Following hidden music

On a misty evening in Zhejiang province, Guo Xufeng stepped out of his car after a long drive from Hangzhou. The sky was fading into dusk. Ahead of him, a river blocked the road, veiled in thick fog. Realizing he would have to cross the river by boat, Guo took in the surreal scene — fog rising off the water, the silhouettes of distant mountains, and stars just beginning to appear.

"I felt like I was going to meet a hermit," he recalls.

That moment at the river's edge marked the beginning of a journey far deeper than Guo had anticipated — a journey into the life and music of one of China's most celebrated composers, Chen Qigang.

A devoted music lover who once dreamed of becoming a composer himself, Guo was not just seeking to meet a renowned figure. He came with a mission to capture the essence of Chen's life and work through a documentary.

Seven years later, that mission became the film Hidden Landscapes, which was finally released on Nov 25. For Guo, it is both a tribute to Chen's musical legacy and a testament to his own persistence behind the camera. Over those years, Guo revisited the footage countless times, revising and editing the material until it fully captured the essence of Chen's artistry and life.

Guo, who previously worked as a documentary director for a major media platform, followed the renowned composer to various locations, including Beijing, Paris, Sydney, Melbourne and countries like the Netherlands and Wales. The documentary also records live performances of Chen's works by an array of world-class musicians, among them cellist Gautier Capucon, pianist Lang Lang and conductor Yu Long.

In Hidden Landscapes, Chen's evocative works, such as Instants d'un Opera de Pekin, Er Huang, and La joie de la souffrance, are featured, showcasing his ability to blend Eastern and Western musical elements into a uniquely personal and lyrical style.

"It wasn't just his music that fascinated me — it was his independence, his refusal to be bound by society's expectations. What I admired most was his unwavering commitment to his own path," says Guo.

Born in Shanghai, Chen came to Beijing in 1977 to study at the Central Conservatory of Music. Alongside his classmates, including Tan Dun and Guo Wenjing, Chen was among the first group of students to be admitted to the university after the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). They've also become the first generation of Chinese composers to enjoy recognition among Western audiences.

Chen's life has been one of extraordinary achievements and painful losses. From studying in France under the tutelage of French composer Olivier Messiaen, to composing the music for global events like the 2008 Beijing Olympics and scoring films for director Zhang Yimou, including Under the Hawthorn Tree and Coming Home, Chen's career has been marked by groundbreaking work.

Yet, his path has also been shadowed by pain, including the death of his son in 2012 and a later battle with cancer.