Workshop Brochure
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SOME EXISTING INSTRUMENTAL STYLES Minority Music ABOUT THE ENSEMBLE “Performing on exquisite Chinese instruments, this Fujian Nanyin – the Besides Han Chinese, there are currently 55 ensemble combines technical oldest surviving style of recognized minority groups living in China, from mastery with a passionate Chinese music, nanyin, ethnic Koreans in the north, Uyghurs and Russians approach to music . or the “southern sound,” in the West, to the Miao/Yao in the South. The a torrid performance of originates from the cultural background of these peoples is often considerable virtuosity.” province of Fujian, but reflected in their music: Sino-Tibetan, Altaic, The Georgia Straight is also well-established among Fujian immigrants in Austro-Asiatic, and Indo-European. In particular, Taiwan and throughout Southeast Asia. It accumulated the Uyghur muqam, like Fujian nanyin, appears to musical elements of the Ming and subsequent contain elements of the Tang Dynasty daqu. dynasties. Yet the formal structure of certain pieces echoes that of the Tang daqu. Jiangnan Sizhu – a stablished in 1989, the Vancouver Chinese much more recent Music Ensemble consists of some highly development than accomplished Chinese instrumentalists, nanyin, it is a type who combine technical mastery with a of si-zhu (“silk and Epassionate approach to music. Its eclectic repertoire bamboo”) music which appeared in Shanghai embraces popular and traditional Chinese music during the 19th Century. as well as Western classical and contemporary composition. For its first appearance, the ensemble Guqin Music – the seven- was invited to perform for the Governor General’s string zither has over Concert at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver. Since 2000 years of history, Uyghur muqam then, the ensemble has performed in hundreds of and has a continuous concerts across Canada and in the United States. In lineage. Considered addition to its concerts, the ensemble has performed Dai Music Guan Pinghu (1897-1967) to be a restrained, at numerous folk music festivals, including those scholarly instrument, (Southern Yunan) in Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg. Its the guqin technique performances have been encompasses over broadcast on both radio and 300 subtle fingerings television. The Ensemble’s and articulations. It CONTACT INFORMATION first CD,Transplanted Purple has been declared a Vancouver Chinese Instrumental Music Society Bamboo, was released in Vancouver Chinese UNESCO Masterpiece of #310-425 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3 2000, and its second, New the Oral and Intangible Tel: (604) 683-8240 Fax: (604) 683-7911 Frontiers, was released in Heritage of Humanity, Various Wind-and-Percussion Email: [email protected] 2006. Music Ensemble along with the kunqu (chuida) Ensembles Website: www.vancouverchinesemusic.ca opera and the Xinjiang Prepared by Alan Lau “An excellent blend of Chinese and Uyghur muqam. Edited by Zhao Zhao We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the Canada Western music. Lively musical Bibliography Angela Knight Council for the Arts, the British Columbia Arts Council, the City presentation, awesome musical 張前. 中日音樂交流史, 人民音樂出版社: of Vancouver, and the Province of B.C. through Direct Access to technique. Their skill reaches all Charitable Gaming. 北京, 1999 levels. This is a musical experience our students need – excellence!” 陳萬鼐. 中國古代音樂史研究, 文史哲 ArtScan Assessments 出版社: 台北, 2000 楊蔭瀏. 中國音樂史稿 (上/下冊), 人民 音樂出版社: 北京, 1981 HISTORY OF CHINESE MUSIC LATE ANCIENT PERIOD and working classes had led ON CHINESE MUSIC One approach used to describe the history of Chi- ca. 2nd Century BC to 8th Century AD to a shift in musical empha- The traditional notation (gongche score) uses nese music is to divide it into four periods: Early The establishment of the Silk sis, from court traditions to characters to indicate the relative pitches of and Late Ancient, Middle Age, and Modern. While Road accelerated China’s con- peasant entertainment, giv- music: lineages can trace various existing musical styles, tact with the rest of the world, ing rise to the operatic form. there have been even more dated before the 19th especially India, and Central Equal temperament was first Century which have either not survived, or have Asia. Buddhism arrived in Chi- discovered by Zhu Zaiyu undergone drastic changes over time. Thus Chi- na around the 1st Century AD, around 1584. Silk-and-bam- Qing Dynasty gongche boo ensembles also emerged notation published in nese musical history, for the most part, is a “history and the Tang Dynasty (618-907 Japan without music.” AD) represented a highpoint in during this period. Beijing Chinese civilization, with archi- opera was born in the exact EARLY ANCIENT PERIOD tecture and writing system, as year of 1790, when four op- Antiquity to ca. 3rd Century BC well as poetry, all coming into era troupes from the Anhui The earliest evi- fruition. The Tang capital city of province came to Beijing to Chang’an (now Xi’an) became an perform for the 80th birth- dence of Chinese Mei Lanfang (1894-1961) music to date international cosmopolitan city, day of the Emperor Qianlong. comes from the receiving visitors from as far Foreign instruments which gained prominence dur- multi-hole bone away as Europe and Africa. In ing this period include the two-string erhu (a north- flutes uncovered the music of this period, daqu, or ern nomadic fiddle), and the yangqin (a hammer in the Henan the “grand opus,” emerged as a complex musical dulcimer), which was introduced through the Silk province, which form which integrated Road of the Sea during the Ming Dynasty. date back to 7000-9000 years ago. Music played an music, singing, and extremely important role in the life of the early Chi- dance. International in- MODERN PERIOD In practice, emphasis is generally not given to nese, especially in rituals and ceremonies. Confucius fluence was apparent in 1900 to Present “fa” and “ti.” Hence, Chinese music tends to (551-479 BC) believed in the educational function the adoption of instru- The 20th Century marked sound pentatonic (do, re, mi, so, la). of music, and its ability to promote moral integrity ments, such as the lute- the onset of heavy Western With the small “o” indicating the strong beats and societal harmony. Bronze bells and chimes were like pipa, the oboe-like influence in Chinese music: in the above gongche score, the first vertical characteristic of this period. A massive set of 65 bili, and the harp-like silk strings were replaced by line would sound like: bells was discov- konghou, as well as the establishment of foreign metal strings, and the old tuning system was aban- ered in the tomb orchestras in the court. Chinese culture of this pe- doned in favour of equal temperament. Western har- of Zeng Houyi riod also exerted great influences on neighbouring mony and even cellos have been used by the sym- (ca. 400 BC) in countries, particularly Korea and Japan. In fact, Ko- phony-like modern Chinese orchestras, with many Principle of “Adding Flowers” 1977, which is rean and Japanese court music (a-ak and gagaku) traditional styles have becoming obsolete. Virtuosic capable of gener- is said to preserve some aspects of ancient Chinese performance techniques have rapidly developed as ating chromatic music which can no longer be observed in China. well. Today, Western-trained composers such as pitches. Other in- Tan Dun (b. 1957) employ various traditional in- digenous instru- MIDDLE AGE PERIOD struments in their classical compositions, while the ments of the time ca. 9th Century to 19th Century AD Twelve Girls Band has reached out to an interna- include zithers During the Yuan (1271-1368 AD) tional audi- (zheng and qin), and Qing (1644-1912 AD) Dynas- ence by per- the mouth organ ties, China was ruled by the Mon- forming pop Chinese music is usually heterophonic: (sheng), and the gols and Manchurians, nomadic/ music on different instruments elaborate a core melody flute. Altaic people from the north. Chinese in- by adding pitches in a way that is characteristic Musically, there were tendencies struments. of each instrument – a process known as among scholars and musicians to jiahua (“adding flowers”). Such elaborations revive the rituals and court traditions of earlier eras. can sometimes lead to the creation of new This tendency sometimes impeded new innovation pieces, as shown in the above example. in music. At the same time, the rise of the business .