Guzheng

The ''guzheng'', also spelled ''gu zheng'' or ''gu-zheng'' or ''zheng'' is a traditional musical instrument. It belongs to the zither family of string instruments.

The ''guzheng'' is the parent instrument of the Japanese '''', the Mongolian ''yatga'', the Korean ''gayageum'', and the Vietnamese ''&''. The parent instrument of the ''guzheng'' is the ''''.

The ''guzheng'' should not to be confused with the ''guqin'' .

Description

The modern-day ''guzheng'' is a plucked, half-tube zither with movable bridges and 21 strings, although it can have anywhere from 15 to 25 strings . The ''guzheng's'' strings were formerly made of twisted silk, though by the 20th century most players used metal strings . Since the mid-20th century most performers use steel strings flatwound with nylon.

The ''guzheng'' has a large resonant cavity made from ''wu tong'' wood . Other components may be made from other woods, usually for structural and decorative purposes.

History

The ancestry of the ''guzheng'' can be traced back to two other Chinese plucked zithers, the '''' and the ''guqin''. The ''guzheng'' has existed since the Warring States Period and became especially popular during the Qin dynasty. The number of strings on the ''guzheng'' has always fluctuated, as we have as few as 6 to as many as 23 strings during the Tang dynasty. The earliest record of the ''guzheng'' in ''Shi Ji'' is attributed to the historian Sima Qian in 91 BC.


Until 1961, the common ''guzheng'' had 16 strings, although by the mid-20th century 18-string ''guzhengs'' were also in use. In 1961 Xu Zhengao together with Wang Xunzhi introduced the first 21-string ''guzheng'' after two years of research and development. In 1961, they also invented the "S-shaped" left string rest, which was quickly adopted by all ''guzheng'' makers and is still used today, whether in the shape of the letter "S", "C", etc. This curve allows for greater ease in tuning the strings and, combined with strings of varied thickness, allows for greater resonance in both the deeper and higher pitch ranges; this timbre was a result of simply adding more strings to the instrument, a problem encountered in the making of the "improved" gayageums of North Korea. The 21-string zheng is the most commonly used, but some traditional musicians still use the 16-string, especially along the southeastern coastal provinces of China and in Taiwan.

The ''guzheng'' is tuned to a pentatonic scale, the 16-string zheng is tuned to give three complete octaves, while the 21-string zheng has four complete octaves.

Playing styles and performers

There are many techniques used in the playing of the ''guzheng'', including basic plucking actions at the right portion and pressing actions at the left portion as well as tremolo . These techniques of playing the ''guzheng'' can create sounds that can evoke the sense of a cascading waterfall, thunder, horses' hooves, and even the scenic countryside. Plucking is done mainly by the right hand with four attached to the fingers. Advanced players may use picks attached to the fingers of both hands. In more traditional performances however, plectra are used solely on the right hand, reflecting its use for melodic purposes and its relative importance in comparison to the left hand which is used solely for purposes of ornamentation. Ancient picks were made of ivory and later also from tortoise shell. Ornamentation includes a tremolo involving the right thumb and index finger rapidly and repeatedly plucking the same note. Another commonly used ornamentation is a wide vibrato, achieved by repeatedly pressing with the left hand on the left side of the bridge. This technique is used liberally in Chinese music, as well as in Korean ''gayageum'' music but is used only rarely in the music of the Japanese koto.

In arrangements of ''guqin'' pieces, harmonics are frequently used, along with single-string glissandi, evoking the sound of the ''guqin''. Harmonics are achieved by lightly placing the left hand in the middle of the string while plucking on the right end of string.

The ''guzheng's'' pentatonic scale is tuned to Do, Re, Mi, So and La, but Fa and Ti can also be produced by pressing the strings to the left of the bridges. Well known pieces for the instrument include ''Yu Zhou Chang Wan'' , ''Gao Shan Liu Shui'' and ''Han Gong Qiu Yue'' .



Two broad playing styles can be identified as Northern and Southern, although many traditional regional styles still exist. The Northern styles is associated with Henan and Shandong while the Southern style is with the Chaozhou and Hakka regions of eastern Guangdong. Both ''Gao Shan Liu Shui'' and ''Han Gong Qiu Yue'' are from the Shandong school, while ''Han ya xi shui'' and
''Chu shui lian'' are major pieces of the Chaozhou and Hakka repertories respectively.

Important players and teachers in the 20th century include Wang Xunzhi who popularized the Wulin ''zheng'' school based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang; Lou Shuhua, who rearranged a traditional ''guzheng'' piece and named it ''Yu zhou chang wan''; Liang Tsai-Ping , who edited the first ''guzheng'' teaching manual, ''Nizheng pu'' in 1938; Cao Dongfu , from Henan; Gao Zicheng and Zhao Yuzhai , both from Shandong; Su Wenxian ; Guo Ying and Lin Maogen , both from Chaozhou; the Hakka Luo Jiuxiang ; and Cao Guifen and Cao Zheng , both of whom trained in the Henan school. The Cao family from Henan are known for being masters of the ''guzheng''.

Many new pieces have been composed since the 1950s which used new playing techniques such as the playing of harmony and counterpoint by the left hand. Pieces in this new style include ''Qing feng nian'' , ''Zhan tai feng'' and the ''guzheng'' concerto "Miluo River Fantasia" . Contemporary experimental atonal pieces have been composed since the 1980s.

A more modern playing technique is using the left hand to provide harmony and bass notes, heavily influenced by the theory of Western music. This allows for greater flexibility in the instruments musical range, allowing for harmonic progression. This however also has its limitations, as it prevents the subtle ornamentations provided by the left hand in more traditional music. Students of the guzheng who take the Beijing Conservatory examinations are required to learn a repertoire of pieces both traditional and modern.

Twelve Girls Band is a contemporary Chinese instrumental group that features the ''guzheng'' as well as other traditional Chinese instruments such as the ''erhu'' and ''pipa''. They perform traditional Chinese music as well as Western popular and classical music.

The guzheng in other genres

The ''guzheng'' has been used by the Chinese performer in the rock band of Cui Jian, as well as in free improvised music. Zhang Yan used it in a jazz context, performing and recording with Asian American jazz bandleader Jon Jang. Other zheng players who perform in non-traditional styles include Randy Raine-Reusch, Mei Han, Zi Lan Liao, Levi Chen, Andreas Vollenweider, Jaron Lanier, Mike Hovancsek, Chih-Lin Chou, and David Sait. The American composer Lou Harrison played and composed for the instrument. Jerusalem based multi-instrumentalist Bradley Fish is the most widely recorded artist of loops for the ''guzheng''. Fish is known for using the ''guzheng'' with a rock-influenced style and electronic effects on his 1996 collaboration "The Aquarium Conspiracy" with Sugarcubes/Bj& drummer Sigtryggur Baldursson. The virtual band Gorillaz used the ''guzheng'' in their song "Hong Kong" from the ''Help!: A Day in the Life'' compilation .

Contemporary works for ''guzheng'' have been written by such non-Chinese composers as Halim El-Dabh, Kevin Austin, and Jon Foreman.

In the television drama series , actress Ruby Lin's character plays the guzheng, although she mimes to the music.

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* by Bradley Fish, with steel-string acoustic guitar and ''guzheng''
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Konghou

The ''konghou'' is an ancient harp. The ''konghou'', also known as ''kanhou'', went extinct sometime in the Ming Dynasty, but was revived in the 20th century. The modern instrument does not resemble the ancient one.

The main feature that distinguishes the modern ''konghou'' from the Western is that the modern ''konghou'''s strings are folded over to make two rows, which enables players to use advanced playing techniques such as vibrato and . The two rows of strings also make it suitable for playing fast rhythms and overtones.

History

*Wo-konghou or horizontal ''konghou'' first mentioned in written texts in the Spring and Autumn period .
*Su-konghou or vertical ''konghou'' first appeared in the Eastern Han Dynasty .
*The phoenix-headed ''konghou'' was introduced from India in the Eastern Jin Dynasty .

The ''konghou'' was used to play ''yayue'' in the Kingdom of Chu. During the Han Dynasty the ''konghou'' was used in ''qingshangyue'' . Beginning in the Sui Dynasty , the ''konghou'' was also used in ''yanyue'' . ''Konghou'' playing was most prevalent in the Sui and dynasties. It was generally played in rites and ceremonies and gradually prevailed among the ordinary people.

The ''konghou'' in other places

The instrument was adopted in the ancient times in Korea, where it was called ''gonghu'' , but it is no longer used there. There were three subtypes according to shape:
*Sogonghu
*Sugonghu
*Wagonghu

Similarly, the ''kudaragoto'' of Japan was in use in some Togaku performances during the Nara period, but seems to have died out by the 10th century. It has recently been revived in Japan, and the Japanese composer Mamoru Fujieda has composed for it.

Notable ''konghou'' players

*Cui Junzhi

Video

* from The Musical Instruments E-book

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Pipa

The ''pipa'' is a plucked string instrument. Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body. It has been played for nearly two thousand years in China, and belongs to the plucked category of instruments . Several related instruments in and Southeast Asia are derived from the ''pipa''; these include the Japanese ''biwa'', the Vietnamese ''&'', and the Korean ''bipa''. The Korean instrument is the only one of the three that is no longer used. Attempts to revive the instrument have failed, although examples survive in museums.

Playing and performance

The name "pípá" is made up of two Chinese syllables, "pí" and "pá" . These are the two most common ways of playing this instrument. "Pí" is to push the fingers of the right hand from right to left, thus more than one finger can be used at a time striking multiple notes, and "pá" is to pull the thumb of the right hand from left to right, in the opposite direction. The strings were originally played using a large plectrum in the Tang Dynasty, then gradually replaced by the fingernails of the right hand. Since the revolutions in Chinese instrument making during the 20th century, the softer twisted silk strings of earlier times have been exchanged for nylon-wound steel strings, which are far too strong for human fingernails, so false nails are now used, constructed of plastic or tortoise-shell, and affixed to the fingertips with the player's choice of elastic tape.

Evolution and construction

Prototypes of the ''pipa'' already existed in China in the Qin Dynasty . At that time, there were two types of ''pipa''. One was straight-necked, with a round sound box constructed from lacquered Paulownia wood, and two faces mounted with leather. The other was believed to be inspired by the primitive forms of '''', ''konghou'', and ''''. It also has a straight neck, a round sound box, and also four strings, along with twelve standards of notes. This model was later developed into the instrument known today as the ruan. The modern ''pipa'' is closer to the instrument which originated in Persia/Middle-East and was introduced into China beginning in the late .

By the Tang era, the ''pipa'' had become popular in the imperial court. It had a crooked neck, 4 or 5 silk strings, and 5 or 6 frets, and was played with a plectrum in a horizontal position. As the ages went by, the crooked neck was replaced by a straight one, the number of frets increased to between 14 or 16, and to 17, 24, 29, or 30 in the 20th century. The 14- or 16-fret ''pipa'' had frets arranged in approximately equivalent to the western tone and semitone, starting at the nut, the intervals were T-S-S-S-T-S-S-S-T-T-3/4-3/4-T-T-3/4-3/4, . In the 1920s and 1930s, the number of frets was increased to 24, based on the 12 tone equal temperament scale, with all the intervals being semitones. Since then the number of frets has been extended to 29 or 30. The traditional 16-fret ''pipa'' is becoming less common, although it is still used in some regional styles such as the ''pipa'' in the southern genre of ''nanguan''/nanyin. The plectrum was replaced by fingernails and the horizontal playing position was replaced by the vertical position. During this time, the five-stringed ''pipa'' became lost, although in the early 21st century it was revived by the Beijing-born, London-resident ''pipa'' performer , who performs on a modernized modeled on the Tang dynasty instrument, which she researched and commissioned to be made.

The ''pipa'' became a favourite in the Tang Dynasty, during which time and Kuchan performers and teachers were in demand in the capital, Chang'an . Many delicately carved ''pipa''s with beautiful inlaid patterns date from this period. Masses of ''pipa''-playing Buddhist semi-deities are depicted in the wall paintings of the Mogao Caves near Dunhuang.

The ''pipa'' is referred to frequently in Tang Dynasty poetry, where it is often praised for its refinement and delicacy of tone. Bai Juyi's famous "" describes a chance encounter with a female ''pipa'' player on the Yangtze River:

:大絃嘈嘈如急雨 : The bold strings rattled like splatters of sudden rain,
:小絃切切如私語 : The fine strings hummed like lovers' whispers.
:嘈嘈切切錯雜彈 : Chattering and pattering, pattering and chattering,
:大珠小珠落玉盤 : As pearls, large and small, on a jade plate fall.

The instrument was imported into Japan during the Tang Dynasty as well as into other regions such as Korea and Vietnam.

Repertoire

There are numerous ''pipa'' pieces in the common repertoire which can be split into four distinctive styles: 「文」 wen , 「武」 wu , 「大」 da , and 「小」 xiao .

Famous pieces include
*''Ambushed from Ten Sides''
*''Flute and Drum at Sunset''
*''White Snow in Spring Sunlight''
*''Dragon Boat''
*''Dance of the Yi People''
*''Big Waves Pushing the Sand''
*''Zhaojun Outside the Frontier''
*''King Takes Off His Armour''
*''Green Waist'' .
*''Moonlit River in Spring'' .

On top of these traditional melodies, new pieces are constantly being composed, most of which follow a more Western structure.

Use in contemporary classical music

In the late 20th century, largely through the efforts of Wu Man, Min Xiao-Fen, and other performers, Chinese and Western began to create new works for the ''pipa'' . Most prominent among these are Terry Riley, Philip Glass, Lou Harrison, Tan Dun, Bright Sheng, , Zhou Long, Bun-Ching Lam, and Carl Stone.

Performers

In the 20th century, two of the most prominent ''pipa'' players were Sun Yude and Li Tingsong . Both were pupils of Wang Yuting , and both were active in establishing and promoting ''guoyue'' , a combination of traditional regional musics and Western musical practices. Sun performed in the United States, Asia, and Europe, and in 1956 became deputy director of the ''Shanghai minzu yuetuan'' . As well as being one of the leading ''pipa'' players of his generation, Li held many academic positions and also carried out research on ''pipa'' scales and temperament. Wei Zhongle played many instruments, including the ''guqin''. In the early 1950s, he founded the traditional instruments department at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Lin Shicheng , born in Shanghai, began learning music under his father and was taught by Shen Haochu , a leading player in the Pudong school style of ''pipa'' playing. He also qualified as a doctor of Chinese medicine. In 1956, after working for some years in Shanghai, Lin accepted a position at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Liu Dehai also born in Shanghai, was a student of Lin Shicheng and in 1961 graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Liu also studied with other musicians and has developed a style that combines elements from several different schools.

Prominent students of Lin Shicheng include Liu Guilian , Wu Man and Gao Hong . Wu, who is probably the best known ''pipa'' player internationally, received the first-ever master's degree in ''pipa'' and won China's first National Academic Competition for Chinese Instruments. She lives in , California and works extensively with Chinese, cross-cultural, new music, and jazz groups. Shanghai-born Liu Guilian graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music and became the director of the Shanghai Pipa Society, and a member of the Chinese Musicians Association and Chinese National Orchestral Society, before immigrating to Canada. She now performs with Red Chamber and the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble. Gao Hong graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music and was the first to do a joint tour with Lin Shicheng in North America. They recorded the critically-acclaimed CD ''Hunting Eagles Catching Swans'' together.


Other contemporary players who have introduced the ''pipa'' to North America, Europe, or Japan include Min Xiao-Fen, , Yang Wei , , , , Qiu Xia He, Liu Fang, , , , and Ma Jie .

Prominent ''pipa'' players in China include Yu Jia , Wu Yu Xia , Zhang Qiang , Fang JinLung , and Fan Wei .

Use in other genres

The ''pipa'' has also been used in rock music; the California-based band featured it in their 2001 song "Aqueous Transmission," as played by the group's guitarist, Mike Einziger. The Shanghai progressive/folk-rock band Cold Fairyland, which was formed in 2001, also use ''pipa'' , sometimes multi-tracking it in their recordings.

Electric pipa

An electric pipa is a plucked string instrument which modifies a traditional Chinese lute called a "pipa" by adding electric guitar-style magnetic pickups which allow the instrument to be amplified through an instrument amplifier or PA system.

Recordings

*Lin, Shicheng, and Gao, Hong . ''''. IFTPA .

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Sanxian

The ''sanxian'' is a lute — a three-stringed fretless plucked musical instrument. It has a long fingerboard, and the body is traditionally made from snakeskin stretched over a rounded rectangular resonator. It is made in several sizes for different purposes and in the late 20th century a four-stringed version was also developed. The northern sanxian is generally larger, at about 122 cm in length, while southern versions of the instrument are usually about 95 cm in length.


The sanxian has a dry, somewhat percussive tone and loud volume similar to the banjo. The larger sizes have a of three octaves. It is primarily used as an accompanying instrument, as well as in ensembles and of traditional Chinese instruments, though solo pieces and concertos also exist. Its use in ensembles tends to be analogous to the bass part of continuo. The sanxian is used in ''nanguan'' and ''Jiangnan sizhu'' ensembles, as well as many other folk and classical ensembles.

Traditionally the instrument is plucked with a thin, hard plectrum made from animal horn but today most players use a plastic plectrum or, alternately, their fingernails. This use of fingers to pluck the instrument often shares technique with that of the ''pipa'' and is most commonly used in performance of ''sanxian'' arrangements of works traditionally written for the ''pipa''. This allows for ''pipa'' techniques such as tremolo to be used. Other techniques for ''sanxian'' include the use of harmonics and hitting the skin of the instrument with the plectra or fingernail .

A closely related musical instrument is the Japanese ''shamisen'', which is derived from the ''sanxian'' but which generally uses cat or dog skin rather than snakeskin to cover its resonator. Even more closely related is the Okinawan ''sanshin'', which is also covered in snakeskin. Additionally, the ''sanshin'' and ''sanxian'' share a structurally similar body part consisting of a round-edged square of wood. In the Japanese ''shamisen'', the body is made of four pieces of wood instead of one. The Vietnamese ''&'' is also very similar to the ''sanxian''.

In addition to its use in traditional and classical Chinese music, some popular and rock musicians have used the sanxian, most notably the singer .

Although the ''sanxian'' has historically been one of the most popular Chinese folk instruments , a major decline in the number of sanxian players in classical contexts has been the cause of great concern among enthusiasts of the instrument. As many Chinese orchestras exclude the sanxian, many people are unwilling to learn this instrument. Even in China, very few conservatories offer majors in ''sanxian'', and the small number of students of this instrument, as compared to the ''guzheng'' or ''pipa'', for example, have led to further concerns that the instrument's rich playing traditions may be lost forever. One reason for this is the fact that, unlike the shamisen in Japan, the sanxian lacks an original solo repertoire of its own, with most sanxian solo pieces being arrangements of ''pipa'' melodies, as in the case of "Big Waves Wash Against the Sands". For the most part, use of the sanxian in the Chinese orchestra is as a provider of a de facto bass line. Also, as the neck of the da sanxian is particularly long, there is a great deal of limitation on how virtuosic a sanxian player can be. This is not an issue in the smaller saxian, which are closer in size to the Japanese ''shamisen''.

Like the ''shamisen'', the ''sanxian'' is an instrument particularly susceptible to humidity, although the snake skin used in the ''sanxian'' is somewhat more durable than the membranes of the ''shamisen''. As such, storing the ''sanxian'' in an environment that is less humid can aid in prolonging the life of the snake skin resonator. Many musicians put silica gel in the instrument case to help keep the case from becoming overly humid.

Video

* from The Musical Instruments E-book
* Japan-based Sanxian performer.

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Ruan

The ''ruan'' is a plucked string instrument. It is a lute with a fretted neck, a circular body, and four strings. Its strings were formerly made of silk but since the 20th century they have been made of steel . The modern ''ruan'' has 24 frets with 12 semitones on each string, which has greatly expanded its range from a previous 13 frets. The frets are commonly made of ivory. Or in recent times, metal mounted on wood. The metal frets produce a brighter tone as compared to the ivory frets.

It comes in a family of five sizes:

*Soprano: ''Gaoyinruan''
*Alto: ''Xiaoruan''
*Tenor: ''Zhongruan''
*: ''Daruan''
*Contrabass: ''Diyinruan''

The ''ruan'' is now most commonly used in Chinese opera and the Chinese orchestra, where it belongs to the plucked string section.

Playing techniques and usage

The instrument can be played using a plectrum similar to a guitar pick , or using a set of two or five acrylic nails that are affixed to the fingers with adhesive tape. Mainstream ''ruan'' players use plectrums, though there are some schools which teach the fingernail technique, similar to that of the ''pipa''. ''Pipa'' players who play ''ruan'' as a second instrument also often use their fingernails. Plectrums produce a louder and more clear tone, while fingernails allow the performance of polyphonic solo music. The instrument produces a mellow tone.

In Chinese orchestras, only the ''zhongruan'' and ''daruan'' are commonly used, to fill in the tenor and bass section of the plucked string section. Occasionally the ''gaoyinruan'' is used to substitute the high-pitched ''liuqin''.

''Daruan'' soloists generally use the D-A-D-A tuning, as it allows for the easy performance of diatonic chords. Some orchestral players tune to C-G-D-A, which is exactly the same as cello tuning. The advantage of using C-G-D-A in orchestras is so that the ''daruan'' can easily double the cello part.

A ''ruan'' ensemble consists of two or more members of the ''ruan'' family, for instance, an ensemble of the ''xiaoruan'', ''zhongruan'' and ''daruan''. The wide range covered by the ''ruan'', its easily blended tone quality, and the variety of soprano, alto, tenor, bass, and contrabass instruments all make ''ruan'' ensembles very effective in playing polyphonic music.

History

With a history of over 2000 years, the ''ruan'' has gone by several names: the ''qin pipa'' , and ''yueqin'' . According to the ''Pipa Annals'' 《琵琶赋》 by Bo Xuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the ''ruan'' was designed after revision of other Chinese plucked string instruments of the day, including the Chinese zither, ''zheng'' , '''', and ''konghou'' , or Chinese harp. The ''ruan'' came to be named after Ruan Xian , one of the reputed "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" of the Six Dynasties period in ancient China, who was a highly skilled master musician of the ''ruan''.

The famed Tang poet Bai Juyi once penned a poem about the ''ruan'':

:掩抑复凄清，非琴不是筝。还弹乐府曲，别占阮家名。古调何人知，初闻满座惊。

''Laruan''

In addition to the plucked ''ruan'' instruments mentioned above, there also exist a family of bowed string instruments called '''' and ''dalaruan'' . Both are bowed bass register instruments designed as alternatives to the ''gehu'' and ''diyingehu'' in large orchestras of Chinese traditional instruments. These instruments correspond to the cello and double bass in range. Chinese orchestras currently using the ''laruan'' and ''dalaruan'' include the China National Traditional Orchestra and Central Broadcasting National Orchestra, the latter formerly conducted by the late maestro Peng Xiuwen .

''Ruan'' repertoire

A famous work in the zhongruan repertoire is the ''zhongruan'' concerto "Reminiscences of Yunnan" 《云南回忆》 by Liu Xing , the first full-scale concerto for the ''zhongruan'' and the Chinese orchestra. This work finally established the ''zhongruan'' as an instrument capable of playing solo with the Chinese orchestra.

Some works for the ''ruan'':

*《满江红》 Red Fills the River - ''zhongruan'' concerto
*《汉琵琶情》 Love of the Han Pipa - ''zhongruan'' concerto
*《玉关引》 Narration of Yuguan - ''ruan'' quartet
*《山韵》 Mountain Tune - ''zhongruan'' concerto
*《塞外音诗》 Sound Poem Beyond The Great Wall- ''zhongruan'' concerto
*《泼水节》The Water Festival- ''Ruan'' Tecerto
*《睡莲》 Water Lilies- ''zhongruan'' solo
*《火把节之夜》 Night of the Torch Festival- ''zhongruan'' solo （林吉良曲）
*《翠华山的传说》

Some of 刘星's compositions for the ruan:

*《云南回忆》 Reminiscences of Yunnan - ''zhongruan'' concerto
*《山歌》''zhongruan'' solo
*《月光》''zhongruan'' solo
*《孤芳自赏》''zhongruan'' solo
*《天地之间》
第六号-异想天开 ''zhongruan'' duet
第七号- 夜长梦多 ''zhongruan'' solo
第十一号-心不在焉 ''zhongruan'' solo
*《流连忘返》''zhongruan'' solo
*《随心所欲》''zhongruan'' solo
*《回心转意》''zhongruan'' solo
*《来日方长》''zhongruan'' solo
*《无所事事》''zhongruan'' solo
*《水到渠成》''zhongruan'' solo
*《心旷神怡》''zhongruan'' solo

Some of 宁勇's compositions for the ruan:

*《拍鼓翔龙》 Flying Dragons in Drum Beats - ''zhongruan'' solo （林吉良，宁勇曲）
*《丝路驼铃》 Camel Bells on the Silk Road- ''zhongruan''/ ''daruan'' solo （宁勇曲）
*《篮关雪》Snow at Lan Guan ''zhongruan'' solo（宁勇曲）
*《终南古韵》Ancient Tune of Zhongnan ''zhongruan''/ ''daruan'' solo（宁勇曲）
*《望秦川》''zhongruan'' solo（宁勇曲）

Notable players/composer of the ''ruan''

*Ding Xiaoyan
*Qiu Xia He
*Lin Jiliang
*Liu Xing
*Miao Xiaoyun
*Wei Yuru
*Wu Man
*Zhang Rong Hui
*Shen Fei
*Wei Yu Ru
*Wei Wei
*Wang Zhong Bing
*Xu Yang
*Ruan Shi Chun
*Liu Bo (刘波）
*Wu Qiang
*Cui Jun Miao
*Fei Jian Rong
*Ning Yong(宁勇）

More information

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* http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/ruan/
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Liuqin

The ''liuqin'' is a four-stringed lute with a pear-shaped body. It is small in size, almost a miniature copy of another Chinese plucked instrument, the ''pipa''. But the range of its voice is much higher than the ''pipa'', and has its own special place in the Chinese music, whether in orchestral music or in solo pieces. This has been the result of a modernization in its usage in recent years, leading to a gradual elevation in status of the ''liuqin'' from an accompaniment instrument in folk Chinese opera, narrative music, i.e. Suzhou ''pingtan'', in northern Jiangsu, southern Shandong and Anhui, to an instrument well-appreciated for its unique tonal and acoustic qualities.

Historically the ''liuqin'' was commonly made of willow wood, while the professionals used versions constructed with a higher-quality red sandalwood or rosewood. In contemporary versions though, the front board is made of ''tong'' wood and for the reverse side, of red sandalwood, as comparable to historical types.

History

The ''liuqin'' has gone by various names, firstly the ''liuyeqin'' , meaning willow-leaf-shaped instrument. This was the original term for the ''liuqin'', which is visibly an abbreviation of the term ''liuyeqin''. The other reference to the ''liuqin'' is the ''tu pipa'' , literally meaning unrefined ''pipa'', because of the aforementioned dimunitive size and resemblance of the ''liuqin'' to the ''pipa''.

Throughout its history, the ''liuqin'' came in variations ranging from two to five strings. However, the earliest precursor of the modern four-stringed ''liuqin'' appeared and experienced popularity during the Tang Dynasty . This version had three strings, and was only used for accompaniment purposes in traditional operas, as mentioned before.

The three-stringed ''liuqin'' remained in use for much of dynastic China from the Tang Dynasty until the late 20th century. The tunings used were thus D-G-D and D-A-D. With the advent of modernization of traditional Chinese music in 1970s, the four-stringed ''liuqin'' was developed as an improvement to its musical range, and the body of the instrument was enlarged to allow the player to handle the instrument with greater ease. There, however, still remains a five-stringed ''liuqin'', which was developed with a A-D-A-D-A tuning to cater to needs for an alto ''liuqin'' in 1975.

Playing technique, tones and range

Its technique is closer to that of the mandolin than that of the pipa, using a plectrum and frequently using the tremolo technique. Its strings are either tuned in fifths, G-D-A-E , or else in a mixture of fourths and fifths, as for example G-D-G-D, which is a more common tuning employed by mainstream players of the ''liuqin''. This makes playing of the ''liuqin'' exactly the same as the ''ruan'', hence players of either the ''liuqin'' or the ''ruan'' often double on both instruments.

The modern ''liuqin'' has four steel strings. Like the ''ruan'', the number of the ''liuqin'''s frets was increased from 7 to 24 over the course of the 20th century. These frets are arranged in half-step intervals. Its refreshing and jubilant tonal quality is more delicate than that of the ''yueqin''.

Notable players of the ''liuqin''

*Wang Hongyi , daughter of Wang Huiran
*Wang Huiran , esteemed "Father of the ''liuqin''"

''Liuqin'' repertoire

Works composed/co-composed/adapted by Wang Huiran

*Canal of Happiness
*Melody on a Moonlit River
*Sing a Mountain Song of Love
*Spring Comes to River Yi
*Swords
*The Lark Romanian Folk Music
*Warrior Suite

More information

On the instrument
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On players of the ''liuqin''
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Listening

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Related Chinese plucked-string instruments

*''Pipa''
*''Ruan''

Yueqin

The ''yueqin'' is a string instrument. It is a lute with a round, hollow wooden body which gives it the nickname ''moon guitar''. It has a short fretted neck and four strings tuned in courses of two , generally tuned to the interval of a perfect fifth. Occasionally, the body of the yueqin may be octagonal in shape.

According to legend, the instrument was invented in China during the dynasty. It is an important instrument in the Beijing opera orchestra, often taking the role of main melodic instrument in lieu of the bowed string section.

A similar Japanese instrument, called the ''gekkin'', was formerly used in Japan. Another very similar instrument, called ''&'' or ''đàn tứ'', is occasionally used in Vietnam.

Traditional Yueqin

The yueqin in China has 4 strings, tuned in 2 "courses" of A and D. Instruments used with the Beijing Opera, however, have only 2 single strings.

The frets are arranged rather like those on a mountain dulcimer, so that the instrument is diatonic .

The strings on the traditional form of the instrument are made of silk and plucked with a rather long, sharp plectrum, which is sometimes attached to the instrument with a piece of cord.

There is no sound-hole, but inside the sound box are one or more strands of wire attached only at one end, so that they vibrate, giving the instrument a particular timbre and resonance.

There's no bridge or saddle; the strings are simply attached to the anchor at the base of the instrument.

Modern Yueqin

Modern forms of the instrument have 3 or 4 strings of steel each tuned to a different note. They're attached to the anchor by looping them through their own end-loops.

Three-string instruments are often tuned A D a, and four-string instruments are often tuned to A D a d.

The anchor on modern instrument may have up to 5 holes, so it can be strung and tuned as a 3- or 4-string instrument. The nut, at the peghead end of the instrument, is filed with notches appropriate to the number and position of the strings.

Modern yueqins are often played with a guitar pick.

Video

* from The Musical Instruments E-book