Music in China Additional Genres, Instruments, People, and Such by Brian Martinez
Focus Absolutely comprehensive NOT! Ma Xiaohui Beijing Opera Sizhu ensemble (“Silk and Bamboo” ensemble) Uighur folk music Buddhist Tibetan music—not just chant Twelve Girls Band
Ma Xiaohui Former principal erhu with Shanghai Traditional Orchestra Played duet with Yo-Yo Ma on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Tours internationally as solo erhu virtuoso Plays a variety of styles: traditional music, European music, jazz, etc. ?v=cxkvCOBOIdA ?v=cxkvCOBOIdA
Beijing Opera Highly stylized stage action Minimal set design Females—impersonators only until 1930 Royal patronage Plebian appeal Includes singing, instrumental interludes and speech
Instruments of Beijing Opera Danpi (small drum, conductor) Ban (wood blocks) Huqin family Sanxian (3 stringed lute) Dizi Suona (double-reed)
Sizhu Ensemble: Context Aka “Silk and Bamboo” ensemble Found in tea houses (Some professionals, conservatories too) Musicians gather around a table Highly improvisatory Melodic embellishments known as jia hua (“adding flowers) Heterophonic texture Musicians may alternate among several instruments
Instruments of the Sizhu Enselmbe Xiao (end-blown flute) Dizi (transverse flute) Sheng Erhu Pipa Ban Biqi gu (“water chestnut drum”) Bangzi (wood block)
Uighur folk music Turkic people Many converted from Buddhism to Islam Around 15 th Century Music is important in daily life Ex: “Nazirkhom” Folk song Roots in military campaigns and processionals Sunai = double reed instr. Naghra = kettle drums
Tibetan religious music Not just chant! Instruments include Tongqin (bass horn) Gangling (bone horn) Jialing (suona) E (drums) Bujian (cymbals)
Twelve Girls Band Formed in 2001 Combines traditional and popular elements Conservatory trained musicians