Listening to Chinese Music 1 Listening to Chinese Music This article is an English translation of part of the book Listening to Chinese Music 《中國音樂導賞》edited by Chuen-Fung Wong (黃泉鋒) and published by the Hong Kong Commercial Press in 2009 as a project of the Chinese Music Archive of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. With the permission by the Chinese Music Archive, this article is uploaded onto the Education Bureau’s website for teachers’ and students’ reference. As for the recordings of selected music, please refer to the CDs accompanying the printed copy of the Chinese version. © The Chinese Music Archive, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form or by any means. 2 Contents Foreword…………………………………………………………………………………..5 Translator’s Preface……………………………………………………………………….6 Chapter 1 Modern Chinese Orchestra ............................................................................. 8 Section 1 The Rise of the Modern Chinese Orchestra ......................................................... 9 Section 2 Instruments Used in the Modern Chinese Orchestra .......................................... 10 Section 3 The Characteristics of Chinese Orchestral Music and Its Genres ....................... 11 Section 4 The “Improvement” of Chinese Instruments ...................................................... 13 Section 5 The Development of Modern Chinese Orchestra ............................................... 15 Listening Guide .................................................................................................................... 17 Extended Knowledge ........................................................................................................... 22 Glossary ............................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 2 Instrumental Solo Tradition and Its Changes .............................................. 27 Section 1 Liu Tian-hua (劉天華) and the Modern Erhu Solo Pieces ................................ 28 Section 2 New Pieces for Dizi (笛子) ............................................................................... 31 Section 3 Pipa (琵琶) Music ............................................................................................ 34 Section 4 Zheng (箏) Music .............................................................................................. 36 Section 5 Solo Tradition and Traditional Solo Repertoires ............................................... 37 Listening Guide .................................................................................................................... 39 Extended Knowledge ........................................................................................................... 47 Glossary ............................................................................................................................... 52 Chapter 3 Jiangnan Sizhu (江南絲竹) and Cantonese Music (粵樂) ........................... 53 Section 1 Characteristics and Changes of Jiangnan Sizhu ................................................ 53 Section 2 The Development of Cantonese Music ............................................................. 59 Listening Guide .................................................................................................................... 67 3 Extended Knowledge ........................................................................................................... 76 Glossary ............................................................................................................................... 84 Chapter 4 The Art of Guqin (古琴) Music .................................................................. 87 Section 1 The Construction of the Guqin .......................................................................... 88 Section 2 Characteristics of Guqin Music ......................................................................... 91 Section 3 Jianzipu (簡字譜) ............................................................................................ 92 Section 4 Guqin in the Past and the Present ...................................................................... 96 Section 5 The Continuation of Guqin Tradition ................................................................ 98 Listening Guide .................................................................................................................. 101 Extended Knowledge ......................................................................................................... 110 Glossary ............................................................................................................................. 118 Chapter 6 Cantonese Opera and Narrative Singing ..................................................... 121 Section 1 Cantonese Opera – A Highly Adaptable Genre of Xiqu .................................... 122 Section 2 Language and Singing Style ............................................................................ 134 Section 3 The Co-operation between Lyricists and Singers ............................................ 138 Section 4 The Co-operation between Scriptwriters and Arrangers .................................. 139 Listening Guide .................................................................................................................. 143 Extended Knowledge ......................................................................................................... 152 Glossary ............................................................................................................................. 156 4 Foreword It is heartening to see the completion of the English edition of Listening to Chinese Music edited by Prof. Chuen-Fung Wong (黃泉鋒) of MaCalester College, Minnesota. A very timely publication in Chinese music, it is significant to point out that the book is written and edited by scholars of the younger generation in post-1997 Hong Kong. Regardless of their differences in academic and musical backgrounds, the common ground they share is that they are products of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). All of them have first-hand experience in post-secondary teaching. Furthermore, most are committed performers of Chinese music in various genres. It is important to have solid academic training as well as practical know-how in writing a diverse and broad subject such as Chinese music. Its Chinese edition (2009) has been well received in Hong Kong. Reprinting twice, we are honoured to be invited by the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Government to translate five chapters of this meaningful and very much needed book into English. Addressing the English readership, it is inexpedient to translate the book directly from Chinese to English. It requires more rethinking and further explanation to those who do not have much background in Chinese history, culture and music. At this juncture, the experience and expertise of Mr. Tsui Wan-ching (徐允清) fit perfectly. Mr. Tsui, in addition to be an outstanding music alumnus of CUHK, furthered his studies in historical musicology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Royal Holloway, University of London. Since his return to Hong Kong, he has been teaching both Western and Chinese music, and has been actively participating in the exchanges in academic conferences. We are grateful to his willingness of undertaking this important task. Last but not least, I would like to thank Dr. Tse Chun-yan (謝俊仁), the advisor of the Chinese Music Archive, for his unfailing support, efficient planning and coordinating, seeing this project from its very beginning, the Chinese edition, to the completion of the present English edition. Thanks should also go to Ms. Li Wai-chung (李慧中) and Ms. Janet Chui Shing-yan (崔承恩), our former archivists, without whose administrative support, this project could not have been possible. Yu Siu-wah (PhD) Associate Professor Director (June 2005 – May 2012) The Chinese Music Archive (CMA) Department of Music The Chinese University of Hong Kong 5 Translator’s Preface Listening to Chinese Music (中國音樂導賞) is an introductory book on Chinese music written by four young scholars, Prof. Chuen-Fung Wong (黃泉鋒), Dr. Chan Chak-lui (陳澤蕾), Mr. Yeung Wai-kit (楊偉傑), and Mr. Wong King-chung (王景松). It is written in an easily readable way and at the same time informative and stimulating. It is indeed an honour for me to be invited by the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Government and the Chinese Music Archive of the Chinese University of Hong Kong to translate five chapters of this book into English. My translation is indebted to the pioneering academic writings of Profs. Bell Yung (榮 鴻曾), Stephen Jones, Chan Sau-yan (陳守仁), J. Lawrence Witzleben, Yu Siu-wah (余少華), Frederick Lau (劉長江), Maria Chow Mai-wah (周美華), as well as numerous translators of CD liner notes and concert programmes that I am not able to name one by one. My heartiest gratitude goes to all of them. The translation policy adopted in this translation is as follows: 1. Order of the family name and given name for Chinese names: generally, if the name is in romanisation, the family name comes first, followed by the given name. An exception is the author’s name Chuen-Fung Wong (黃泉鋒), which is in the reverse order, as he specifically requested so. As for Chinese persons using Christian names, the Christian name comes first, followed by the family name, like Richard Tsang (曾葉發)