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| '''''Chaozhou xianshi''''' (wikt:潮州|潮州]]</ref> It is found in northeastern ] and parts of Fujian<ref>Anon, ''Sizhu yue : musique poétique à cordes de Chaozhou'', China.org, retrieved April 2009</ref> and also in regions with overseas Chaozhou populations, such as Singapore, Thailand, and the United States. The ] region of Guangdong, bordering on Fujian and comprising the cities of ], ] and ], forms its own cultural sphere. In teahouses tea is often accompanied by Chaozhou music. | |||
| {{Confusing|date=February 2009}} | |||
| '''''Chaozhou xianshi''''' (]]; also called simply '''''xianshi''''' music) is a type of ''sizhu'' music indigenous to the ] region at the northeastern part of ] province in ]. It is also performed in regions with overseas Chaozhou populations, such as Singapore, Thailand, and the United States. | |||
| Developed from a fusion of elements, popular song, arias of Chinese opera, ancient melodies and pieces of Buddhist music,<ref>Anon, ''Sizhu yue : musique poétique à cordes de Chaozhou'', China.org, retrieved April 2009</ref> ''Xianshi'' music falls into two styles: ''Rujia yue'' is music of the Confucian school that can be performed as an independent instrumental music genre or at weddings and other ceremonies and that aims at elegance and nobility, while ''Pengding yue'' is principally the music of the theatre, though it may be played independently: it cultivates a sober, rustic style.<ref>Anon, ''Sizhu yue : musique poétique à cordes de Chaozhou''</ref> | |||
| ''Xianshi'' music is respected as one of the oldest Chaozhou musical traditions which has developed from a fusion of elements from various northern musical genres. | |||
| The instruments most commonly employed include several varieties of two-stringed bowed lutes; the ''zixian'' (字弦) '']'' or ''touxian'' ((头弦) the lead instrument in the ''Kejia'' style, shorter and higher-pitched than the ''erxian''), the ] (of lower pitch than the ''zixian'', adapted from the Cantonese '']'') and the big and small yehu (coconut shell body), as well as several types of plucked lutes; the '']'', big and small '']'' (a fretless bass instrument like the '']''), '']'' (four-stringed with short, fretted neck and round body), ''ruan'' (four-stringed with long, fretted neck and round body) and meihuaqin. Other than this, the ''zheng'' (zither) and '']'' (a hammered dulcimer thought to derive from the Iranian ]) are played as well as percussion instruments, a hand-held wooden clapper (''muban''), a pair of "temple" blocks (''daban'' and ''fuban'') that mark the beat and a small drum (''zhegu'').<ref>Prof. Mercedes M. Dujunco, ''The Birth of a New Mode?''</ref> | |||
| ''Xianshi'' music can be performed in the following contexts: | |||
| #As an independent instrumental music genre, performed at weddings or other auspicious ceremonial events | |||
| #As an accompaniment to some of the musical passages in ] | |||
| The ten characteristic compositions of Xianshi yue are | |||
| ==Repertory== | |||
| * ''Zhaojun yuan'' (Grief of Wang Zhaojun ), | |||
| The "ten great suites" are the best known pieces of the ''xianshi'' repertory. These pieces use the suite structure. Most pieces have 68 beats. | |||
| * ''Xiaotaohong'' | |||
| * ''Hanya xishui'' (Jackdaws Play in the Water), | |||
| * ''Huangli ci'' (The Oriole's Cry ), | |||
| * ''Yue'er gao'' (High Moon), | |||
| * ''Dababan'' | |||
| * ''Pingsha luoyan'' (Flock of Geese on the Shore) , | |||
| * ''Fengqiuhuang'' (The Male Phoenix Seeks the Female), | |||
| * ''Wulianhuan'' (Five Knots of the Chain) | |||
| * ''Jinshang tianhua'' (Adding Flowers upon Brocade).<ref>Anon, ''Sizhu yue : musique poétique à cordes de Chaozhou''</ref> | |||
| The form of each of these pieces resembles a ] (''taoqu'') of ] upon a stock melody ('']'' or "noted tune"). These are called ''ban'' or "beat" variations and follow an ordered sequence with changes of tempo and measure (most pieces have six or eight beat measures). ] and ] of the melody is used, so that it may repeatedly double in speed through the variations. The technique of ''cui'' introduces a ] filling in of the melody with ] such as repeated notes and neighbouring or ]s. Perfect-fourth transposition of the melody (''fan'') also occurs, though the tonal centre remains constant. | |||
| ==Tuning system== | |||
| Instruments are generally tuned to a seven-tone equidistant temperament. Two common modes are ''qingliu'' (轻六, literally "light six"] and ''zhongliu'' (重六, literally "heavy 6"). ''Qingliu'' uses the sol-la-do-re-mi scale structure while ''zhongliu'' uses the sol-ti-do-re-fa structure. While ''qingliu'' is associated with liveliness and joy, ''zhongliu'' is associated with melancholy. | |||
| Four or five main ]s (''diao'') are traditionally identified. However, while elsewhere in China such modes are mainly defined by absolute pitch and by the degree of the ] scale that is taken as the ]-note (thus setting the ] of the ]), the xianshi conception of mode, rather like the Indian ] system, includes ], ] and intonation. Pitch is not absolute but the scale is usually constructed on a key-note approximating to western concert F - F#. Modes are pentatonic but all derive from a seven-note scale: no notice is taken of the starting and finishing tones of the melody in determining the mode and the key-note remains the same in every mode. Tunes may be adapted to a new mode, but the mode remains constant throughout any performance of the suite. | |||
| ==Characteristic instruments== | |||
| ===Bowed strings=== | |||
| *Zixian 字弦 (2-string fiddle, also known as '']'', adopted from the Hakka ''touxian'' 头弦) | |||
| *] (2-string fiddle of lower pitch than the ''zixian'', adapted from the Cantonese '']'') | |||
| *] (2-string fiddle with coconut shell body; comes in small and large sizes) | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| Apart from the major pentatonic scale two further tones, corresponding to a (sharp) perfect fourth and a (flat) major seventh, are employed. The "missing" steps of the scale in each mode may be used in ornament but are not part of main mode structure. The mode ''qingsan qingliu'' ("Light III Light VI") is the standard major pentatonic. But ''qingsan zhongliu'' ("Light III Heavy VI") calls for a heavy string-pressure upon the sixth degree, raising it to the seventh. ''Zhongsan zhongliu'' ("Heavy III Heavy VI"), similarly, applies this upward string-bend to the third degree as well, raising it to the fourth. The fourth common scale, called ''Huowu'' ("Live V"), resembles this last but avoids the plain third degree and instead uses a heavy vibrato on the second degree. This is said to be the most characteristic mode of the region.<ref>Prof. Mercedes M. Dujunco, ''The Birth of a New Mode?</ref> | |||
| ===Stuck and plucked strings=== | |||
| *] | |||
| Chaozhou drum music includes the big drum and gong, the small drum and gong, the dizi set drum and dong and su drum and gong ensembles. The current Chaozhou drum music is said to be similar to the form of the Drum and Wind Music of the Han and Tang Dynasties. | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| The Chaozhou '']'' (潮州古筝) is also regarded as a major member of the southern guzheng family. | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| ==Further reading== | |||
| *''Asian Music Tradition'', v. 2, 2005 | *''Asian Music Tradition'', v. 2, 2005 | ||
Revision as of 03:24, 4 May 2009
Chaozhou xianshi (wikt:潮州|潮州]][[wikt:弦诗|弦诗, literally "Chaozhou string-poem"; also called xianshi yue or "string-poem music") is classed as a type of sizhu music (chamber music for strings and woodwind, literally "silk/bamboo") although it typically uses stringed instruments only. It is found in northeastern Guangdong and parts of Fujian and also in regions with overseas Chaozhou populations, such as Singapore, Thailand, and the United States. The Chaoshan region of Guangdong, bordering on Fujian and comprising the cities of Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang, forms its own cultural sphere. In teahouses tea is often accompanied by Chaozhou music.
Developed from a fusion of elements, popular song, arias of Chinese opera, ancient melodies and pieces of Buddhist music, Xianshi music falls into two styles: Rujia yue is music of the Confucian school that can be performed as an independent instrumental music genre or at weddings and other ceremonies and that aims at elegance and nobility, while Pengding yue is principally the music of the theatre, though it may be played independently: it cultivates a sober, rustic style.
The instruments most commonly employed include several varieties of two-stringed bowed lutes; the zixian (字弦) erxian or touxian ((头弦) the lead instrument in the Kejia style, shorter and higher-pitched than the erxian), the tihu (of lower pitch than the zixian, adapted from the Cantonese gaohu) and the big and small yehu (coconut shell body), as well as several types of plucked lutes; the pipa, big and small sanxian (a fretless bass instrument like the shamisen), qinqin (four-stringed with short, fretted neck and round body), ruan (four-stringed with long, fretted neck and round body) and meihuaqin. Other than this, the zheng (zither) and yangqin (a hammered dulcimer thought to derive from the Iranian santur) are played as well as percussion instruments, a hand-held wooden clapper (muban), a pair of "temple" blocks (daban and fuban) that mark the beat and a small drum (zhegu).
The ten characteristic compositions of Xianshi yue are
- Zhaojun yuan (Grief of Wang Zhaojun ),
- Xiaotaohong
- Hanya xishui (Jackdaws Play in the Water),
- Huangli ci (The Oriole's Cry ),
- Yue'er gao (High Moon),
- Dababan
- Pingsha luoyan (Flock of Geese on the Shore) ,
- Fengqiuhuang (The Male Phoenix Seeks the Female),
- Wulianhuan (Five Knots of the Chain)
- Jinshang tianhua (Adding Flowers upon Brocade).
The form of each of these pieces resembles a suite (taoqu) of variations upon a stock melody (qupai or "noted tune"). These are called ban or "beat" variations and follow an ordered sequence with changes of tempo and measure (most pieces have six or eight beat measures). Augmentation and diminution of the melody is used, so that it may repeatedly double in speed through the variations. The technique of cui introduces a division-like filling in of the melody with figures such as repeated notes and neighbouring or passing notes. Perfect-fourth transposition of the melody (fan) also occurs, though the tonal centre remains constant.
Four or five main modes (diao) are traditionally identified. However, while elsewhere in China such modes are mainly defined by absolute pitch and by the degree of the pentatonic scale that is taken as the key-note (thus setting the intervals of the scale), the xianshi conception of mode, rather like the Indian raga system, includes motif, ornament and intonation. Pitch is not absolute but the scale is usually constructed on a key-note approximating to western concert F - F#. Modes are pentatonic but all derive from a seven-note scale: no notice is taken of the starting and finishing tones of the melody in determining the mode and the key-note remains the same in every mode. Tunes may be adapted to a new mode, but the mode remains constant throughout any performance of the suite.
Apart from the major pentatonic scale two further tones, corresponding to a (sharp) perfect fourth and a (flat) major seventh, are employed. The "missing" steps of the scale in each mode may be used in ornament but are not part of main mode structure. The mode qingsan qingliu ("Light III Light VI") is the standard major pentatonic. But qingsan zhongliu ("Light III Heavy VI") calls for a heavy string-pressure upon the sixth degree, raising it to the seventh. Zhongsan zhongliu ("Heavy III Heavy VI"), similarly, applies this upward string-bend to the third degree as well, raising it to the fourth. The fourth common scale, called Huowu ("Live V"), resembles this last but avoids the plain third degree and instead uses a heavy vibrato on the second degree. This is said to be the most characteristic mode of the region.
Chaozhou drum music includes the big drum and gong, the small drum and gong, the dizi set drum and dong and su drum and gong ensembles. The current Chaozhou drum music is said to be similar to the form of the Drum and Wind Music of the Han and Tang Dynasties.
The Chaozhou guzheng (潮州古筝) is also regarded as a major member of the southern guzheng family.
References
- Prof. Mercedes M. Dujunco, The Birth of a New Mode? Modal Entities in the Chaozhou Xianshi String Ensemble Music Tradition of Guangdong, South China, in Ethnomusicology Online, Issue 8, 2003, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, retrieved April 2009
- Anon, Sizhu yue : musique poétique à cordes de Chaozhou, China.org, retrieved April 2009
- Anon, Sizhu yue : musique poétique à cordes de Chaozhou, China.org, retrieved April 2009
- Anon, Sizhu yue : musique poétique à cordes de Chaozhou
- Prof. Mercedes M. Dujunco, The Birth of a New Mode?
- Anon, Sizhu yue : musique poétique à cordes de Chaozhou
- Prof. Mercedes M. Dujunco, The Birth of a New Mode?
Further reading
- Asian Music Tradition, v. 2, 2005