A Dutch Guqin Lover–An interview with Mr. Lute Brommer, conductor of Changjiang Philharmonic Orchestra

By Chen Guo

I met Dutch conductor Lute Brommer for the first time at Exit D of Yangjiawan Metro Station. Wearing a red plaid shirt, he looked thin and tall. The talented and experienced conductor was gentle, elegant,and confined. While chatting and laughing, we found our way into a nearby coffee house and started the interview there.

It has been eight years since Lute had settled down in Wuhan,China. Before coming to China, he was the last disciple of the famous maestro Sergiu Celibidache, the principal conductor of many well-known European symphony orchestras, and a professor of chamber music at a conservatory in Paris. Soon afterwards, he was attracted to Chinese culture.He learned about Tai Chi, and grew to appreciate the music of the chimes and guqin. Like Alice going down the rabbit hole to Wonderland, he became obsessed with Chinese music culture.He spent three years studying Chinese language at the Paris Diderot University. He ultimately quit his job and came to Wuhan.

Since he arrived in 2010,Lute has been serving as the conductor of the Changjiang Philharmonic Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of Wuhan University. He established the“Luojia Orchestra” Chamber Orchestra and “Wuhan Sergiu Celibidache Music Festival.” He led a symphony orchestra concert at the “French Music Festival”at Qintai Grand Theater in 2011,as well as two sessions of the Hubei Symphony Orchestra,and countless amazing musical festivals.

He mentioned that his most impressive conducting experience in Wuhan was at the first “Wuhan Sergiu Celibidache Music Festival,” where he performed a symphony with musicians from all over China. This performance helped him learn about different music cultures and Chinese people’s love for music. He said that the cultural richness of China was comparable to that of Europe, and the opportunities for cultural integration in different parts of the country were great.He said working in Wuhan had been a treasure because of the opportunity to communicate and collaborate with excellent musicians from all over the world.

In the same year, Lute entered Wuhan University as a postgraduate student in the archaeology department, focusing on ancient Chinese musical instruments. When talking about the chime bells, he couldn’t hide his enthusiasm. He marveled at the discovery where so many musical instruments with complete scales were found in an ancient tomb, exclaiming that it was a miracle. Moreover, with the ancient music theories engraved on the chimes, the audience seem to be able to perceive a majestic ceremony in the Warring States Period through the music, which was shocking and compelling.Afterwards, he sighed again, “In Europe, it is difficult to find such well-preserved instruments that have existed for thousands of years.”

西方指揮家 東方學古樂——訪長江愛樂樂團指揮律德

文/成果

在楊家灣地鐵站D出口，我第一次見到荷蘭指揮家律德先生。紅格子襯衫，瘦高個，干練、灑脫而莊重，迥異于傳聞中他指揮臺上的形象。說笑間，我們走進附近一家咖啡廳，開始了這次采訪。

律德正式來到中國武漢定居，已經是八年前的事了。在這之前，他是傳奇指揮大師切利畢達克的關門弟子，許多歐洲知名交響樂團的首席指揮，與巴黎一家音樂學院室內樂專業的教授。隨后，他邂逅中國文化，接觸太極，喜歡上編鐘，迷上了中國古琴，從此，對整個中國音樂文化喜愛得一發不可收，如孩童發現了新的樂園。他花三年時間，在巴黎第七大學專攻中文，之后辭去工作，來到江城。

2010年抵漢以來，律德擔任長江愛樂樂團、武漢大學交響樂團指揮，創辦了“珞珈樂坊”室內樂團和“武漢?切利畢達克音樂節”。在他的指揮棒下，演繹出了2011年琴臺大劇院“法國音樂節”交響樂團表演，兩屆湖北省交響樂團音樂會，和無數精彩絕倫、令人嘆為觀止的音樂盛宴。

他提起在武漢印象最深的一次指揮經歷，是在第一屆“武漢·切利畢達克音樂節”上，與來自中國各地的音樂家共同協作一次交響樂演出。這次演出，使他感受到各地不同的音樂文化，和各地人們對音樂的濃厚喜愛。他說，中國的文化富饒程度與歐洲不相上下，而且中國不同地區的文化有更多機會融會貫通。在地處華中的武漢工作，擁有和各地優秀音樂人溝通合作的機會，他對此視如珍寶。

The study of the chime bells was a journey of further understanding music theory for Lute, and learning the guqin allowed him to deepen his understanding of traditional Chinese music. Talking about the experience of playing the guqin,the biggest shock to him was the composition of Chinese music revealed by the guqin. Chinese traditional music is free. “It’s like walking around, looking here,looking there, and when you are tired, just stop.” In his eyes,playing the guqin was a genuine enjoyment. He could feel the greatest degree of peace, find his self-identity, and even devote himself to creation without any distraction. Upon hearing this, I knew that, like a boy falling in love with a girl, Lute was obsessed with the guqin. I couldn’t help smiling.Such a successful conductor had chosen to become an apprentice and restart his musical journey.

I asked about his plans and goals for the future. He said that he intended to create an EUChina youth orchestra with half Chinese musicians and half European musicians and focus on musical and cultural exchange.He also wanted to create more opportunities to blend Chinese and Western music with diverse cultural elements.

It was an honor for me to meet a musician who was as curious as a child about Chinese culture and as elegant as an elderly gentleman in life.

2016年，律德在第五屆琴臺音樂節上指揮樂隊表演Lute at the Fifth Qin Tai Music Festival in 2016

同年，他作為考古系研究生進入武漢大學，著重研究中國古代樂器。聊起編鐘，他眉目中難掩驚艷之色。他說，在一座古墓中發掘出這么多樂器，歷史如此悠久，樂器音階又如此完整，稱得上一出奇跡。更讓人驚嘆的是，編鐘上還鑄刻著一系列古音樂理論，樂音中仿佛可以看到戰國時期雄渾浩大的盛典現場，令人瞠目結舌。后又嘆息一聲，在歐洲，已難尋到這種歷經數千年還保存完好的樂器。

研究編鐘對于律德來說，如同一次樂理層面的提升，而學習古琴，則使他對中國傳統音樂的了解更進一步。聊起彈奏古琴的經歷，給他最大震撼的是古琴所透露出的中國樂曲編排。中國傳統樂曲自由隨意，仿佛散步的閑人，時停或時進，無拘而無束。律德告訴我，彈奏古琴對于他是純粹的自我欣賞與享受，他能感受到最大程度的平靜和自我，更能心無雜念地投入創作。聽罷他一席話，我能感受得到，律德之于古琴，仿佛男孩對心上女孩那般，有著濃郁的迷戀和深邃的欣賞。我不禁莞爾，一位已經如此成功的指揮家，竟會選擇成為學徒，重啟一段音樂旅程，實則一段佳話。

我問到律德未來的打算和目標，他說想創立一個中歐青年演奏樂團，一半中國音樂家，一半歐洲音樂家，開展音樂交流。他想創造更多機會，使中西音樂和文化元素交融并進。

這是我的榮幸，能夠聆聽這位對中華文化如孩童般好奇，又在生活中如老者般優雅的音樂大師暢談他的奇妙音樂之旅。