2011-09-28 Chinese Opera [recital program]

              uncg Performing Arts Series
presents
Chinese Opera Orchestra
of Shanghai
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
8:00 pm
Elliott University Center Auditorium
Program
Celebration Overture Ensemble
Dance of the Golden Snake Ensemble
Liu Hai and the Golden Toad Female vocalist Wang Qin
Song from traditional Chinese Huai Opera
Deep night Ensemble and solo Jinghu player: SunYi
Music from Peking Opera
Spring Comes to the Yi River Ensemble and solo Liuqin Player: Jia Shuzhan
Journey to Gusu Town Ensemble and solo Dizi Player: Sun Meng
Dance of the Yi People Ensemble and solo Pipa player: Zheng Bowen
Intermission
Western Capriccio Ensemble and solo Guzheng player: Wang Xiaoqian
The Watchman Liu Zhiyuan Male vocalist Qian Cheng
Song from traditional Chinese Hu Opera
The Warm Rivers of Spring Ensemble and solo Erhu player: Zhao Xiao
Husband and Wife go Home Together Duet by Wang Qin and Qian Cheng
Song from traditional Chinese Huangmeixi Opera
Cheerful Night String quintet; instruments:
Guzheng, Yangqin, Pipa, Liuqin, Erhu
A Hundreds Bird Worship the Phoenix Ensemble and
solo Suona player: Lan Yupeng
Lying Dragons and Leaping Tigers Ensemble
Program Descriptions
Celebration Overture
Celebration Overture, a modern composition for Chinese folk orchestra by Zhao
Jiping, presents a vivid sonic picture of a festive scene and has become popular for
ceremonial events. Featuring strings, drums, gongs and suona, it plays with varying
rhythms to create a joyous atmosphere.
Dance of the Golden Snake
Shortly before Nie Er’s death in 1935 at the tragically young age of 23, he
composed “March of the Volunteers,” which later became the national anthem of the
People’s Republic of China. Although his fame rests primarily on this song, this
talented young composer and musician left us other interesting pieces, including
“The Dance of the Golden Snake,” based on themes from the Jiangnan sizhu
traditional music of central eastern China. The music begins with celebratory folk-festival
melodies and rhythms; in the second part, people join in various happy
activities; and in the third section, the mood of the people rises to its highest level
with percussion accompaniment.
Liu Hai and the Golden Toad
This song is from a mythic love story performed in the Huai Opera tradition. It
tells of Liu Hai, who had responded to cries for help from a toad, who is about to be
eaten by a python. The toad is actually the daughter of the Dragon King who lives
beneath the Southern Sea. She transforms into a beautiful young woman and, after
many adventures, they marry. In this song, the young woman describes her surprise
at the honesty of Liu Hai, who searches for the owners of coins he has found, instead
of keeping them.
Text
My name is Jin Chan’e,
I live in the village of Changde near the small bridge,
My windows face directly to Yuxi River.
Early in the morning at my dressing table by the front window,
I see you climb the hill to cut firewood every day,
So, unknown to my parents, I followed you up the hill until my legs ached,
And I left some money hidden behind a tree.
I saw that you found the money and didn’t know who the money belonged to.
You were very concerned about finding the person who lost the money.
Everybody loves money and treasure;
Others who find money, don’t feel compelled, as you do, to return it to its owner.
Deep Night
“Deep Night,” featuring the jinghu, is an arrangement of music from the very
famous Peking Opera tale, Farewell, My Concubine. The opera tells the story of King
Xiang Yu who battled against Liu Bang, the eventual founder of the Han Dynasty.
Hopelessly surrounded by Liu Bang’s forces, Xiang Yu begs his horse to run away to
save itself, but the horse refuses. He then calls for his favorite concubine, Consort Yu
(also called Yuji). She begs to be allowed to die with her master, but he denies her
wish; while he is distracted with other matters, Yuji commits suicide with Xiang Yu’s
sword.
Spring Comes to the Yi River
Spring along the Yi River is a season of planting and hope, of sunshine and
running water, of labor in the fields and looking ahead to the promise of harvest. The
music, adapted by composer Wang Huiran from a Shandong Province melody and
featuring the liuqin, contains unique local musical characteristics and celebrates the
people of the region.
Journey to Gusu Town
Gusu was the very ancient name of the historic city of Suzhou, famous for its
classic gardens and canals, in the Yangzi River delta region. Composed by Jian
Xianwei and featuring the Chinese flute, the music begins with a representation of the
elegance, charm and beautiful scenery of the city—morning mist, pavilions, bridges,
water, delicate gardens—and progresses to the enthusiastic play and enjoyment of the
visitors in this lovely place.
Dance of the Yi People
Young men and women approach the Yi village from their homes. The music
describes the shy girls and the eager boys as their village dance draws them together
in strong rhythms and melodies. Although they separate, they joyously come together
again. This piece by composer Wang Huiran features the guzheng as well as several
other traditional instruments, such as sanxian, yangqin, and ruan.
Western Capriccio
Based on music from Xinjiang Province—China’s far west in Central Asia—this
piece by Wang Jianmin takes us to the vast landscape and people of that region, using
complex rhythms, polytonality and instrumental techniques that produce the unusual
musical sounds of local ethnic groups. Featuring the guzheng and the dabo folk
drum, the music helps us experience the rustic, bold, enthusiastic music of local
singing and dancing.
The Watchman Liu Zhiyuan
This well-known opera tells the adventures of a soldier, Liu Zhiyuan, who works
hard and achieves respect. But in this aria, he stands through the night in the snow
and the extreme cold weather in a distant and strange region where his only duty
does not seem heroic; he has the duty of sounding the night hours with a wooden
clapper. He can only imagine a reunion with his beautiful wife and his children.
From the time of its earliest performances, this opera was met with enthusiastic
response, and this aria became very popular, especially in the streets of Shanghai. The
opening phrase, “Almost midnight, silence all around, I see all the families already
asleep in their beds,” evokes the universal longing for family from a distant post of
duty.
Text:
Almost midnight, silence all around,
I see all the families already asleep in their beds.
Sometimes people turn in their sleep and then dream.
I am Liu Zhiyuan;
my life is much more bitter than coptis [a Chinese herbal medicine].
The moon is black and the night dark. I mark the hours,
I beat the wooden clapper to signal the first quarter hour’s passing
And wait for the second quarter hour to beat the clapper again.
Strong wind from West bores into my bone,
Heavy snow flutters from the sky.
Rich people walk in the snow to write poems.
But I am Liu Zhiyuan; I simply miss my family in this cold at midnight.
[Liu then sings about his sadness over the early death of his parents, the problems he
and his wife Sanniang suffered due to criticism by his cousin’s wife, but particularly
about his distress at having to leave his pregnant wife and his fear that his desire to
return to her is only fantasy. And he laments that he is not doing anything heroic on
the battlefield, but is now only keeping the night watch and marking the passing
hours in the cold.]
Wearing thin clothes standing in the cold wind,
I feel my hands freeze and my feet become stiff.
Since my birth I have never had such bitterness;
It seems my life will not be long.
I am happy to see that nobody is in this yard;
Perhaps I can sleep a while under the eaves.
But after a few moments’ rest,
I will beat the wood again to mark yet another hour.
The Warm Rivers of Spring
This music by the composer Jin Fuzai was inspired by a poem by the famous 11th-century
Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo. Su was a prolific and much admired poet,
and more than 2700 of his poems have survived. “The Warm Rivers of Spring” is
composed in 3 movements. It creates a sound picture of spring wind blowing on the
earth and newly green fields, of peach blossoms budding, of ducks playing happily in
the river. This has become a standard piece in Chinese conservatories for student
training and repertoire.
Husband and Wife go Home Together
This song comes from “The Marriage of the Goddess,” an opera composed by Shi
Bailin in the Huangmeixi opera tradition, which began some 200 years ago as a form
of rural song and dance in the Anqing region of southern Anhui Province. The
tradition has continued with this opera in which the Jade Emperor, the god of
Taoism’s heaven, has 7 daughters. His lonely youngest daughter sees through the
clouds into the human world where people work diligently together, and she envies
the lives of the married men and women there. She is impressed by the filial piety of a
very handsome young man, Dong Yong, who is working to earn money for his
father’s funeral. After their marriage, this happy song tells of Dong Yong’s delight
after learning that his wife is expecting a baby.
Text:
Pairs of birds sing in the trees;
The rivers and green mountains are beautiful.
I casually pick a flower,
And put it affectionately in my sweetheart’s hair.
Now free of all enslavement,
My wife and I are on the way home together.
You may plough, and I will make some textiles;
I will fetch water on my shoulders, and you can do some watering.
Although very humble, our house can keep out the wind.
A loving couple regards poverty as honey to drink.
The two of us are just like mandarin ducks [symbols of fidelity],
Flying wing to wing through the world in happiness.
Cheerful Night
This form of string quintet for Chinese folk instruments (erhu, pipa, yangqin,
guzheng and liuqin) began about 1965. It uses the tradition of Chinese folk music
ensembles, but borrows characteristics of Western chamber music with its extensive
use of harmony, polyphony and other compositional techniques. This allows each
instrument to play independent themes, but to play with the other instruments as an
artistic whole. Composed in 1979 by Hu Dengtiao, “Cheerful Night” skillfully uses
special performance techniques by the individual instruments to create a vivid and
joyous mood.
A Hundred Birds Worship the Phoenix
This music by Wang Jianmin, describes a famous story from Chinese mythology.
Many years ago, the phoenix was a very drab bird. Its one advantage was its
diligence; unlike the other birds that felt the phoenix was foolish, it worked from
morning to evening collecting nuts to deposit in its cave. When a drought threatened
the birds, the phoenix opened the cave and shared her own nuts with the gathered
flock. In gratitude, all the birds selected their most beautiful feathers to clothe the
phoenix in glorious colors. All the birds flew in all directions to praise and celebrate
the phoenix. There is a long tradition in Chinese traditional music of imitating
birdcalls, and if you listen closely, you will hear the voices of the birds: cuckoo,
swallow, thrush, oriole, lark, canary, etc.
Lying Dragons and Leaping Tigers
“Lying Dragons and Leaping Tigers” by Li Minxiong is based on the folk music
style of eastern Zhejiang province. It uses a rich combination of percussion and
strings in lively rhythms with a suona solo. Finally, drums, strings and brass all join
together for a majestic ending.
Descriptions of Instruments
ERHU
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike
fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and sometimes known in the
Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a "Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as
a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras. It is the most
popular of the huqin family of traditional bowed string instruments used by various
ethnic groups of China. A very versatile instrument, the erhu is used in both
traditional and contemporary music arrangements, such as in pop, rock, jazz, etc.
The erhu can be traced back to instruments introduced into China more than a
thousand years ago. It is believed to have evolved from the xiqin, which was
described as a foreign, two-stringed lute in Yue Shu, yuèshū, lit. book of music), an
encyclopedic work on music written by music theorist Chen Yang in the Northern
Song Dynasty. The xiqin is believed to have originated from the Xi people of Central
Asia, and have come to China in the 10th century.
The first Chinese character of the name of the instrument (èr, two) is believed to
come from the fact that it has two strings. An alternate explanation states that it comes
from the fact that it is the second highest huqin in pitch to the gaohu in the modern
Chinese orchestra. The second character (hú) indicates that it is a member of the
huqin family. The name huqin literally means "barbarian instrument," showing that
the instrument likely originated from regions to the north or west of China inhabited
by non-Han peoples.
Historic bowed zithers of China, including the xiqin,
yazheng, and yaqin, and also the Korean ajaeng, were
originally played by bowing with a rosined stick, which
created friction against the strings. As soon as the horsehair
bow was invented, it spread very widely. This is a high
pitched instrument. The Central Asian horse peoples
occupied a territory that included the Silk Road, along which
goods and innovations were transported rapidly for
thousands of miles across Eurasia.
The erhu consists of a long vertical stick-like neck, at the top
of which are two large tuning pegs, and at the bottom is a small resonator body
(sound box) which is covered with python skin on the front (playing) end. Two
strings are attached from the pegs to the base, and a small loop of string (qian jin)
placed a around the neck and strings acting as a nut pulls the strings towards the
skin, holding a small wooden bridge in place.
The erhu has some unusual features. First is that its characteristic sound is
produced through the vibration of the python skin by bowing. Second, there is no
fingerboard; the player stops the strings by pressing their fingertips onto the strings
without the strings touching the neck. Third, the horse hair bow is never separated
from the strings (which were formerly of twisted silk but which today are usually
made of metal); it passes between them as opposed to over them (the latter being the
case with western bowed stringed instruments). Lastly, although there are two
strings, they are very close to each other and the player's left hand in effect plays as if
on one string.
The inside string (nearest to player) is generally tuned to D4 and the outside
string to A4, a fifth higher. The maximum range of the
instrument is three and a half octaves, from D4 up to A7,
before a stopping finger reaches the part of the string in
contact with the bow hair. The usual playing range is
about two and a half octaves.
Various dense and heavy hardwoods are used in
making the erhu. According to Chinese references the
woods include zi tan (red sandalwood and other woods of
the genus Pterocarpus such as padauk), lao hong mu
(aged red wood), wu mu (black wood), and hong mu (red wood). Particularly fine
erhus are often made from pieces of old furniture. A typical erhu measures 81 cm
from top to bottom, the length of the bow also being 81 cm.
GAOHU
Gaohu, traditional Guangdong type, with dragon head, round body, no base, and
played with the body held between the knees
The gaohu is a Chinese bowed string instrument developed from the erhu in the
1920s by the musician and composer Lü Wencheng (1898–1981) and used in
Cantonese music and Cantonese opera. It belongs to the huqin family of instruments,
together with the zhonghu, erhu, banhu, jinghu, and sihu, its name means "high
pitched huqin". It has two strings and its sound box is covered on the front (playing)
end with snakeskin (from a python).
The gaohu became the leading instrument of Cantonese music and opera
ensembles; prior to this the lead bowed instrument was a similar instrument called
erxian. The gaohu is similar in construction to the erhu but has a slightly smaller
soundbox, commonly circular, and is tuned a fourth higher, to G4 and D5. Whereas
most huqin are placed on top of the left thigh, the traditional gaohu is played with the
soundbox held in between the knees. It has a brighter and lighter tone as compared to
the erhu. Although originally a regional instrument used only in Cantonese music,
the gaohu (in different forms and played placed on the leg, as the erhu) is used in the
modern large Chinese orchestra, as part of the string family, along with the erhu,
zhonghu, banhu, cello, and double bass.
GUZHENG
The guzheng, also spelled gu zheng or gu-zheng with Gu meaning "ancient");
and also called zheng is a Chinese plucked zither. It has 13-21 strings and movable
bridges.
The guzheng is a similar instrument to many Asian instruments such as the
Japanese koto, the Mongolian yatga, the Korean gayageum and the Vietnamese đàn
tranh.
The guzheng should not to be confused with the guqin (another ancient Chinese
zither with fewer strings and without bridges).
There are many techniques used in the playing of the guzheng, including basic
plucking actions (right or both hands) at the right portion and pressing actions at the
left portion (by the left hand to produce pitch ornamentations and vibrato) as well as
tremolo (right hand). These techniques of playing the guzheng can create sounds that
can evoke the sense of a cascading waterfall, thunder, horses' hooves, and even the
scenic countryside. Plucking is done mainly by the right hand with four plectra
(picks) attached to the fingers. Advanced players may use picks attached to the
fingers of both hands. In more traditional performances however, plectra are used
solely on the right hand, reflecting its use for melodic purposes and its relative
importance in comparison to the left hand, which is used solely for purposes of
ornamentation. Ancient picks were made of ivory and later also from tortoise shell.
Ornamentation includes a tremolo involving the right thumb and index finger rapidly
and repeatedly plucking the same note. Another commonly used ornamentation is a
wide vibrato, achieved by repeatedly pressing with the left hand on the left side of the
bridge. This technique is used liberally in Chinese music, as well as in Korean
gayageum music.
In arrangements of guzheng pieces, harmonics are frequently used, along with
single-string glissandi, evoking the sound of the guqin. Harmonics are achieved by
lightly placing the left hand in the middle of the string while plucking on the right
end of string.
The guzheng's pentatonic scale is tuned to Do, Re, Mi, So, and La, but Fa and Ti
can also be produced by pressing the strings to the left of the bridges. Well known
pieces for the instrument include Yu Zhou Chang Wan (Singing at Night on Fishing
Boat), Gao Shan Liu Shui (High Mountains Flowing Water), Mei Hua San Nong
(Three Variations of the Plum Blossom Theme) and Han Gong Qiu Yue (Autumn
Moon Over the Han Palace).
Two broad playing styles (schools) can be identified as Northern and Southern,
although many traditional regional styles still exist. The Northern styles is associated
with Henan and Shandong while the Southern style is with the Chaozhou and Hakka
regions of eastern Guangdong. Both Gao Shan Liu Shui (High Mountains Flowing
Water) and Han Gong Qiu Yue (Han Palace Autumn Moon) are from the Shandong
school, while Han ya xi shui (Winter Crows Playing in the Water) and Chu shui lian
(Lotus Blossoms Emerging from the Water) are major pieces of the Chaozhou and
Hakka repertories respectively.
JINGHU
The jinghu (pinyin: jīnghú) is a Chinese bowed string instrument in the huqin
family, used primarily in Beijing opera. It is the smallest and
highest pitched instrument in the huqin family.
Like most of its relatives, the jinghu has two strings that are
customarily tuned to the interval of a fifth which the hair of the
non-detachable bow passes in between. The strings were formerly
made of silk, but in modern times are increasingly made of steel or
nylon. Unlike other huqin instruments (erhu, gaohu, zhonghu,
etc.) it is made of bamboo. Its cylindrical soundbox is covered with
snakeskin on the front (playing) end, which forms a taut drum on
which the bridge rests, sandwiched between the drum and the
strings, which are connected to a peg at the bottom of the soundbox.
Used in Beijing opera, the jinghu often doubles the singer's voice. Jinghu
performers in Beijing opera rarely shift into higher positions, and instead choose to
compress the melody into a single octave.
The jinghu was also featured prominently in the single "Shinjitsu no Uta" by the
Japanese band Do as Infinity.
LIUQIN
The Liuqin is a four-stringed Chinese mandolin with a pear-shaped body. It is
small in size, almost a miniature copy of another Chinese plucked musical
instrument, the pipa. The range of its voice is much higher than the pipa, and it has its
own special place in Chinese music, whether in orchestral music or in solo pieces.
This has been the result of a modernization in its usage in recent years, leading to a
gradual elevation in status liuqin from an accompaniment instrument in folk Chinese
opera, narrative music, i.e. Suzhou pingtan, in northern Jiangsu, southern Shandong
and Anhui, to an instrument well-appreciated for its unique tonal and acoustic
qualities. The position of the instrument is lower than the pipa, being held diagonally
like the Chinese ruan and yueqin. Like the ruan and unlike the pipa its strings are
elevated by a bridge and the soundboard has two prominent soundholes. Finally, the
instrument is played with a pick with similar technique to both ruan and yueqin,
whereas the pipa is played with the fingers. Therefore, the liuqin is most commonly
played and doubled by those with ruan and yueqin experience. Although, like the
larger Chinese pipa, it may look like a lute, in fact, neither pipa nor liuqin have an
actual neck, as the soundboard body spans the entire strings to the head of the
instrument, making both liuqin and pipa actually handheld zithers
Historically, the liuqin was commonly made of willow wood, while the
professionals used versions constructed with a higher-quality red sandalwood or
rosewood. In contemporary versions, however, the front board is made of tong wood
and for the reverse side, of red sandalwood, as comparable to historical types.
The liuqin has gone by various names, firstly the liuyeqin, meaning willow-leaf-shaped
instrument. This was the original term for the liuqin, which is visibly an
abbreviation of the term liuyeqin. The other reference to the liuqin is the tu pipa,
literally meaning unrefined pipa, because of the aforementioned dimunitive size and
resemblance of the liuqin to the pipa.
Throughout its history, the liuqin came in variations ranging from two (which
only had and a half octaves) to five strings. However, the earliest precursor of the
modern four-stringed version of the instrument appeared and experienced popularity
during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 907). This version had three strings, and was only
used for accompaniment purposes in traditiona operas, as mentioned before.
The three-stringed liuqin remained in use for much of dynastic China from the
Tang Dynasty until the late 20th century. The tunings
used were thus D-G-D and D-A-D. With the
modernization of traditional Chinese music in 1970s,
the four-stringed liuqin was developed as an
improvement to its musical range, and the body of
the instrument was enlarged to allow the player to
handle the instrument with greater ease. There,
however, still remains a five-stringed liuqin, which
was developed with a A-D-A-D-A tuning to cater to
needs for an alto liuqin in 1975:)
The modern liuqin has four steel strings. Like the ruan, the number of the liuqin's
frets was increased from 7 to 24 over the course of the 20th century. These frets are
arranged in half-step intervals. Its refreshing and jubilant tonal quality is more
delicate than that of the yueqin. Note that the frets on all Chinese lutes are high so
that the fingers never touch the actual body—distinctively different from western
fretted instruments. This allows for a greater control over timbre and intonation than
their western counterparts, but makes chordal playing more difficult.
PIPA
The pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked
category of instruments. Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a
pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12–26.
Another Chinese 4 string plucked lute is the liuqin, which looks like a smaller version
of the pipa.
The pipa is one of the most popular Chinese instruments and has been played for
nearly two thousand years in China. Several related instruments in East and
Southeast Asia are derived from the pipa; these include the Japanese biwa, the
Vietnamese đàn tỳ bà, and the Korean bipa. The Korean instrument is the only one of
the three that is no longer used. Attempts to revive the instrument have failed,
although examples survive in museums.
The name "pípá" is made up of two Chinese syllables, "pí" and "pá" . These are
the two most common ways of playing this instrument. "Pí" is to push the fingers of
the right hand from right to left, thus more than one finger can be used at a time
striking multiple notes, and "pá" is to pull the thumb of
the right hand from left to right, in the opposite direction.
The strings were originally played using a large plectrum
in the Tang Dynasty, then gradually replaced by the
fingernails of the right hand. Since the revolutions in
Chinese instrument making during the 20th century, the
softer twisted silk strings of earlier times have been
exchanged for nylon-wound steel strings, which are far
too strong for human fingernails, so false nails are now
used, constructed of plastic or tortoise-shell, and affixed
to the fingertips with the player's choice of elastic tape.
SHENG
The Chinese sheng is a mouth-blown free reed instrument consisting essentially
of vertical pipes.
Traditionally, the sheng has been used as an accompaniment instrument for solo
suona or dizi performances. It is one of the main instruments in kunqu and some
other forms of Chinese opera. Traditional small ensembles also make use of the sheng,
such as the wind and percussion ensembles in northern China. In the modern large
Chinese orchestra, it is used for both melody and accompaniment
The sheng has been used in the works of a few non-Chinese composers,
including Lou Harrison, Tim Risher, Daniel Bjarnason, Brad Catler, and Christopher
Adler.
Some believe that Johann Wilde and Pere Amiot traveled to China and brought
the first shengs to Europe in 1740 and 1777 respectively; although there is evidence
that free reed musical instruments similar to shengs were known in Europe a century
earlier.
Chinese free reed wind instruments named he and yu were first mentioned in
bone oracle writing dating from the 14th–12th centuries BC, and were identified in
later texts as types of sheng. The first appearance of the word "sheng" is in the Shijing
(Book of Odes) c. 7th century BC. Ancient instruments with gourd wind chambers,
varying numbers of pipes, with bamboo or metal reeds have been discovered in
recent archaeological finds at the tomb of the Marquis Yi of Zeng (c. 433 BC) in
present day Hubei province, and the Han tombs at Mawangdui (c. 2nd century BC) in
Hunan province
In the eighth century, three yu and three sheng were sent to the Japanese court
and these have been preserved in the Shōsōin imperial repository in Nara. All the
instruments had 17 pipes with a long curving mouthpiece and are very similar to the
traditional sheng in use today. However variants with different numbers of pipes,
and chromatic instruments have been documented over the centuries.
The sheng's reeds only vibrate at a fixed frequency, unlike single reeds, double
reeds and pointed free reeds which vibrate at the pitch according to the length of the
attached air column. Covering a hole on the sheng's pipe causes the entire length of
the pipe to resonate with the reeds' frequency. If the hole is open, the resonance
frequency would not match, and hence no sound is
produced.
The sheng is played by alternately blowing and
inhaling, and a player can produce a continuous sound
without pause. The traditional performance style is to sound
two or three notes at the same time by adding a fifth and/or
octave above the main melody note. When a higher note is
not available, a lower note a fourth below the main melody
note can be played instead.
Shengs can be broadly classified into two categories: traditional sheng and keyed
sheng. Keyed shengs have only been developed in the 20th century, c. 1950 onwards.
The difference between a traditional and a keyed sheng lies in its mechanism. On a
traditional sheng, the holes on the finger pipes are pressed directly by the player's
fingers. On a keyed sheng, the holes are opened and closed by means of keys or
levers. Without keys, the great number of pipes, and the size of the larger instruments
makes it impractical for operation by hand. The traditional sheng used in, for
example, northern Chinese ritual music, kunqu and Jiangnan sizhu ensembles
generally have 17 pipes but with only 13 or 14 sounding pipes. Its scale is mainly
diatonic.
SUONA
The suona traditional Chinese also called laba or haidi. It has a distinctively loud
and high-pitched sound, and is used frequently in Chinese traditional music
ensembles, particularly those that perform outdoors. It is an important instrument in
the folk music of northern China, particularly the provinces of Shandong and Henan,
where it has long been used for festival and military purposes. It is still used, in
combination with sheng mouth organs, gongs, drums, and sometimes other
instruments, in wedding and funeral processions. Such wind and percussion
ensembles are called chuida or guchui. Stephen Jones has written extensively on its
use in ritual music of Shanxi province. It is also common in the ritual music of
Southeast China. In Taiwan, it forms an essential element of ritual music that
accompanies Daoist performances of both auspicious and inauspicious rites, i.e., those
for both the living and the dead.
The suona has a conical wooden body, similar to that of the European oboe, but
uses a tubular brass or copper bocal to which a small double reed is affixed, and
possesses a detachable metal bell at its end.
The instrument is made in several sizes. Since the mid-20th century,
"modernized" versions of the suona have been developed in China; such instruments
have keys similar to those of the European oboe, to allow for the playing of chromatic
notes and equal tempered tuning (both of which are difficult to execute on the
traditional suona). There is now a family of such instruments, including the zhongyin
suona (alto suona), cizhongyin suona (tenor suona), and diyin suona (bass suona).
These instruments are used in the woodwind sections of modern large Chinese
traditional instrument orchestras in China, Taiwan, and Singapore, though most folk
ensembles prefer to use the traditional version of the instrument.
The suona is believed to have been developed from Central Asian instruments such as
the sorna, surnay, or zurna, from which its Chinese name probably derives. It was
originally introduced into China from central or South Asia. A musician playing an
instrument very similar to a suona is shown on a drawing on a Silk Road religious
monument in western Xinjiang province dated to the 3rd to 5th centuries, and
depictions dating to this period found in Shandong and other regions of northern
China depict it being played in military processions, sometimes on horseback. It was
not mentioned in Chinese literature until the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), but by this
time the suona was already established in northern China.
In Korea, a similar instrument is called taepyeongso, and in Vietnam similar
oboes are called kèn.
In Japan, a similar instrument is called charumera.
This instrument's name is derived from charamela, the
Portuguese word for shawm. Its sound is well known
throughout Japan, as it is often used by street vendors
selling ramen noodles.
A similar instrument is played during ceremonial
occasions in India.
The suona is also used as a traditional instrument in
Cuba, having been introduced by Chinese immigrants
during the colonial era. It is known there as “trompeta
china” and is used in some forms of song and carnival music.
The American jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman often played the suona in his
performances, calling it a "musette."
YANGQIN
The trapezoidal yangqin is a Chinese hammered dulcimer, originally from
Middle East and Persia. It is also transliterated with variant spellings: yang quin or
yang ch'in. Hammered dulcimers of various types are now very popular not only in
China, but also Central and Eastern Europe, the Alpine countries of Europe, the
Middle East, Pakistan, parts of the USA, etc. The instruments are also sometimes
known by the names "santur" and "cymbalom".
The yangqin was traditionally fitted with bronze strings (though older Chinese
stringed instruments used silk strings, resulting in their, and the yangqin's,
categorisation as a silk, or "si" instrument), which gave the instrument a soft timbre.
This form of instrument is still occasionally heard today in the "hudie qin" (literally:
butterfly zither) played in the traditional silk and bamboo genre from the Shanghai
region known as Jiangnan sizhu, as well as in some Cantonese music groups. The
Thai and Cambodian khim are nearly identical in their construction, having been
introduced to those nations by southern Chinese musicians. Since the 1950s, however,
steel alloy strings (in conjunction with copper-wound steel strings for the bass notes)
have been used, in order to give the instrument a brighter and louder tone. The
modern yangqin can have as many as five courses of bridges and may be arranged
chromatically. Traditional instruments, with three or more courses of bridges, are also
still widely in use. The instrument's strings are struck with two lightweight bamboo
beaters (also known as hammers) with rubber tips. A professional musician often
carries several sets of beaters, each of which draws a slightly different tone from the
instrument, much like the drum sticks of Western percussionists.
The yangqin is used both as a solo instrument and in ensembles.
Composer/vocalist Lisa Gerrard has used this instrument in the 8 albums recorded
by the band Dead Can Dance and also in some of her performances solo since the
break up of Dead Can Dance. The Chinese group Viva Girls, best known for playing
popular Chinese and foreign songs using traditional instruments, has also used it
their albums and performances
Historians offer several theories to explain how the
instrument was introduced to China: That the
instrument may have been introduced by land, through
the Silk Road; that it was introduced by sea, through the
port of Guangzhou (Canton); or that it was invented
without foreign influence by the Chinese themselves.
The word "yangqin" has historically been written in
two different ways, using different Chinese characters
for "yang". The "yang" in the earlier version was written
with the character Yang meaning "foreign." It was later changed, in 1910, to the
character "Yang", meaning "acclaimed" and is also the first character of the name of
Yangzhou, which some Chinese linguistic scholars have stated was done because the
latter term was more politically correct during a period when China was resisting
foreign cultural influences.
As a type of hammered dulcimer, the yangqin shares many elements of its
construction with other instruments in the hammered dulcimer family:
Strings: Modern yangqin usually have 144 strings in total, with each pitch
running in courses, with up to 5 strings per course, in order to boost the volume. The
strings come in various thicknesses, and are tied at one end by screws, and at the
other with tuning pegs. The pegs and screws are covered during playing by a hinged
panel/board. This panel is opened up during tuning to access the tuning pegs.
Bridges: There are usually four to five bridges on a yangqin. From right to left,
they are: bass bridge, "right bridge", tenor bridge, "left bridge", and the chromatic
bridge. During playing, one is supposed to strike the strings on the left side of the
bridges. However, the strings on the "chromatic bridge" are struck on the right, and
strings on the "left bridge" can be struck on both sides of the bridge.
The hammers are made of flexible bamboo, and one end is half covered by
rubber. Due to their unique construction, there are two ways
to play: with the rubber side for a softer sound, and with the
bamboo side for a crisper, more percussive sound. This
technique, known is best utilized in the higher ranges of the
yangqin, additionally, the ends of the sticks can be used to
pluck the strings, producing a sharp, clear sound.
Glissandos can also be achieved in this way by running the
ends of the sticks up or down the strings.
ZHONGRUAN
The zhongruan is a Chinese plucked string instrument. In English, it is
sometimes called a “moon lute”, because it has a round sound box. The zhongruan
has a straight neck with 24 frets on the fingerboard and 4 strings. It is usually played
with a plectrum (guitar pick). It can also be played with fingers (index finger and
thumb with acrylic nails), which is similar to the way of playing the pipa. The
zhongruan is a tenor-ranged instrument in the family of Ruan. In ancient China, the
Ruan was called Qin Pipa. Now the Ruan has expanded to different sizes and the
zhongruan is the "medium" one.
The tuning of zhongruan is G-D-G-D. Since the zhongruan has a rounded􀉼􇰠 calm
and rich tone, it is usually played as a lead instrument in small ensembles and used to
accompany other instruments in Chinese orchestra. It can also be played solo.
A good quality zhongruan is usually made of rosewood. But for the best sound
quality and visual appearance, it is made of red sandalwood, which is known for its
beautiful wood grain, unique purplish color, hardness and
rareness. Therefore a red sandalwood zhongruan is heavier
and more expensive.
The lute head is for decoration. Three common
decorative patterns are ruyi, good fortune), peony and
dragon. They are usually made of plastic or ivory.
Under the lute head is a pegbox with tuning pegs that
hold the strings. The pegs are usually made of wood or
buffalo horn. Nowadays, most the zhongruans have tuning
machine heads instead of a peg box, since they make it
easier to tune, and the pegs are made of wood.
The strings were made of silk in ancient times. The number of strands of silk
determined the thickness of the string. Nowadays, metal wound polymer strings are
used.
The neck connects the lute head and the body. It has a fingerboard and 24 frets.
The frets are usually made of plastic, buffalo bone, wood and metal (copper). For a
good quality zhongruan, the frets are made of a combination of plastic and copper, or
wood and copper, with the metal part inlaid at the top of each fret. In combining two
materials, the frets last without damaging from long-time practice.
DIZI
The dizi is a Chinese transverse flute. It is also sometimes known as the di or
hengdi, and has varieties including the qudi and bangdi
These names are likely to have multiple spellings, too, depending on the
transliteration used to convert from Chinese names. Nonetheless, dizi seems to be the
most common name (and written form) used in the West.
The dizi is a major Chinese musical instrument, and is widely used in many
genres of Chinese folk music, as well as Chinese opera, and the modern Chinese
orchestra. Traditionally, the dizi has also been popular among the Chinese common
people, and it is simple to make and easy to carry.
Most dizi are made of bamboo, which explains why dizi are sometimes known
by simple names such as Chinese bamboo flute. However, "bamboo" is perhaps more
of a Chinese instrument classification like "woodwind" in the West. Northern Chinese
dizi are made from purple or violet bamboo, while dizi made in Suzhou and
Hangzhou are made from white bamboo. Dizi produced in southern Chinese regions
such as Chaozhou are often made of very slender, lightweight, light-colored bamboo
and are much quieter in tone.
Although bamboo is the common material for the dizi, it is also possible to find
dizi made from other kinds of wood, or even from stone. Jade dizi (or yudi) are
popular among both collectors interested in their beauty, and among professional
players who seek an instrument with looks to match the quality of their renditions;
however, jade may not be the best material for dizi since, as with metal, jade may not
be as tonally responsive as bamboo, which is more resonant.
The dizi is not the only bamboo flute of China, although it is certainly distinctive.
Other Chinese bamboo wind instruments include the vertical end-blown xiao, the
guanzi (double reed), the koudi, and the bawu (free reed).
Membrane: Whereas most simple flutes have only a blowing hole (known as chui
kong in Chinese) and finger-holes, the dizi has very different additional hole, called a
mo kong, between the embouchure and finger-holes. A special membrane called
dimo, lit. "di membrane"), made from an almost tissue-like shaving of reed (made
from the inner skin of bamboo cells), is made taut and
glued over this hole, traditionally with a substance
called ejiao. Garlic juice or glue sticks may also be used
to adhere the dimo. This application process, in which
fine wrinkles are created in the centre of the dimo to
create a penetrating buzzy timbre, is an art form in itself
The dimo covered mokong has a distinctive resonating
effect on the sound produced by the dizi, making it
brighter and louder, and adding harmonics to give the final tone a buzzing, nasal
quality. Dizi have a relatively large range, covering about two-and-a-quarter octaves.
Dizi are often played using various "advanced" techniques, such as circular
breathing, slides, popped notes, harmonics, "flying finger" trills, multiphonics,
fluttertonguing, and double-tonguing. Most professional players have a set of seven
dizi, each in a different key (and size). Additionally, master players and those seeking
distinctive sounds such as birdsong may use extremely small or very large dizi.
ZHONGHU
The zhonghu and the gaohu are common doubles for erhu
players. The gaohu is higher pitched and the zhonghu is the alto
version. The shape is a little larger than the erhu but he string
technique is about the same. The zhonghu produces music of a
lower pitch. The shape of the resonator varies from circular to
octagonal. The zhonghu is a Chinese orchestral instrument and a
solo instrument. It functions as a viola. zhonghu is a Chinese
orchestral instrument and a solo instrument. This instrument first
appears after 1104 in the Song Dynasty.
Its structure is similar to erhu. The two strings are tuned to a
perfect fifth (G, D) and the size of the wooden drum is relatively larger than erhu.
Snakeskin covers one end of the drum. Bow hair is placed between the two strings.
The absence of a fingerboard allows variety of music effects through variation of the
strings' tension. However variations are not as distinct as erhu and gaohu due its low
and mellow tone.
As in their constructions the two types are similar in performing techniques.
Only the alto's strings are tuned a fourth or fifth lower than those of the erhu. As an
alto instrument with a two-octave range, it has a deep and gloomy tone. The zhonghu
is commonly used in ensembles and accompaniment and for solos as well. The
zhonghu is tuned as A, E or G, D.