- published: 23 Mar 2008
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Tan Dun (simplified Chinese: 谭盾; traditional Chinese: 譚盾; pinyin: Tán Dùn, Mandarin pronunciation: [tʰǎn tu̯ə̂n]; born 1957, Changsha, Hunan) is a Chinese contemporary classical composer and conductor, most widely known for his scores for the movies Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero, as well as composing music for the medal ceremonies at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. His works often incorporate audiovisual elements; use instruments constructed from organic materials, such as paper, water, and stone; and, are often inspired by traditional Chinese theatrical and ritual performance. In 2013, he was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
Tan Dun was born in a village in Changsha in the Hunan province of China. As a child, he was fascinated by the rituals and ceremonies of the village shaman, which were typically set to music made with natural objects such as rocks and water. Due to the bans enacted during the Cultural Revolution, he was discouraged from pursuing music and was sent to work as a rice planter on the Huangjin commune. He joined an ensemble of other commune residents and learned to play traditional Chinese string instruments. Following a ferry accident that resulted in the death of several members of a Peking opera troupe, Tan Dun was called upon as a violist and arranger. This initial success earned him a seat in the orchestra, and from there he went to study at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 1977. While at the Conservatory, Tan Dun came into contact with composers such as Toru Takemitsu, George Crumb, Alexander Goehr, Hans Werner Henze, Isang Yun, and Chou Wen-Chung, all of whom influenced his sense of musical style.
Marco Polo (i/ˈmɑːrkoʊ ˈpoʊloʊ/; Italian pronunciation: [ˈmarko ˈpɔːlo]; September 15, 1254 – January 8–9, 1324) was an Italian merchant traveller whose travels are recorded in Livres des merveilles du monde (Book of the Marvels of the World, also known as The Travels of Marco Polo, c. 1300), a book that introduced Europeans to Central Asia and China.
He learned the mercantile trade from his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, who travelled through Asia, and met Kublai Khan. In 1269, they returned to Venice to meet Marco for the first time. The three of them embarked on an epic journey to Asia, returning after 24 years to find Venice at war with Genoa; Marco was imprisoned and dictated his stories to a cellmate. He was released in 1299, became a wealthy merchant, married, and had three children. He died in 1324 and was buried in the church of San Lorenzo in Venice.
Marco Polo was not the first European to reach China (see Europeans in Medieval China), but he was the first to leave a detailed chronicle of his experience. This book inspired Christopher Columbus and many other travellers. There is a substantial literature based on Polo's writings; he also influenced European cartography, leading to the introduction of the Fra Mauro map.
When you're alone
And life is making you lonely
You can always go
Down town.
When you've got worries
All the noise and the hurry
Seems to hurt, I know.
Down town.
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city,
Linger on the sidewalks where the neon signs are pretty.
How can you lose ?
The lights are much brighter there,
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
And go down town.
Things will be great when you're
Down town.
No finer place for sure,
Down town.
Everything's waiting for you.
Don't hang around
And let your problems surround you,
There are movie shows
Down town.
Maybe you know
Some little places to go
To where they never close,
Down town.
Just listen to the rhythm of the gentle bossa-nova,
You'll be dancing with them, too, before the night is over,
Happy again.
The lights are much brighter there,
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
And go down town.
Where all the lights are bright
Down town.
Waiting for you tonight
Down town.
You're gonna be all right now.
And you may find
Somebody kind
To help and understand you,
Someone who is just like you
And needs a gentle hand
To guide him along.
So maybe I'll see you there,
We can forget all our troubles, forget all our cares
And go down town.
Things will be great when you're
Down town.
Don't wait a minute more,
Down town.
Everything's waiting for you.