All that remains is the Yellow Crane Tower came about after Rob had completed Geometric Wuhan. For the work he studied the wonderful Yellow Crane Tower and its long history. Although the modern structure is less than 40 years old, records show that a building has been on the site since AD223. Compositionally, he has moved the tower closer to the Yangtze River and used the piece as an accompaniment to the 8th-century poem by Cui Hao.
Long ago one’s gone riding the yellow crane, all that remained is the Yellow Crane Tower.
Once the yellow crane left it will never return, for one thousand years the clouds wandered carelessly.
The clear river reflects each Hanyang tree, fragrant grasses lushly grow on Parrot Island.
At sunset, which direction leads to my hometown? One could not help feeling melancholy along the misty river.
I wanted this piece to celebrate the history and architectural design of the Yellow Crane Tower, but I also wanted show that sometimes the past is constructed. It’s easy to feel a nostalgia for what’s gone before but this version of the tower is only 40 years old, even though it looks much older.
