The
Chinese orchestra has had an interesting progress through the 1900’s. It’s
beginnings are traced back to the 1930’s. Before the 1930’s music and its
importance to society has been growing and developing. In the beginning
development of the traditional Chinese orchestra during the 1930’s traditional Chinese
music was played. Usually around this time frame many countries would be
westernizing their music, however China is keeping to traditional Chinese music. This trend will soon dissolve and allow further expansion into Western music and their instruments. Also, interesting to the development of Chinese orchestra, instruments have
been changed. The traditional Chinese instruments were then modernized and
standardize. Such things as standard notation and theory were introduced. Along
with the development of Chinese orchestra comes the creation of solo repertoire.
Examples of these traditional Chinese instruments are the following: Guzheng
(zither), yangqin (hammer dulcimer), pipa (pear-shaped lute with frets), yueqin
(moon-shaped lute with frets), sanxin (fretless lute), erhu (spiked fiddle),
erxian (highter pitches spike flute), dizi (flute), shang (mouth organ), and
suona (double reed instrument).
This is the first example of a traditional Chinese orchestra.The song is called "The Dream of Love" and is performed by the China Traditional Orchestra of Zhejiang. The intro is begun with a traditional Chinese instrument called a dizi. The dizi is s Chinese interpretation of the western flute.
The second example is a newer version of a Chinese orchestra. It has a westernized cello, but it was also accompanied by a yangqin (hammer dulcimer), pipa (pear-shaped lute), and yuenqin (moon-shaped lute).
This is another modern interpretation of a Chinese orchestra that combines the idea of western and Chinese instruments together to form one orchestra. This is the song called "Placid lake, Autumn Moon" and is performed by the Singapore Chinese Youth Group Orchestra.
This is an adorable orchestra. This is the Jianguo Primary school. Therefore, they do sound like an elementary school music group.
Last, but not least, is the Chinese National Orchestra performing Katy Perry's Roar in the style of traditional Chinese orchestra arrangment.
Loved the Katy Perry. :) I think its really interesting how the orchestras have so many westernized qualities and yet still maintain their own unique sound.
ReplyDeleteThose kids are indeed adorable. It's interesting that they're not using music.
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing as Dr. ME with the elementary school group...they might sound immature but the fact that they're not looking at music makes it so much more impressive.
ReplyDeleteWhat really amazes me is how musicians can get sounds out of the spike fiddle that don't make my ears bleed. It really is such a simple yet amazingly complex instrument.
ReplyDeleteThe reason that some groups use western instruments is to fill out the sound. Over decades the Chinese have slowly adopted new versions of traditional instruments to try and phase out western instruments but some groups prefer the sound of the western instruments over the new Chinese ones.
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