Page 102 - 2020 December 1 Bonhams Hong Kong, Eternal Music in Chinese art

Albert Leung (b.1961), known
as Lin Xi, is a prolific and award-
winning lyricist and writer based
in Hong Kong. He has written
over 3,500 song lyrics since the
1980s. With great admiration
of music in Chinese culture,
Lin created these beautiful
calligraphies exclusively for
Bonhams Eternal Resonance:
Music in Chinese Art sale.

林夕，1961年生，本名梁偉文，
生於香港，著名詞人。1980年代
中期以來，眾多耳熟能詳的歌曲
皆出自林夕筆下。本場五件書法
作品為林夕先生在一年時間内特
地為「八音克諧：中國音樂藝術
片羽錄」而創作。

Artist’s Preface

When one speaks of music throughout history, one cannot but lament similar to today’s pop songs. Such a view could not be further from
that recording devices were not invented 2,000 years ago. Had that the truth. Song lyrics often have many versions of lyrics, but that is rare
been the case, legendary pieces of music from ancient China would in modern pop songs. As modern Cantopop develops, songs tend to
not have had to rely on sheet music alone to preserve it. As the two be longer and packed with an increasing number of twists and turns,
sides of the same song; lyrics and melody should get to know each which in turn reflects the increasing complexity of modern life and
other and fall in love. Good lyrics and melody should feel like they human emotion, reaching some 300-400 words for a song, which is
were made for each other and unite in a harmonious marriage. equivalent to seven or eight Song Ci lyrics.
It is, therefore, an especially sad sight to see traditional lyrics - which There is no right or wrong to this phenomenon, as music itself is a
were supposed to be songs - stripped of their musicality and remain record that captures the rhythm and emotion of a certain time, and the
as standalone texts. Notwithstanding this, it is difficult to put the blame interpretation of pop song lyrics through calligraphy may also become
on ancient song collection practices. Had the melody of much epic a new trend. In the past, the writing of calligraphy was inseparable to
poetry been able to remain, they would have been more valuable than the art and chanting of poetry. Therefore, in the present day, calligraphy
many tangible artefacts. People tend to see Song Ci lyrical poetry as should reflect current songs – the new lyric poetry of our day.

前言
説到古今音樂，唉，不恨鰣魚多刺、不恨《紅樓夢》未完，最恨二千 譜》，隨興到即時填那一兩段，多爽快輕鬆啊。現代流行曲從小調基
年前無錄音機。否則傳奇絕作《廣陵散》就不必靠曲譜，也能流傳下 礎發展至今，旋律越來越長，越來越跌蕩無常，反映當代生活繁忙、
來。曲詞兩位一體，詞要跟旋律談戀愛，好詞跟旋律該如魚得水，如 人的情緒越趨複雜，歌詞字數也迫不得已越來越多，動不動就接近三
天造地設的和諧婚姻關係。 四百字，一首抵上五六七八首宋詞有餘。
所以，從詩經漢賦宋詞元曲，只剩孤獨的文字，可惜之餘，要怨古時 這現象沒有好壞，音樂就是時代節奏情緒的紀錄，流行歌詞入書法，
採曲譜方式是否有點疏漏，亦無從怨起。從楚辭的文字節奏感，也感 也有可能變成新趨勢。過去書法離不開古典詩詞，也是時候，有陪著
受到屈原是用何種情緒高歌，如原版旋律尚存，比實體文物還要珍 我們成長、帶著青春回憶的流行曲詞，以毛筆書法掛壁上，讓我們多
貴。很多人把宋詞比喻當今流行歌詞，大繆矣。宋詞根據曲牌讓人斷 一種更貼近生活的選擇。
填啊填，現在很少一曲萬人填。我常開玩笑説，給我一個《白香詞

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