Quintessence

(2014)
for symphony orchestra

Der Tagesspiegel, Germany
“Moment of glory!  From the beginning with Quintessence, it was clear that it would be a passionate, a “furioso” night.  Acute strings, a chime, the ethereal soundscapes of the woodwind section, every division was allowed to shine – we experienced a study of possibilities of orchestral colour.”

Volkskrant, The Netherlands
“A dazzling piece with beautiful metallic sounds, gliding flights for the violins and Stravinskian barking brass.”

Classic Melbourne, Australia
“Quintessence began with a sharp snap of percussion and busy strings then a shimmer of instruments including bells – music that at first appeared to evoke New York streets. But why New York? This was equally a recreation of Hong Kong’s frenetic and varied moods ... The harp was in tandem with lush strings for the most part, creating oddly ominous sounds in the background before the work exploded like a firecracker. It was exciting music, comparable to American music of the 1920s in its instrumentation, and not self-consciously Chinese. This was music for the world, played by a world orchestra.”

Sydney Arts Guide, Australia
“His work began with crashing cymbals and shimmering violins.  At times, it was a rather sombre urban exploration with tolling bells and there was a tinkling xylophone. Sudden sharp, astringent strings occurred at various points passing a theme from one solo instrument to the next, contrasted with volcanic eruptions. A haunting flute was also featured and there was plenty of orchestral light shade and shade.  A fascinating piece.”

Interlude
“Quintessence was full of vivid, strong gestures ontrasting with passages of quiet tension. The effect was to make the orchestra seem at times like a vast chamber ensemble, such as in one note-worthy passage in which a single figure was passed around each member of the violins. This was clearly a work by a composer of maturity and seriousness, and I look forward to hearing more of his music.”

Endless

Forms

(2012)
for symphony orchestra

Evening Standard, UK
“If music could be factory-produced, we would no doubt be flooded with new compositions from China.  We aren’t, but in coming years we will hear more, and judging by last night’s premiere of his Endless Forms, we will also be hearing more of Fung Lam.  Born in Hong Kong in 1979, Lam was trained here, but Endless Forms makes no effort to blend East and West.  Its opening, unfolding at medium tempo and volume and with brief interplay between harp and flute, recalls Debussy.  Later, the slow harmonies and tolling chimes bring Arvo Pärt to mind.  Yet Lam, working with a carefully constructed minimum of material, shapes his musical world with dreamy individuality.”

The Independent, UK
“... this piece ... showed that this 33-year-old Hong Kong-born composer has a distinctive voice.  Needing no special pleading, it trod an assured path through a conventionally tonal landscape, with bright woodwind phrases penetrating gentle washes of colour, and string textures of seductive warmth and transparency.  For much of its length it felt more like the suggestion of lyricism than the thing itself, but its climax had a Mahlerian lusciousness ...”

Classical Source, UK
“The 14-minute work opens with zigzagging chromatic ascents and descents – its musical DNA – tracing a journey from darkness to light. The material unfurls gently, fragile and somewhat sombre in character. The secondary theme is most attractive, anxious strings leading to a beautiful melody over oscillating woodwind before the piece concluded with chiming bells resonating through the Royal Albert Hall’s spacious acoustic.”

Illumination

(2005)
for symphony orchestra

South China Morning Post, Hong Kong
“It’s a slowly morphing, 12-minute piece that, in most young composers’ hands, would sound as if it was wandering around a room with no exit, but Lam shows an instinctive feel for when to nudge things along.  Using minimal harmonic and melodic material, the elemental shifts came right on cue to sustain attention.”