Music of East Asia: China

China – communist republic; population 1 billion +;

ancient civilization highly influential in Asian hemisphere.

Philosophical and social purposes of Chinese music

Connecting heaven and earth to mankind by harmonizing with nature;

Moral, spiritual, social and cultural refinement of the individual;

To improve society and serve the state.

Kinds of Chinese music through history

Ancient tone magic (ritual music)

Taoist and Buddhist chant

Programmatic instrumental music (depicting nature and man)

Theater music (Peking Opera)

Ancient Chinese civilization:

Writings about music date back to ancient era; Confucius (551-479 BC);

Magic of tones used for religious ritual; harmony of heaven, earth, and man;

Ya yueh ("elegant music") - music of the Emperor

Music symbolic of the emperor maintained harmonic balance

Systematic method of determining musical scale

Symbolic instruments: eight sacred materials

5^th to 10^th century: International period

Musical influences from India (Buddhist chant) and Persia (instruments).

10^th century to 1949: National period

Development of programmatic music for chin (zither) and pipa (lute).

Programmatic music: music that depicts a scene or story

Theater music (Peking opera)

1949 - present: Communist period

Music becomes a tool to serve the state;

Traditional forms altered to create propaganda;

Cultural Revolution (1970's) - all traditional music suspect.

CD Example 28 Qin solo - Linshui (“Flowing Waters”)

CD Example 29 Pipa solo - “Ambuscade from Ten Sides”

CD Example 30 Suona ensemble piece - “Mountain Village Peddler”

CD Example 31 The Guo Brothers - "Evening Song"