|
|
- Permanent Link:
- http://digital.soas.ac.uk/SOAS000053/00001
Notes
- General Note:
- 3 of 8 audio tracks
- General Note:
- The pipa is a fretted lute with four strings. This piece, in Chinese Pingsha luoyan, is one of the masterpieces of the Pinghu school of pipa and first appeared in the Hua Qiuping score in 1818. The theme is classic and is common to the repertories of the guqin (seven-string zither) and zheng (zither with moveable bridges and usually 16 strings). It depicts a group of geese flying north in late autumn and is here structured as a suite with the following sections: In Flight, Honking on a Frosty Morning, Wings Beating on the Sandy Isle, Soaring High, Sunshine Across a Thousand Miles, Changing Formations, and Homeward Bound. -- The pipa is a close relative of Korean and Japanese lutes, the pip'a and biwa, and arrived in China from Central Asia along the Silk Road in the 4th or 5th century. During the Tang dynasty (618-907), the lute gained favour over the elegant guqin and often served as a lead instrument in court ensembles. Of all Chinese instruments, the pipa has undergone the most dramatic change. The upright position of holding the instrument has gradually replaced what was once the Tang horizontal position, plucking with the fingers has replaced a plectrum, between 25 and 27 frets have been added to the neck and body, and traditional silk strings have given way to steel. -- The pipa is deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of many Chinese social groups. It shares with the zither an important historical role in the self-cultivation of the elites and aristocracy of imperial dynasties. At the same time, it features prominently in the earthy folk styles of, for example, the Silk and Bamboo ensembles of Shanghai. It is also the key instrument for Nanguan ballad singing in Fujian on the south-east coast. Pipa music is famed for its uniquely rich expression. Four contrasting styles are distinguished in traditional solo repertories: wen (civil), wu (martial), da (suites) and xiao (individual). Civil pieces are typically slow, poetic and refined, expressing the beauty of nature and intimate feelings. Martial pieces are frenetic and dramatic, and often offer vivid depictions of battles and historical events. The suite style moderates both the civil and martial characteristics and is usually lively and rhythmic, while individual pieces are short—usually with 68 beats.
- General Note:
- Copyright 1998. SOAS University of London
- General Note:
- Funded in part by a grant from the Arts & Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- SOAS University of London
- Rights Management:
- All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
- Resource Identifier:
- SOASIS CD 01 ( SOAS Information Systems number )
|
|
