Between China and Europe
A collaboration with Ensemble DongXun 东巡 / Passaggio ad Oriente
With the support of the Istituto Confucio dell’Università degli Studi di Milano
Project leader: Nicola Scaldaferri (University of Milan)
The Jesuit missionary Joseph-Marie Amiot (1718–1793) stands as a key figure in mediating between European culture—particularly that of the French Enlightenment—and the imperial world of Qing-dynasty China in the second half of the eighteenth century. A musician, historian, sinologist, and astronomer, Amiot authored seminal works on ancient and contemporary Chinese culture and history. Regarding music, he wrote the first book published in Europe on Chinese music, Mémoire sur la musique des Chinois (Paris, 1779). During his long stay in China, he also composed three musical collections titled Divertissements chinois ou Concerts de musique chinoise, along with a fourth notebook, Musique sacrée. Recueil des principales prières mises en musique chinoise. The latter contains thirteen prayers in Chinese, each a translation or adaptation of earlier prayers, antiphons, or texts from the Tridentine rite. The melodies likely adapt pre-existing traditional materials or may be original compositions.
Since 2023, ITER Research Ensemble has participated in a project aimed at re-evaluating and bringing new attention to these works, in collaboration with Ensemble DongXun 东巡 / Passaggio ad Oriente, which brings together leading Chinese musicians living in Italy under the artistic direction of Shan Du. Supported by the Confucius Institute at the University of Milan and directed by Nicola Scaldaferri, the project has led to the performance of a creative transcription of the thirteen melodies from Musique sacrée, arranged by Scaldaferri for solo voice, mixed choir, and an ensemble of traditional Chinese instruments.
Following two public performances of some excerpts, the transcription was recorded between 31 October and 2 November 2025 and has been published in a volume edited by Nicola Scaldaferri in collaboration with Giovanni Cestino and Shan Du. (Rome: Squilibri, 2026).
the transcription of Amiot’s “Musique sacrée“
1. Sprinkling of Holy Water Before Mass
soprano, mixed choir, 2 guzheng, pipa, dizi, ruan, muyu, yinqing
2. We Pray You, O Lord, Direct Our Prayers and Our Actions
mixed choir, ruan, xun
3. The Lord’s Prayer
soprano, ruan, guzheng
4. The Hail Mary
soprano, mixed choir, guzheng, yinqing
5. Salve Regina
soprano, xun, muyu, pipa, yinqing
6. Most Holy
soprano, mixed choir, ruan, xun, bangzi, yinqing
7. Prayer to the Blessed Sacrament
soprano, bangzi, ruan
8. Act of Humility
soprano, mixed choir, guzheng, pipa, yinqing
9. Prayers at the Elevation of the Host and Chalice
mixed choir, ruan
10. Prayer During Communion
soprano, ruan, guzheng, yinqing
11. Prayer to Jesus Christ
soprano, ruan, muyu
12. Prayer After the Service
soprano, mixed choir, 2 guzheng, pipa, xun, ruan, muyu, yinqing