China Flashcards
Who controlled music
Dynasty or whoever has political power
Confucius
Philosopher
Dominated music for several thousand years
Taught that music isn’t for entertainment but more a means of expression - people using music for entertainment had lower social status
Formed basis for two types of music
How long ago is there evidence of scores?
2 BC
2000+ years ago
What did the Chinese people believe about sound?
Sound influenced the harmony of the universe
Like energy and stuff
Qin dynasty
Destroyed all music before its time because they thought music was a wasteful activity
Music had too strong of an influence
Han dynasty
Reintroduced concepts of Confuciusism with same principles until 1911
From 206 BC - 22 AD
What happened 1911?
Enter pop culture
Modern Chinese music
Struggled with incorporating elements of a Western music while keeping own musical philosophy
2 types of music
Ya-yueh
Su-yueh
Ya-yueh
Elegant music
More sophisticated
Only performed in Confucius temples
Su-yueh
Popular music
Who could listen to sophisticated music?
(Ya-yueh)
Only the educated people
Most important genre
Solo instrumental performance
Fundamental pitches?
From bamboo “Lu pipes”
Tuning instruments
Putting music in tune with the universe
Tone system
Cyclic
Blowing tubes closed at one end and lengths that are mathematically proportioned
Tubes used in tuning (?)
12 tubes total
In 2 groups
6 “male”
6 “female”
Tones used
5 tones are pentatonic scale
Represent 5 elements (earth, sea, sky, wind, fire)
6th and 7th tones - F#, B are CHANGING TONES
-combined with pentatonic scale make up heptatonic scale (or LYDIAN mode)
Texture
Both monophonic and homophonic
Form
Through composed
Melody and timbre
Predominant elements
Rhythm
LOTS of rubato unless in an ensemble
Rhythm is VERY free
Chinese instruments
Categorized by 8 materials they’re made of
8 materials
Metal Stone Clay Skin Wood Bamboo Gourds Silk
Metal instruments
Chun Luo Chuzeng baizhong Chimes Bo
Stone instruments
Qing
Clay instruments
Xun
Fou
Skin instruments
Dagu
All ending in “gu”
Wood instruments
Zhu
Mu yu
Gourd instruments
Sheng
Bamboo instruments
Suona
Dizi
Xiao