Taiwan Folksongs June Jasmine arr. Gong Guotai A popular folksong in Taiwan, June Jasmine depicts a girl who thinks of the scented jasmine-flower and sighs as time passes and she still seeks her perfect man, an idea that others will not understand. The tune is simple, graceful and lyrical.Flower in the Rainy Night arr. Ren Donghua The song Flower in the Rainy Night, written by Deng Yuxian and published in 1934, has been popular for more than half a century. The song expresses the deep feelings of the people of Taiwan under foreign rule. Though everything has now gone, the weeping of the flower on a rainy night can still be heard, as people recall the past.Peach Blossom Village arr. Zhu Xiaogu Peach Blossom Village was written in 1937 by Wang Fu. It is a song about young love. "Peach Blossom Village is a place of love: I am a butterfly, you (the girl) are a peach-blossom". The song has enjoyed continued popularity and still conveys the mood of young lovers.Hengchun Folksong arr. Zhao Guang Hengchun Folksong is also known as Taidong Melody and Farming Song and was originally arranged by Zeng Xinde. The piece depicts the hard-working character of the Taiwan people as they farm and their wish for a prosperous year. At the same time it reflects the simple life-style and pastoral scenery of Taiwan in earlier times.Song of Mount Ali arr. Zhang Hongxiang "The high mountains are green; the ravine water is blue. The girls of Mount Ali are as beautiful as water; the young men as strong as the mountains". The song was originally arranged by Wang Voudi and starts with a bright, light-hearted and rhythmic melody, turning to a triple rhythm in the second section, producing a relaxation of feeling. The final recapitulation increases the feeling of the song, unified, in spite of its contrasting elements.Penny Song arr. Vue Deshun Originating in Lanyang in Taiwan, Penny Song is a children’s song sung when children play the game of throwing coins. The piece consists of only two phrases, based on a two-note motif from the first. The song is clear in character, with a bright and cheerful rhythm.Jilted Love arr. Ren Donghua Jilted Love, published in 1938, was written by Wu Chengjia, at the time one of the most famous singers in Taiwan. It expresses the feelings of a jilted girl towards the man who has betrayed her. The melodic material depicts the subtle complexities of the girl’s feelings. If the Gong Sounds arr. Ren Donghua Written by Xu Shi, If the Gong Sounds became popular in Taiwan in the 1950s. With music of deep feeling, it tells of the parting of a young couple. "If the gong sounds, I shall be parted from you" -"If the gong sounds, we can no longer be with each other".Spring Dream by the Riverside arr. Ren Donghua Popular Taiwan songs are generally plaintive in character. Spring Dream by the Riverside, written in 1935 by Li Ming, is a good example of this. The slowly developing melodies depict the scenery by the riverside, where a lonely woman stands. The little bridge and bright moon are the same, but the lover has changed his heart. Dreams of yesterday pass with the flowers under the moon, and the cool wind blows, representing the feeling in the heart.Bleakness in the Heart arr. Zhu Liangqi Bleakness in the Heart, the work of Wu Chengjia, appeared in 1938. A girl is embroidering in her chamber. Suddenly she senses a movement in the moonlight outside her window and thinks it is the shadow of her lover. The sighing music changes into happiness as she sees her lover standing before her.Peach Blossom Crossing the River arr. Vue Deshun Originating in the Jianan region of Taiwan, Peach Blossom Crossing the River is a duet for a couple. It shows the life of boat-people whose work is on the water, with a lively and light-hearted theme. Four Red Seasons arr. Zhu Xiaogu Four Red Seasons, written by Deng Yuxian in 1938, is a love duet long popular in Taiwan. The song depicts the four seasons and the love of men and women. The melody is light and happy and is easily memorable.