Chinese Music Flashcards
1
Q
Jiangnan sizhu
A
- From south of the Yangtze River
- Played indoors
- played mostly by amateurs
- informal setting - ( tea houses, neighborhood recreation centers, private homes)
- formal setting - ( conservatories, professional circles )
- intimate setting, participatory ( sit around a table, performers look at each other)
- ppl can play more than1 instrument (( if someone goes to toilet, someone else can take over/ swap instruments
- improvisatory ( Each performance will not be the same )
Core repertoire- 八大名曲
2
Q
Jiangnan sizhu instruments
A
Dizi Erhu Pipa Yangqin Shēng Xiao Sanxian Guzheng Clappers Cymbals Drums
3
Q
Erhu
A
- bowed, 2-string vertical fiddle, wooden resonator covered with a piece of snake skin, bow placed between the 2 strings
-techniques: tremolo (play same note repeatedly) Pitch sliding Vibrato Harmonics (place fingers slightly on string to create a high-pitched sound) Pizzicato
-ornaments:
Trills
Appogiatura
4
Q
Yangqin
A
- dulcimer (sound is produced by hitting the string)
- wooden box with 20 sets of double or triple course metal strings stretched over the bridges
- range of around 5 octaves
- played by hitting the strings of the instruments with 2 small bamboo hammers
- solo/accompanying to erhu
Techniques:
Tremolo
Glissando
5
Q
Pipa
A
- 4-stringed pear shaped lute
- strings made out of wire/ silk
- 12-26 frets
- sounds thinner than the yangqin
- solo instrument
Techniques:
Tremolo ( 轮指 )((continuous strumming of the strings with all 5 fingers))
Pitch bending ((how hard you press on the string))
Plucking
Strumming
6
Q
Sanxian
A
- 3-stringed fretless plucked lute
- long fingerboard
- body is made from snake skin stretched over the resonator
- plucked with a plectrum made of plastic or animal horn
7
Q
Guzheng (( not common in jiangnan sizhu ensemble ))
A
- zither
- 21 strings stretched over movable bridges and the string are made of wire or silk
- solo or accompanying instrument
Techniques: Pitch-bending Plucking Tremolos Glissando
8
Q
Dizi
A
- side blown flute made of bamboo
- 6 finger holes for playing and 3 other holes including the blowhole
- reed membrane (rice paper) covering a hole between the blow hole and the highest finger hole, which affects the sound
- available in diff keys (limited range)
Techniques: Flutter tonguing Double tonguing Triple tonguing Circular breathing
Ornaments:
Trills
Accicatura
9
Q
Xiao
A
- vertical end blown flute made of bamboo
- no reed membrane
- gentler tone compared to dizi
- 6-8 playing holes
- available in diff keys
10
Q
Sheng
A
- multi reed mouth organ
- consists of 13-17 bamboo pipes with different lengths that are mounted together onto a gourd shaped wooden base
- sound is produced by blowing and sucking the air through a metal tube connected to the base
- pipes –> bamboo ( past )
- -> metal ( now ) - base –> gourd ( past )
- -> metal ( now ) - solo/ accompaniment
- ONLY wind instrument that can play more than one note at a time
11
Q
Percussion instruments
Clapper
Drum
A
- two flat pieces of hardwood or bamboo that are tied loosely together on one end
- held vertically by one hand and clapped together
- sharp clacking sound
- other hand will be used to hit the drum
12
Q
Guangdong
A
- from the Guangdong and Zhujiang region
- xiaoqu, yuequ ((Cantonese songs)),operatic interludes, instrumental ensemble music
- developed after the end of Qing dynasty (more morden)
- used as secular entertainment, accompanying music in operas, weddings, funerals
- used in Cantonese opera
- wujiatou –> sanjiatou (gaohu, yangqin, qinqin) –> wujiantou today (sanjiaotou + xiao and yehu)
- percussion instruments also used
13
Q
Gaohu ( replaces erhu)
A
- developed from erhu ( but gaohu has a smaller resonator)
- more nasal sounding ( brighter and lighter tone )
- held between knees
- leading instrument
Techniques: Tremolo Vibrato Harmonics Pizzicato
14
Q
Qinqin ( replaces pipa)
A
- Chinese lute with a wooden body, slender fretted neck and 3 strings, plucked string instrument
- body can be round, hexagonal ( with rounder sides) or octagonal
15
Q
Yangqin ( guangdong)
A
- HAMMERS DO NOT HAVE RUBBER TIPS SO A LOT MORE METALLIC SOUNDING THAN JIANGNAN SIZHU
16
Q
Yehu
A
- bowed string instrument
- soundbox made from coconut shell, covered with a piece of coconut wood
- bow is placed between the 2 strings
- lower In pitch than erhu
Techniques: Tremolo Vibrato Harmonics Pizzicato
17
Q
Xiao ( replace dizi ) and
A
- vertical end blown flute made of bamboo
- gentler tone compared to dizi
- 6-8 playing holes
- available in different keys
18
Q
Performance etiquette ( jiangnan sizhu)
A
- erhu and dizi take precedence but rest of the ensemble also take turns playing prominent roles
- 1 solo instrument, the rest is background
- sensitive to the decorations of their colleagues
19
Q
Scale
A
Pentatonic scale
- notes 12356
Do re mi so la - ti and fa are used for ornaments and unessential notes
20
Q
Texture of jiangnan sizhu
A
Qupai (main melody that everyone plays)
Hetrophonic texture ( different instruments playing the same melody at the same time according to their own instrumental idiom)
Jia hua ( ornaments added onto qupai eg tremolo, vibrato)
Gong Che notation (past )
Cipher notation ( now )
21
Q
Traditional Chinese music
A
- ling Lun - legendary founder of music, come up with the 5 notes of the scale, created the bamboo flutes that could imitate the sounds of birds
- used to only be in ensemble ((5-6 ppl)) or solo
- traditional genres - folk music, court music, ensemble, solo
- during Mao era, western music became more prominent (conservatory)
- setting up of Chinese orchestra in the 1990s, brought in western instruments (( cello, double bass)) as no Chinese instrument can play such a low note
22
Q
Two types
A
Jiangnan sizhu
Guangdong
