Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake

Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake (平湖秋月; pinyin: Píng Hú Qiū Yuè) is a Cantonese piece that was written by Lü Wencheng in the 1930s and is considered his most representative piece. He composed the music on a visit to the famous West Lake in Hangzhou, and is a sublime expression of his veneration for the beauty and grace of the scenery. The West Lake has been considered since the ancient times as a gorgeous place of tranquility, and the music illustrates the atmosphere and feel of the place with placid suppleness. In this piece, which is one of his most famous, Lü combined elements of Zhejiang silk-and-bamboo music with Cantonese music. A piano transcription by Chen Peixun is a part of the repertoire of many Chinese pianists.