Guangdong music (genre)

Guangdong music,also known asCantonese music( quảng đông âm nhạc Jyutping: gwong2dung1 jam1ngok6, Yale: gwóng-dūng yām-ngohk, Pinyin:Guǎngdōng yīnyuè) is a style of traditional Chinese instrumental music fromGuangzhouand surrounding areas inPearl River Deltaof Guangdong Province on the southern coast of China. The name of the music is not an accurate description becauseGuangdong musicis not the only music of the whole Guangdong area. Cantonese classical music especially were usually much livelier in pace and happier than those of other China provinces which is typical and the very essence of the Cantonese's character. In Guangdong, there are numerous traditionalgenresof music such asTeochew musicandHakka music(HakkaHanyueandsixian). The name of the music originated in the 1920 and 1930s when the music was popular inShanghaiballrooms in the form of "Spiritual Music" (Tinh thần âm nhạc,Jīngshěn Yīnyuè; more properly translated as "spirited music" ). As the performers were almost entirely from Guangdong, Shanghai people generalized the form of music as Guangdong music. Musically, compositions are based on tunes derived fromCantonese opera,together with new compositions from the 1920s onwards. Some pieces have influences fromjazzand Western music, usingsyncopationand triple time, and incorporating instruments such as thesaxophone,violin,guitar,piano,drum set,orxylophone.

Instrumentation

Thegaohuis the most common lead instrument used in performing Cantonese music. It was invented byLü Wencheng( lữ văn thành, 1898–1981) in the 1920s. Prior to this, theerxianwas the most common lead bowed string instrument in the Cantonese ensemble. Ensembles led by theerxianand also featuring thetiqinare calledyinggong( ngạnh cung, literally "hard bow" ) ensembles, while those led by thegaohuare calledruangong( nhuyễn cung, literally "soft bow" ) because theerxianandtiqinhave thick bamboo bows, while thegaohuhas a thinner, flexible bow.

Guangdong music gradually evolved into a string ensemble format by the 1960s, led by thegaohuwithruan,qinqin,yangqin,sanxian,yehu,tiqinand variouswoodwind(includinghouguan) andpercussioninstruments.Alto saxophone,xylophone, violin, piano, electric guitar, and drum set may also be used, in combination with traditional instruments.

Composers

• He Liutang( hà liễu đường, 1874–1933)
• Lü Wencheng( lữ văn thành, 1898－1981)
• Qiu Hechou( khâu hạc trù, 1880–1942)
• Yan Laolie( nghiêm lão liệt, c. 1850-c. 1930)

Compositions

• Baihua Ting Nao Jiu《 bách hoa đình nháo tửu 》(Drinking Uproariously at the Hundred-Flowers Pavilion) - anonymous
• Bu Bu Gao《 bộ bộ cao 》(Stepping Higher and Higher) - by Lü Wencheng
• E Ma Yao Ling《 ngạ mã diêu linh 》(Hungry Horse Shakes Its Bell) - possibly by He Liutang)
• Han Tian Lei《 hạn thiên lôi 》(Thunder in the Drought) - by Yan Laolie
• Jiao Shi Ming Qin《 tiêu thạch minh cầm 》(Playing the Qin by the Plantain-Shaped Stones) - by Lü Wencheng
• Ping Hu Qiu Yue《 bình hồ thu nguyệt 》(Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake) - by Lü Wencheng
• Qing Mei Zhu Ma《 thanh mai trúc mã 》(Childhood Sweethearts) - by Lü Wencheng
• Sailong Duojin《 tái long đoạt cẩm 》(Grabbing the Flag at the Dragon Boat Race) - by He Liutang
• Xiao Tao Hong《 tiểu đào hồng 》(Little Peach, [Blossoming] Red) - anonymous
• Yu Da Ba Jiao《 vũ đả ba tiêu 》(Rain Tapping on the Plantains) - possibly by He Liutang
• Yu Le Sheng Ping ( ngu nhạc thăng bình, by Qiu Hechou)

See also

• Guangdong Chinese Orchestra

External links

• Guangdong music page(Mandarin Chinese)