DOCSLIB.ORG

Kūnqǔ in Practice: a Case Study

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Kūnqǔ in Practice: a Case Study KŪNQǓ IN PRACTICE: A CASE STUDY A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT MĀNOA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THEATRE OCTOBER 2019 By Ju-Hua Wei Dissertation Committee: Elizabeth A. Wichmann-Walczak, Chairperson Lurana Donnels O’Malley Kirstin A. Pauka Cathryn H. Clayton Shana J. Brown Keywords: kunqu, kunju, opera, performance, text, music, creation, practice, Wei Liangfu © 2019, Ju-Hua Wei ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my gratitude to the individuals who helped me in completion of my dissertation and on my journey of exploring the world of theatre and music: Shén Fúqìng 沈福庆 (1933-2013), for being a thoughtful teacher and a father figure. He taught me the spirit of jīngjù and demonstrated the ultimate fine art of jīngjù music and singing. He was an inspiration to all of us who learned from him. And to his spouse, Zhāng Qìnglán 张庆兰, for her motherly love during my jīngjù research in Nánjīng 南京. Sūn Jiàn’ān 孙建安, for being a great mentor to me, bringing me along on all occasions, introducing me to the production team which initiated the project for my dissertation, attending the kūnqǔ performances in which he was involved, meeting his kūnqǔ expert friends, listening to his music lessons, and more; anything which he thought might benefit my understanding of all aspects of kūnqǔ. I am grateful for all his support and his profound knowledge of kūnqǔ music composition. Wichmann-Walczak, Elizabeth, for her years of endeavor producing jīngjù productions in the US. It gave students, especially Chinese students, a chance to perform this art form in a professional setting, an opportunity that is not available in China and Taiwan. Zhāng Líng 张玲, for her sisterhood and great care during my kūnqǔ research in Nánjīng. I have learned so much from her wisdom in life which made me wiser and better. My sincere appreciation to the following institutions and the members who gave me access to the materials necessary for my investigation: The Jiāngsū Province Performing Arts Group Kūnjù Theatre (Jiāngsū Shěng Yǎnyì Jítuán Kūnjù Yuàn 江苏省演艺集团昆剧院, for allowing me to be a part of the production, The Sage of Kūnqǔ: Wèi Liángfǔ. My gratitude goes out to all the actors, musicians, designers, and staff members for their hard work and sacrifice in passing on this tradition. The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Hamilton library. Many thanks to the librarians for the collections in Chinese literature and xìqǔ-related books and journals, which benefitted my research greatly. National Taiwan University Library, for sharing their special collection: Pai Hsien-Yung 白先勇, his news release, printed materials, documentary films and video recordings of his world-renowned productions, The Peony Pavilion: The Young Lovers’ Edition 青春版 《牡丹亭》and The Story of Jade Hairpin: The New Edition 新版《玉簪記》. iii I am very grateful for the following organizations for their financial support: Chun Ku and Soo Yong Huang Foundation Fund, for their generous support over the years of my studies in Ethnomusicology and in Asian Theatre, funding for research projects in jīngjù performance and my dissertation in kūnqǔ study. John Young Scholarship Fund Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii Graduate Fellowship Fund Faith C. Ai Memorial Scholarship Fund Chung-fong and Grace Ning Chinese Studies Fund The contribution of my friends and family deserves to be acknowledged. My heartfelt gratitude to the members of the Hawai‘i Rainbow Kūnqǔ Society: Lo Chin-T’ang 羅錦堂, Tang Chung- Shih 唐崇實, Yang Wen-Jing 楊文靜, Lindy Li Mark 李林德, and Wang Zheng 王征, for sharing their expertise and passion for kūnqǔ. I wish to thank my husband, Philip Gottling, for his kindness and love, allowing me to focus on completing my dissertation, and his proofreading that helped refine my writing. To my parents and sister for their patience and encouragement over the years. And last but not least, I would like to thank to my committee members for their time and effort. iv ABSTRACT Kūnqǔ 崑曲, a scholar-oriented elite musical theatre, is enjoying a renaissance which began after its recognition on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2001. This dissertation is a case study of a 2015 kūnqǔ production based on a newly-created dramatic text, The Sage of Kūnqǔ: Wèi Liángfǔ (Qǔ shèng Wèi Liángfǔ 曲聖魏良輔). The process of mounting the new kūnqǔ play from initial script to fully-staged production is detailed, and the ways in which essential traditional dramatic principles of kūnqǔ were referenced, understood, and applied by the artists involved are analyzed. My argument is then pursued through a comparison of the essential principles with the creative process for The Sage of Kūnqǔ: Wèi Liángfǔ, in which elements of the classic dramatic principles were changed due to creative decisions made by directors, composer, and lead actors. The criticism of hidden causes and results behind the production such as interpersonal and intergenerational conflicts and an overview of the initial purpose for which this production was envisioned—to serve a ceremonial role for kūnqǔ festivals—are examined, five years after its premiere. This case study, as an in-depth chronicle, has resulted in a critical review of the current challenges facing kūnqǔ innovation. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................... iii Abstract ............................................................................................................................................v List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. viii Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................................1 Purpose, Approach, and Aim .......................................................................................................2 Review of Scholarship .................................................................................................................5 Clarification of Terminology .....................................................................................................11 Background — First Production Meeting ...................................................................................12 Chapter 2: The Sage of Kūnqǔ: Wèi Liángfǔ ................................................................................19 Chapter 3: The Playwright’s Dramatic Text: Its Historical Roots and his Revision .....................74 Prologue .....................................................................................................................................80 Act 1 ...........................................................................................................................................81 Act 2 ...........................................................................................................................................91 Act 3 ...........................................................................................................................................98 Act 4 .........................................................................................................................................104 Act 5 .........................................................................................................................................119 Act 6 .........................................................................................................................................126 Tsēng’s Revision ......................................................................................................................137 Chapter 4: From Text to Performance: The Directors’ Emendation ...........................................146 Directors’ Emendation .............................................................................................................149 Categories of the Types of Changes .........................................................................................151 The Pattern of Changes ............................................................................................................177 Chapter 5: Drawing Music from the Text ...................................................................................180 The Five Achievements of Composing Vocal Music ..............................................................187 The Process of Composing Vocal Music .................................................................................193 Final Observations ....................................................................................................................235 Chapter 6: Communicating the Text through Performance .........................................................241 Reading Rehearsals ..................................................................................................................243 Onstage Rehearsals ..................................................................................................................257 Actor’s Artistic Competence Meets Director’s Treatment.......................................................271 vi Chapter 7: Closing Thoughts .......................................................................................................280 The Challenges as Seen in this Case Study ..............................................................................280
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Cai Guo-Qiang Working on CAI GUO-QIANG BECAME an ARTIST BECAUSE HE DIDN’T WANT an OFFICE JOB
    — ARTAND — — VISION — Cai Guo-Qiang working on CAI GUO-QIANG BECAME AN ARTIST BECAUSE HE DIDN’T WANT AN OFFICE JOB. IN 2011 HE EXPLODED 8300 SMOKE SHELLS ‘Falling Back to Earth’ (2013–14) IN DOHA’S GULF DESERT FOR BLACK CEREMONY. HERE CAI GUO-QIANG TALKS ABOUT PLACE, Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane PERFORMANCE AND DODGING PROBLEMS. Photograph Mark Sherwood FALLING BACK TO EARTH: CAI GUO-QIANG NATALIE KING Despite two failed pyrotechnic ‘explosion projects’ for the 1996 and to help dig a new river. After the trench was dug and filled with water, 1999 Asia Pacific Triennials of Contemporary Art (APT), Cai Guo-Qiang everyone went swimming. It was not a foreign idea to me for everyone returned for a more grounded invocation with large-scale installations to take part in a certain activity. If you give people a powerful concept at Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), and a goal to strive for, there is a reason to participate. That said, a Brisbane. A gigantic felled eucalyptus tree lies suspended in the gallery, propagandist approach is not the intention of my art because I feel it’s like an environmental relic, while a menagerie of ninety-nine faux life- necessary to have dialogue with the local culture. sized animals are poised to drink at a blue lake. Biblical in scale, this Often I initiate dialogues with local communities. In Australia I Noah’s Ark suggests a harmonious paradise while the number ninety- learnt from Aboriginal elders before creating large-scale gunpowder nine references infinity in Chinese numerology.
    [Show full text]
  • The 17-Tone Puzzle — and the Neo-Medieval Key That Unlocks It
    The 17-tone Puzzle — And the Neo-medieval Key That Unlocks It by George Secor A Grave Misunderstanding The 17 division of the octave has to be one of the most misunderstood alternative tuning systems available to the microtonal experimenter. In comparison with divisions such as 19, 22, and 31, it has two major advantages: not only are its fifths better in tune, but it is also more manageable, considering its very reasonable number of tones per octave. A third advantage becomes apparent immediately upon hearing diatonic melodies played in it, one note at a time: 17 is wonderful for melody, outshining both the twelve-tone equal temperament (12-ET) and the Pythagorean tuning in this respect. The most serious problem becomes apparent when we discover that diatonic harmony in this system sounds highly dissonant, considerably more so than is the case with either 12-ET or the Pythagorean tuning, on which we were hoping to improve. Without any further thought, most experimenters thus consign the 17-tone system to the discard pile, confident in the knowledge that there are, after all, much better alternatives available. My own thinking about 17 started in exactly this way. In 1976, having been a microtonal experimenter for thirteen years, I went on record, dismissing 17-ET in only a couple of sentences: The 17-tone equal temperament is of questionable harmonic utility. If you try it, I doubt you’ll stay with it for long.1 Since that time I have become aware of some things which have caused me to change my opinion completely.
    [Show full text]
  • The Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto by Zhanhao He and Gang Chen By
    The Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto by Zhanhao He and Gang Chen By Copyright 2014 Shan-Ken Chien Submitted to the graduate degree program in School of Music and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts. ________________________________ Chairperson: Prof. Véronique Mathieu ________________________________ Dr. Bryan Kip Haaheim ________________________________ Prof. Peter Chun ________________________________ Prof. Edward Laut ________________________________ Prof. Jerel Hilding Date Defended: April 1, 2014 ii The Dissertation Committee for Shan-Ken Chien certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: The Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto by Zhanhao He and Gang Chen ________________________________ Chairperson: Prof. Véronique Mathieu Date approved: April 17, 2014 iii Abstract The topic of this DMA document is the Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto. This violin concerto was written by two Chinese composers, Gang Chen and Zhahao He in 1959. It is an orchestral adaptation of an ancient legend, the Butterfly Lovers. This concerto was written for the western style orchestra as well as for solo violin. The orchestra part of this concerto has a deep complexity of music dynamics, reflecting the multiple layers of the story and echoing the soloist’s interpretation of the main character. Musically the concerto is a synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions, although the melodies and overall style are adapted from the Yue Opera. The structure of the concerto is a one-movement programmatic work or a symphonic poem. The form of the concerto is a sonata form including three sections. The sonata form fits with the three phases of the story: Falling in Love, Refusing to Marry, and Metamorphosis.
    [Show full text]
  • ENGINEERING the Official Journal of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Higher Education Press
    ENGINEERING The official journal of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Higher Education Press AUTHOR INFORMATION PACK TABLE OF CONTENTS XXX . • Description p.1 • Impact Factor p.2 • Abstracting and Indexing p.2 • Editorial Board p.2 • Guide for Authors p.12 ISSN: 2095-8099 DESCRIPTION . Engineering is an international open-access journal that was launched by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) in 2015. Its aims are to provide a high-level platform where cutting- edge advancements in engineering R&D, current major research outputs, and key achievements can be disseminated and shared; to report progress in engineering science, discuss hot topics, areas of interest, challenges, and prospects in engineering development, and consider human and environmental well-being and ethics in engineering; to encourage engineering breakthroughs and innovations that are of profound economic and social importance, enabling them to reach advanced international standards and to become a new productive force, and thereby changing the world, benefiting humanity, and creating a new future. We are interested in: (1) News & Hightlights— This section covers engineering news from a global perspective and includes updates on engineering issues of high concern; (2) Views & Comments— This section is aimed at raising academic debates in scientific and engineering community, encouraging people to express new ideas, and providing a platform for the comments on some comprehensive issues; (3) Research— This section reports on outstanding research results in the form of research articles, reviews, perspectives, and short communications regarding critical engineering issues, and so on. All manuscripts must be prepared in English, and are subject to a rigorous and fair peer-review process.
    [Show full text]
  • Jingjiao Under the Lenses of Chinese Political Theology
    religions Article Jingjiao under the Lenses of Chinese Political Theology Chin Ken-pa Department of Philosophy, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan; [email protected] Received: 28 May 2019; Accepted: 16 September 2019; Published: 26 September 2019 Abstract: Conflict between religion and state politics is a persistent phenomenon in human history. Hence it is not surprising that the propagation of Christianity often faces the challenge of “political theology”. When the Church of the East monk Aluoben reached China in 635 during the reign of Emperor Tang Taizong, he received the favorable invitation of the emperor to translate Christian sacred texts for the collections of Tang Imperial Library. This marks the beginning of Jingjiao (oY) mission in China. In historiographical sense, China has always been a political domineering society where the role of religion is subservient and secondary. A school of scholarship in Jingjiao studies holds that the fall of Jingjiao in China is the obvious result of its over-involvement in local politics. The flaw of such an assumption is the overlooking of the fact that in the Tang context, it is impossible for any religious establishments to avoid getting in touch with the Tang government. In the light of this notion, this article attempts to approach this issue from the perspective of “political theology” and argues that instead of over-involvement, it is rather the clashing of “ideologies” between the Jingjiao establishment and the ever-changing Tang court’s policies towards foreigners and religious bodies that caused the downfall of Jingjiao Christianity in China. This article will posit its argument based on the analysis of the Chinese Jingjiao canonical texts, especially the Xian Stele, and takes this as a point of departure to observe the political dynamics between Jingjiao and Tang court.
    [Show full text]
  • From Story to Script: Towards a Morphology of the Peony Pavilion–– a Dream/ Ghost Drama from Ming China
    From Story to Script: towards a Morphology of The Peony Pavilion–– a Dream/ Ghost Drama from Ming China Xiaohuan Zhao University of Otago, Donghua University This article is an attempt to analyze the dramatic structure of the Mudan ting 牡丹 亭 (Peony Pavilion) as a piece of fantasy which Tang Xianzu 湯顯祖 (1550–1616) created through the utilisation of structural devices and techniques of magic tales. The particular model adopted for the textual analysis is that formulated by Vladimir Propp in Morphology of Russian Folktale. This paper starts with a comparison of Russian magic tales Propp investigated for his morphological study and Chinese zhiguai 志怪 tales which provide the prototype for the Mudan ting with a view of justifying the application of the Proppian model. The second part of this paper is devoted to a critical review of the Proppian model and method in terms of function versus non-function, tale versus move, and character versus tale / theatrical role. Further information is also given in this part as a response to challenges and criticisms this article may incur as regards the applicability of the Proppian model in inter-cultural and inter-generic studies. Part Three is a morphological analysis of the dramatic text with a focus on the main storyline revolving around the hero and heroine. In the course of textual analysis, the particular form and sequence of functions is identified, the functional scheme of each move presented, and the distribution of dramatis personae in accordance with the sphere(s) of action of characters delineated. Finally this paper concludes with a presentation of the overall dramatic structure and strategy of this play.
    [Show full text]
  • Electrophonic Musical Instruments
    G10H CPC COOPERATIVE PATENT CLASSIFICATION G PHYSICS (NOTES omitted) INSTRUMENTS G10 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS (NOTES omitted) G10H ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (electronic circuits in general H03) NOTE This subclass covers musical instruments in which individual notes are constituted as electric oscillations under the control of a performer and the oscillations are converted to sound-vibrations by a loud-speaker or equivalent instrument. WARNING In this subclass non-limiting references (in the sense of paragraph 39 of the Guide to the IPC) may still be displayed in the scheme. 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments 1/053 . during execution only {(voice controlled (keyboards applicable also to other musical instruments G10H 5/005)} instruments G10B, G10C; arrangements for producing 1/0535 . {by switches incorporating a mechanical a reverberation or echo sound G10K 15/08) vibrator, the envelope of the mechanical 1/0008 . {Associated control or indicating means (teaching vibration being used as modulating signal} of music per se G09B 15/00)} 1/055 . by switches with variable impedance 1/0016 . {Means for indicating which keys, frets or strings elements are to be actuated, e.g. using lights or leds} 1/0551 . {using variable capacitors} 1/0025 . {Automatic or semi-automatic music 1/0553 . {using optical or light-responsive means} composition, e.g. producing random music, 1/0555 . {using magnetic or electromagnetic applying rules from music theory or modifying a means} musical piece (automatically producing a series of 1/0556 . {using piezo-electric means} tones G10H 1/26)} 1/0558 . {using variable resistors} 1/0033 . {Recording/reproducing or transmission of 1/057 . by envelope-forming circuits music for electrophonic musical instruments (of 1/0575 .
    [Show full text]
  • Transmission of Han Pictorial Motifs Into the Western Periphery: Fuxi and Nüwa in the Wei-Jin Mural Tombs in the Hexi Corridor*8
    DOI: 10.4312/as.2019.7.2.47-86 47 Transmission of Han Pictorial Motifs into the Western Periphery: Fuxi and Nüwa in the Wei-Jin Mural Tombs in the Hexi Corridor*8 ∗∗ Nataša VAMPELJ SUHADOLNIK 9 Abstract This paper examines the ways in which Fuxi and Nüwa were depicted inside the mu- ral tombs of the Wei-Jin dynasties along the Hexi Corridor as compared to their Han counterparts from the Central Plains. Pursuing typological, stylistic, and iconographic approaches, it investigates how the western periphery inherited the knowledge of the divine pair and further discusses the transition of the iconographic and stylistic design of both deities from the Han (206 BCE–220 CE) to the Wei and Western Jin dynasties (220–316). Furthermore, examining the origins of the migrants on the basis of historical records, it also attempts to discuss the possible regional connections and migration from different parts of the Chinese central territory to the western periphery. On the basis of these approaches, it reveals that the depiction of Fuxi and Nüwa in Gansu area was modelled on the Shandong regional pattern and further evolved into a unique pattern formed by an iconographic conglomeration of all attributes and other physical characteristics. Accordingly, the Shandong region style not only spread to surrounding areas in the central Chinese territory but even to the more remote border regions, where it became the model for funerary art motifs. Key Words: Fuxi, Nüwa, the sun, the moon, a try square, a pair of compasses, Han Dynasty, Wei-Jin period, Shandong, migration Prenos slikovnih motivov na zahodno periferijo: Fuxi in Nüwa v grobnicah s poslikavo iz obdobja Wei Jin na območju prehoda Hexi Izvleček Pričujoči prispevek v primerjalni perspektivi obravnava upodobitev Fuxija in Nüwe v grobnicah s poslikavo iz časa dinastij Wei in Zahodni Jin (220–316) iz province Gansu * The author acknowledges the financial support of the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) in the framework of the research core funding Asian languages and Cultures (P6-0243).
    [Show full text]
  • Warriors As the Feminised Other
    Warriors as the Feminised Other The study of male heroes in Chinese action cinema from 2000 to 2009 A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Chinese Studies at the University of Canterbury by Yunxiang Chen University of Canterbury 2011 i Abstract ―Flowery boys‖ (花样少年) – when this phrase is applied to attractive young men it is now often considered as a compliment. This research sets out to study the feminisation phenomena in the representation of warriors in Chinese language films from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China made in the first decade of the new millennium (2000-2009), as these three regions are now often packaged together as a pan-unity of the Chinese cultural realm. The foci of this study are on the investigations of the warriors as the feminised Other from two aspects: their bodies as spectacles and the manifestation of feminine characteristics in the male warriors. This study aims to detect what lies underneath the beautiful masquerade of the warriors as the Other through comprehensive analyses of the representations of feminised warriors and comparison with their female counterparts. It aims to test the hypothesis that gender identities are inventory categories transformed by and with changing historical context. Simultaneously, it is a project to study how Chinese traditional values and postmodern metrosexual culture interacted to formulate Chinese contemporary masculinity. It is also a project to search for a cultural nationalism presented in these films with the examination of gender politics hidden in these feminisation phenomena. With Laura Mulvey‘s theory of the gaze as a starting point, this research reconsiders the power relationship between the viewing subject and the spectacle to study the possibility of multiple gaze as well as the power of spectacle.
    [Show full text]
  • Deltas in the Anthropocene Edited by Robert J
    Deltas in the Anthropocene Edited by Robert J. Nicholls · W. Neil Adger Craig W. Hutton · Susan E. Hanson Deltas in the Anthropocene Robert J. Nicholls · W. Neil Adger · Craig W. Hutton · Susan E. Hanson Editors Deltas in the Anthropocene Editors Robert J. Nicholls W. Neil Adger School of Engineering Geography, College of Life University of Southampton and Environmental Sciences Southampton, UK University of Exeter Exeter, UK Craig W. Hutton GeoData Institute, Geography Susan E. Hanson and Environmental Science School of Engineering University of Southampton University of Southampton Southampton, UK Southampton, UK ISBN 978-3-030-23516-1 ISBN 978-3-030-23517-8 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23517-8 © Te Editor(s) (if applicable) and Te Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG, part of Springer Nature 2020. Tis book is an open access publication. Open Access Tis book is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made. Te images or other third party material in this book are included in the book’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the book’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.
    [Show full text]
  • The Linguistic Categorization of Deictic Direction in Chinese – with Reference to Japanese – Christine Lamarre
    The linguistic categorization of deictic direction in Chinese – With reference to Japanese – Christine Lamarre To cite this version: Christine Lamarre. The linguistic categorization of deictic direction in Chinese – With reference to Japanese –. Dan XU. Space in Languages of China, Springer, pp.69-97, 2008, 978-1-4020-8320-4. hal-01382316 HAL Id: hal-01382316 https://hal-inalco.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01382316 Submitted on 16 Oct 2016 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Lamarre, Christine. 2008. The linguistic categorization of deictic direction in Chinese — With reference to Japanese. In Dan XU (ed.) Space in languages of China: Cross-linguistic, synchronic and diachronic perspectives. Berlin/Heidelberg/New York: Springer, pp.69-97. THE LINGUISTIC CATEGORIZATION OF DEICTIC DIRECTION IN CHINESE —— WITH REFERENCE TO JAPANESE —— Christine Lamarre, University of Tokyo Abstract This paper discusses the linguistic categorization of deictic direction in Mandarin Chinese, with reference to Japanese. It focuses on the following question: to what extent should the prevalent bimorphemic (nondeictic + deictic) structure of Chinese directionals be linked to its typological features as a satellite-framed language? We know from other satellite-framed languages such as English, Hungarian, and Russian that this feature is not necessarily directly connected to satellite-framed patterns.
    [Show full text]
  • The Unexpected Number Theory and Algebra of Musical Tuning Systems Or, Several Ways to Compute the Numbers 5,7,12,19,22,31,41,53, and 72
    The Unexpected Number Theory and Algebra of Musical Tuning Systems or, Several Ways to Compute the Numbers 5,7,12,19,22,31,41,53, and 72 Matthew Hawthorn \Music is the pleasure the human soul experiences from counting without being aware that it is counting." -Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716) \All musicians are subconsciously mathematicians." -Thelonius Monk (1917-1982) 1 Physics In order to have music, we must have sound. In order to have sound, we must have something vibrating. Wherever there is something virbrating, there is the wave equation, be it in 1, 2, or more dimensions. The solutions to the wave equation for any given object (string, reed, metal bar, drumhead, vocal cords, etc.) with given boundary conditions can be expressed as a superposition of discrete partials, modes of vibration of which there are generally infinitely many, each with a characteristic frequency. The partials and their frequencies can be found as eigenvectors, resp. eigenvalues of the Laplace operator acting on the space of displacement functions on the object. Taken together, these frequen- cies comprise the spectrum of the object, and their relative intensities determine what in musical terms we call timbre. Something very nice occurs when our object is roughly one-dimensional (e.g. a string): the partial frequencies become harmonic. This is where, aptly, the better part of harmony traditionally takes place. For a spectrum to be harmonic means that it is comprised of a fundamental frequency, say f, and all whole number multiples of that frequency: f; 2f; 3f; 4f; : : : It is here also that number theory slips in the back door.
    [Show full text]