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For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MUSIC The Synthesis of Taiwanese and Western Musical Elements: A case study of the Zheng concerto—Dots, Lines, and Convergence by Chihchun Chi-Sun Lee By Shih-Chen Yiu A thesis submitted to the School of Music In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Master of Music Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2004 The members of the Committee approve the thesis of Shih-Chen Yiu defended on April 2. 2004. _____________________________ Matthew Shaftel Professor Directing Thesis _____________________________ Frank Gunderson Committee Member ____________________________ Evan Jones Committee Member The office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures………………………………………………………………iv List of Examples………………………………………………………..........v Abstract……………………………………………………………………viii Chapter I The Composer……………………………………………………………….1 Musical Change and the Western Influence on Taiwanese Music…………..2 An Introduction to the Zheng………………………………………………13 Chapter II Movement I: Dots…………………………………………………………..16 Chapter III Movement II: Lines………………………………………………………...45 Chapter IV Movement III: Convergence……………………………………………….60 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………85 Bibliography………………………………………………………………88 Biographical Sketch………………………………………………………90 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-1. The division of Taiwanese aboriginal……………………………………...7 Figure 1-2. The original score of a Dutch psalm in Taiwan in 1638………………….9 Figure 1-3. The first Taiwanese hymn by G. L. Mackay……………………………..11 Figure 1-4. A partial score of Zang Hua Yin by Chang-Hui Hsu……………………16 Figure 4-1. The traditional Taiwanese percussion set………………………………..72 iv LIST OF EXAMPLES Example 1-1. Different notations of the Zheng……………………………………….20 Exam[le 1-2. The range of traditional Zheng tuning…………………………………20 Example 2-1. Formal structure of movement I……………………………………….22 Example 2-2a. The Zheng tuning system in the Zheng concerto…………………….25 Example 2-3. The notation of new performing techniques in the Zheng concerto…26 Example 2-4. The hexachord motive (first movement mm.1-2)……………………..27 Example 2-5. The hexachord motive in mm. 94-98…………………………………...28 Example 2-6a. Original hexachord ……………………………………………………30 Example 2-6b. The hexachord in m. 32(the Zheng)…………………………………..31 Example 2-6c. The original hexachord motive (trichordal subsets)…………………32 Example 2-6d. A combination of the hexachord motive with salient hexachord passages later on in the movement…………………………………………………….34 Example 2-7a. “Feathered beams” passage in m. 29…………………………………35 Example 2-7b. “ Feathered beams” passage in m. 47………………………………...35 Example 2-8a. The “feathered beams” rhythmic pattern in vertical structure in mm. 44-46……………………………………………………………………………………..37 Example 2-8b. The First String Quartet by Elliott Carter, mm. 22-29………………38 Example 2-9. “dots”…………………………………………………………………….40 Example 2-10. “lines”…………………………………………………………………..40 Example 2-11. “convergence”………………………………………………………….40 Example 2-12. Six Pieces for Orchestra, op. 6 by Webern…………………………....42 v Example 2-13. Klangfarbenmelodie in mm. 53-55 of the Zheng concerto…………...43 Example 2-14a. Webern’s Six Bagatelles (The sixth—Flißend)……………………..44 Example 2-14b. mm. 99-103 in the Zheng concerto………………………………….45 Example 2-15. mm. 94-95 in the Zheng concerto……………………………………..46 Example 2-16. Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima by Penderecki………………48 Example 2-17. “Sound mass” passage in mm. 113-114 of the Zheng concerto……..49 Example 3-1. Formal structure of movement II……………………………………...53 Example 3-2. Chinese pentatonic scale structure……………………………………..54 Example 3-3. mm. 132-133 of the Zheng concerto……………………………………55 Example 3-4. The newly-composed melody of the second movement (in mm. 139- 146)………………………………………………………………………………………56 Example 3-5. Multi-tonality passage in mm. 132-134………………………………...56 Example 3-6. Drip, Drip, Plop………………………………………………………….58 Example 3-7. The Conquette Teases the Rooster………………………………………59 Example 3-8. The use of original tunes………………………………………………..60 Example 3-9. A short passage of Drip, Drip, Plop in mm. 136-137…………………..61 Example 3-10a. Lee modifies the passage using the D harmonic minor scale………62 Example 3-10b. Expecting Your Return……………………………………………….62 Example 3-11. The folk tune with octave displacement……………………………...63 Example 3-12. Jasmine………………………………………………………………....63 Example 3-13. Modified tune of Jasimine……………………………………………..64 Example 3-14. Multi-tonal effect in mm. 171-172…………………………………….65 Example 4-1. Formal structure of movement III……………………………………..68 Example 4-2. Rhythmic motive in the third movement………………………………71 vi Example 4-3. Zheng’s chordal structure………………………………………………71 Example 4-4a. mm. 251-257……………………………………………………………74 Example 4-4b. Application of contour theory in folk tunes………………………….76 Example 4-5. A motives borrowed from the first movement………………………...78 Example 4-6a. Application of contour theory in the hexachord in m. 263………….79 Example 4-7a. Motives borrowed from the second movement………………………80 Example 4-7b. Motives borrowed from the second movement………………………81 Example 4-8. Motives borrowed from the second movement………………………..82 Example 4-9. Motives borrowed from the previous two movements………………..83 Example 4-10. Synthesis in vertical structure………………………………………...85 Example 4-11. Denser combination of motives……………………………………….87 Example 4-12. The synthesis structure in the last two measures……………………89 Example 4-13. Motives borrowed in Cadenza………………………………………...91 vii ABSTRACT Since the mid 17th century, Western culture has influenced Taiwanese society in various ways, especially in the field of music. In the 20th century, Taiwanese composers have attempted to create a new compositional style by combining the elements of Western, Taiwanese, and Chinese music. The resulting style still maintains the essence of ancient Taiwanese/Chinese music, but synthesizes the elements of Western music. A quintessential example of the synthesis of Taiwanese and Western music can be found in the Concerto for Zheng and Chamber Ensemble by Chihchun Chi-Sun Lee. Chihchun Chi-Sun Lee is a Taiwanese-American composer who received her musical education in both Taiwan and the USA. Her compositional style is deeply influenced by both Western and Eastern musical tradition. This composition, commissioned by the Harvard Fromm Foundation and dedicated to the Chinese Zheng master, Haiqiong Deng, presents three distinct musical cultures and then synthesizes them in the final movement. The world premiere was performed by Haiqiong Deng and the Florida State University Chamber Ensemble in the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on September 19th, 2003. The composition consists of three movements without interruption. The movements are entitled Dots, Lines, and Convergence with the dots representing one of the Western esthetics of the 20th century, lines the Eastern esthetics, and the convergence of the two specific kinds. The instrumentation of this piece is one of the most obvious borrowings from traditional Chinese music. The composer uses the Zheng to represent Eastern traditional music, while chamber ensemble (flute/piccolo, clarinet in B-flat, percussion, violin, viola, violoncello, and double bass) represents the Western music tradition. In addition, the composer uses two famous Taiwanese folk tunes in the second and third movements of the composition to highlight Taiwanese “spirit”. In the program notes of the score, she writes: This movement (the first movement) uses the ideas of Pointillism and Klangfarbenmelodie, focusing on texture rather than melody. The second movement, in contrast to the first, is lyrical in emphasis. These melodic lines involve strong Asian influence. Antiphonal and homophonic textures are used viii between the soloist and the ensemble. Within complex textures, this concluding movement (the third movement) integrates the previous materials: connecting dots and lines, while expanding and developing them into a greater hierarchy. Indeed, the synthesis of Taiwanese and Western music not only occurs in the instrumentation, but also in the textures and musical materials of each movement. This thesis will explore the synthesis of style found in this concerto starting with a brief history of the music in Taiwan based on social and political backgrounds and particularly the Western influence on Taiwanese music over the centuries, and followed by an analysis of the three movements in Concerto for Zheng and Chamber Ensemble: Dots, Lines, and Convergence. In the analysis of the concerto, several analytical methodologies will be applied. (1) Scale analysis— the tuning system of the Zheng in this concerto is different from the traditional pentatonic system. Therefore, a scale analysis helps us to understand the construction of the tuning, which results in the synthesis of Western and Eastern styles. (2) Contour theory—it is useful method to identify some similar contours of the hexachord motive. In addition, contour theory also can be applied in the analysis of the Taiwanese folk tunes in a newly composed passage in the third movement. (3) Style analysis—it shows intertextural references to