JIAO, WEI, D.M.A. Chinese and Western Elements in Contemporary
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JIAO, WEI, D.M.A. Chinese and Western Elements in Contemporary Chinese Composer Zhou Long’s Works for Solo Piano Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Wu Kui, and Pianogongs. (2014) Directed by Dr. Andrew Willis. 136 pp. Zhou Long is a Chinese American composer who strives to combine traditional Chinese musical techniques with modern Western compositional ideas. His three piano pieces, Mongolian Folk Tune Variations, Wu Kui, and Pianogongs each display his synthesis of Eastern and Western techniques. A brief cultural, social and political review of China throughout Zhou Long’s upbringing will provide readers with a historical perspective on the influence of Chinese culture on his works. Study of Mongolian Folk Tune Variations will reveal the composers early attempts at Western structure and harmonic ideas. Wu Kui provides evidence of the composer’s desire to integrate Chinese cultural ideas with modern and dissonant harmony. Finally, the analysis of Pianogongs will provide historical context to the use of traditional Chinese percussion instruments and his integration of these instruments with the piano. Zhou Long comes from an important generation of Chinese composers including, Chen Yi and Tan Dun, that were able to leave China achieve great success with the combination of Eastern and Western ideas. This study will deepen the readers’ understanding of the Chinese cultural influences in Zhou Long’s piano compositions. CHINESE AND WESTERN ELEMENTS IN CONTEMPORARY CHINESE COMPOSER ZHOU LONG’S WORKS FOR SOLO PIANO MONGOLIAN FOLK-TUNE VARIATIONS, WU KUI, AND PIANOGONGS by Wei Jiao A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical Arts Greensboro 2014 Approved by _________________________________ Committee Chair © 2014 Wei Jiao APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation has been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Committee Chair ________________________________ Committee Members ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ____________________________ Date of Acceptance by Committee _________________________ Date of Final Oral Examination ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my earnest gratitude to my committee chair, Dr. Andrew Willis, for the time that he has invested in editing and assisting me on this project. His outstanding mentorship and vast knowledge of music has greatly impacted me as a musician throughout the entirety of doctoral studies. I would also like to thank my Doctoral Advising Committee, Dr. Paul Stewart, Dr. Di Piazza, Dr. Kent Williams, and Dr. Guy Capuzzo for their exceptional effort and support in assisting me with this project and my academic endeavors. Special thanks is due to Dr. Zhou Long for graciously allowing me to interview him personally. I would like to thank my previous piano instructors, Professor Steven Heyman from Syracuse University and Dr. Betty Ann Diaz from Columbus State University, who guided me in my undergraduate and masters studies in the United States. Special thanks to Professor Xiaoling Yang and her husband Tai Zhou for their support and inspiring me to pursue my dream of studying abroad in the United States. Finally, I would like to thank my family, especially my husband, Jacob Hahn, who offered countless hours of advice and support throughout my study and research. I would like to thank my parents, Jiafan Zhu and Yande Jiao, who provided enormous support throughout my entire education. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................1 A Brief Historical Background and Research Summary .............................1 Zhou Long: An Overview of His Life and Works .......................................6 II. MONGOLIAN FOLK-TUNE VARIATIONS ....................................................20 Overview ....................................................................................................20 Influence of Ethnic Music and Historical Background of The Mongolian Nationality .....................................................................23 Mongolian Folk Tunes ...................................................................26 The Influence of Western Music ................................................................28 Compositional Techniques Used in the Work ...............................30 Performance Considerations ..........................................................33 Mixing Western Harmony with a Pentatonic Folk Tune ...............34 Key Relationships among Variations .............................................35 Influence of Western Composers ...................................................37 III. WU KUI ..............................................................................................................46 Overview ...................................................................................................46 The Man Nationality and its Folk Dance Tradition ......................47 The Composer’s Inspiration and the Influence of Chinese Percussion .............................................................................................51 Irregular Rhythmic Motives ..........................................................54 Hidden Melody and Motivic Development .................................57 Influences of Traditional Chinese Music ..................................................62 Chinese Harmonic Color and Percussion Sounds .........................67 Unique Musical Language Combining the West with the East ................70 Change of Meter and the “Five Maskers” Edition ........................73 Editorial Issues and Performance Practice ....................................74 Influence of Guqin Music .............................................................78 Extended Piano Techniques and Zhou Long’s Personal Encounter with George Crumb ..................................83 iv IV. PIANOGONGS ...................................................................................................88 Overview ....................................................................................................88 The Beijing Opera and Its Instrumental Performance Customs ...............90 The Percussion Ensemble in Beijing Opera and Luogujing .....................98 Motivic and Structural Analysis of Pianogongs .....................................103 Fast Repetitive Rhythms and Drum Rolls ..................................103 A Series of Chords Imitating Chinese Chimes ...........................106 The Active and Energetic Staccato Motive ................................116 Coordination Between the Piano and the Two Chinese Opera Gongs .......................................................................................117 Overall Structure .....................................................................................120 V. FUTURE DIRECTIONS ...................................................................................122 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...........................................................................................................124 APPENDIX A. CORRECTIONS FOR WU KUI IN OXFORD EDITION ...................130 APPENDIX B. PERMISSION FOR SCORE USE ........................................................135 v LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1. Zhou Long, Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Variation VI, mm. 8-9 ............32 Figure 2. Zhou Long, Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Variation V, mm. 12-13 ...........36 Figure 3. Zhou Long, Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Variation VI, mm.18-23 ..........37 Figure 4. Zhou Long, Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Variation III, mm. 18-21 ........38 Figure 5. Debussy, Arabesque No. 1 in E major, mm. 103-107 .......................................38 Figure 6. Zhou Long, Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Variation VII, mm. 1-10 .........39 Figure 7. Zhou Long, Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Variation VII, mm. 17-24 .......40 Figure 8. Debussy, Danse, mm. 1-11 .................................................................................40 Figure 9. Zhou Long, Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Variation IV, mm. 1-8 .............41 Figure 10. Brahms, Ballade in G minor, Op. 118, No. 3, the second theme in B major, mm. 41-48 ..................................................................................42 Figure 11. Zhou Long, Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Variation VIII, mm. 36-46 ...................................................................................................43 Figure 12. Glazunov, Theme and Variations Op. 72, Variation XV Finale, mm. 8-17 .....................................................................................................43 Figure 13. Zhou Long, Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Coda, mm. 1-2 ......................44 Figure 14. Glazunov, Theme and Variations Op. 72, Variation II, mm. 1-4 ....................44 Figure 15. Zhou Long, Wu Kui, mm. 1-8 ..........................................................................55 Figure 16. Zhou Long, Wu Kui, mm. 18-20 .......................................................................57 Figure 17. Zhou Long, Wu Kui, mm. 9-17 .........................................................................58