki is her technical skill, especially the fast theme after the introduction. If not played well, it can sound quite clumsy.  

The Butterfly Lovers story is widely known in the Chinese-speaking community, but may not be as familiar to non-Chinese speakers. It follows the tale of Zhu Ying-tai, a woman who disguised herself as a man to study. In ancient China, boys were typically the ones receiving formal education. During her three-year study, Zhu formed a close friendship with Liang Shan-bo, and their relationship blossomed. However, when they were forced to part at the Eighteen-mile-Pavilion, Zhu revealed her true intentions to Liang. She wanted to marry her sister (who was actually herself) to him. She urged Liang to propose the marriage to her parents as soon as possible.

 

A year later, when Liang visited her, he finally realised that he was marrying Zhu. Overwhelmed with joy, he was devastated to learn that Zhu’s father had already arranged a different marriage for her. Liang fell into despair and succumbed to illness, passing away on the day of Zhu’s reluctant marriage. Overwhelmed with grief, Zhu visited her lover’s tomb and wept in despair. Suddenly, the weather turned wild, and the tomb opened. Zhu threw herself into the grave, and the couple was transformed into butterflies. They were then happily reunited and vowed never to leave each other.

The ‘Butterfly Lovers’ is essentially a freeform single-movement violin concerto. Based on its musical structure, it can be divided into three parts: exposition, development, and recapitulation. The exposition introduces the lovers, while the development section explores the evolving music based on the theme of the objection to the arranged marriage by Zhu’s parents. The recapitulation brings the main theme back, describing the transformation of the dead lovers into butterflies.

Hugo’s version of the ‘Butterfly Lovers’ further dissects the music into eight smaller sections: introduction, main theme, studying together, parting at the Pavilion, opposition to an arranged marriage, meeting at the chamber, death of Liang, suicide of Zhu, transformation into butterflies, and coda.  

The music’s exposition section comprises an introduction, main theme, study, and parting. It begins with strings playing harmonics and the harp lightly plucking. The flute then delivers a long solo introduction. Afterward, the violin sings the very familiar main theme. The lively and happy study section follows, followed by a sad parting part. In this part, the cello and solo violin beautifully exchange melodies. Many subsequent Chinese concerto composers used a similar style of solo instrument and cello exchanging musical ideas.

The development section is dramatic and tragic, centred on the themes of arranged marriage, the meeting at the chamber, and finally, the death of the loving couple. This section is very demanding on the players and conductor. In the meeting at the chamber section, there’s another exchange of melodies between the solo violin and cello, but this time, the mood is tragic. The exchange is quite demanding on the cello, as there are large shifts in fingering position. If the cellist doesn’t handle it properly, it can sound quite awkward. The final portion of the development section, where we have the death of the Liang and the suicide of the Zhu, are good tests of the conductor’s ability to create a tragic and forceful climax.

 

Finally, in the recapitulation section, the gentle first theme is played again by the flute. The music ends with strings playing harmonics and fading into silence.

 

I’m familiar with three versions of the Butterfly Lovers: Kong Zhao-hui’s solo violin with the Central Philharmonic Orchestra of China conducted by Hu Bing-zu; Takako Nishizaki’s solo violin with the Shanghai Conservatory Symphony Orchestra conducted by Fan Chengwu; and Xue Wei’s solo violin with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Noorman Widjaja.  

 

    

The quality of classical music recordings is affected by far more factors than pop recordings. While pop recordings typically feature a single original singer, classical music recordings involve soloists, orchestras, and conductors, each contributing to the overall performance. Consequently, it’s rare to find two identical classical recordings by different performers. Moreover, finding a recording that perfectly suits every aspect of your taste can be challenging. This is why there are always excuses to seek different versions of the same piece.

 

Let’s consider three recordings that I’m familiar with.

 

The Japanese soloist Nishizaki has a strong connection to the Butterfly Lover Concerto. Her recordings have sold over 3 million copies worldwide, and I’ve been her long-time supporter. There are already numerous versions of the Concerto by her alone. I particularly like the CD cover of this particular recording. Nishizaki, having performed the Concerto numerous times, conveys a passionate story that she’s deeply familiar with. Her tempo is less rigid but musically comfortable. The conductor and orchestra perform well. However, the recording falls short of the other two versions. The sound stage and imaging aren’t as good, and during the climax, different parts sound congested. Out of the three recordings, the violin is most musically recorded here, but it lacks the micro details. Notably, this recording cuts the entire Butterfly Lover Concerto into a single track.  

 

 

 

 

 

Kong Zhao-hui, a violinist in the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, is technically very good and his style can be bold or gentle. His dynamic in opposition to an arranged marriage, the death of Liang, and Zhu’s suicide is the greatest among the three soloists. Both the recording and the performers (soloist and orchestra) contributed to a punchy music. Track 4 at 4’38” with its powerful timpani roll really hit me deep. I own the XRCD version of this recording, and I believe it will be the most expensive Butter Lovers!

 

 

 

Xue Wei, currently a Professor of violin at the Royal Academy of Music, uses a 1699 Stradivari made Kustendyke in this recording. While his tempo is more consistent, it’s the fastest among the three recordings. I find his use of staccato at track 2 (3’22”) refreshing. This is a recent Hugo 1997 recording with very high recording standards. I find the soundstage and imaging of the orchestra in this recording to be the best among the three. The Indonesia-born conductor Noorman Widjaja and the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra provide a very good support to the solo violin. Widjaja’s presentation of the music is very convincing, and he creates very organised and powerful dynamics. The audiophile standard recording also surprises with musical effects, such as the pizzicato of the first violins in track 3 at 1’29” and the percussion in track 5. The climax at track 7 is also very well executed.  

The Yellow River Piano Concerto accompanies the Butterfly Lovers Concerto in Nishizaki and Zhao-hui recordings. In Xue Wei’s recording, the Butterfly Lovers is accompanied by Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor.

Due to the very different styles of the three recordings, it’s probably best to collect all three. However, if I had to choose one, it would be a difficult task. If you prefer recordings with great punch, you might consider Zhao-hui’s. If you prefer a balanced recording effect, you could consider Xue Wei’s. And if you’re a Nishizaki supporter and like a feminine performance, well, I guess your choice is obvious.

 

 

 

Afternote, 5 June 2025

 

Many of my friends are still very sentimental about the original Butterfly Lovers recording. I managed to get a copy of a compilation of historical old recordings by Chinese musicians, which is a great album collection for Butterfly Lovers historians.

 

 

In recent years, I’ve also come across two Butterfly Lovers recordings that I think are almost as perfect as it can be.

 

The first is the 2023 recording by Joshua Bell, supported by our very own Singapore Chinese Orchestra and conducted by Tsung Yeh. I was very surprised by Bell’s interpretation. I guess because of his close relationship with Tsung Yeh, he played the piece so well that the Chinese music mood was well-presented. 

 

The second is the 2024 recording by a young and promising Singaporean violinist, Chloe Chua, supported by our very own Singapore Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Rodolfo Barraez. Chloe’s performance is superb, and I was also very surprised that Rodolfo managed to play a Chinese piece so well.