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Erhu
The ''erhu'' (; ) is a Chinese two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a ''Southern Fiddle'', and is sometimes known in the Western world as the ''Chinese violin'' or a ''Chinese two-stringed fiddle''. It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras. It is the most popular of the huqin family of traditional bowed string instruments used by various ethnic groups of China. As a very versatile instrument, the erhu is used in both traditional and contemporary music arrangements, such as pop, rock and jazz. History The ''Erhu'' can be traced back to proto-Mongolic instruments which first appeared in China during the Tang dynasty. It is believed to have evolved from the '' Xiqin'' ( 奚 琴). The xiqin is believed to have originated from the Xi people located in current northeast China. The first Chinese character of the name of the instrument ( 二, ''èr'', two) is believed to come fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Erhu Range
The ''erhu'' (; ) is a Chinese two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a ''Southern Fiddle'', and is sometimes known in the Western world as the ''Chinese violin'' or a ''Chinese two-stringed fiddle''. It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras. It is the most popular of the huqin family of traditional bowed string instruments used by various ethnic groups of China. As a very versatile instrument, the erhu is used in both traditional and contemporary music arrangements, such as pop, rock and jazz. History The ''Erhu'' can be traced back to proto-Mongolic instruments which first appeared in China during the Tang dynasty. It is believed to have evolved from the '' Xiqin'' ( 奚 琴). The xiqin is believed to have originated from the Xi people located in current northeast China. The first Chinese character of the name of the instrument ( 二, ''èr'', two) is believed to come fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Liu Tianhua
Liu Tianhua (; 1895–1932) was a Chinese musician and composer best known for his innovative work for the ''erhu''. Liu's students, such as Jiang Fengzhi and Chen Zhenduo, continued to contribute to the development of the ''erhu''. He was the younger brother of the poet Liu Bannong. He died in 1932 at the age of 37. Work on Chinese music Liu was a noted erhu and pipa player, and an early pioneer in the modernisation of traditional Chinese music. He joined Cai Yuanpei's Peking University Music Society as an instrumental instructor in 1922. He promoted Chinese music while he was at Peking University, founded the Society for the Improvement of Chinese Music (國樂改進社, ''Guóyuè Gǎijìnshè'') in 1927 and its periodical, the ''Music Magazine'' (音樂雜誌, ''Yīnyuè Zázhì''). The society organised classes and formed a musical ensemble to play Chinese music, a forerunner of the modern Chinese orchestra. He made improvements to the traditional fiddle huqin, in particu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xiqin (instrument)
The () was a bowed string musical instrument. It is perhaps the original member of the family of Chinese and Mongolian bowed string instruments; thus, the and and all similar fiddle instruments may be said to be derived from the . The had two silk strings and was held vertically. Origin and development The is believed to have been developed by the Kumo Xi, a Mongol- or Khitan-related ethnic group living in the Xar Moron River valley in northeast China. The first appeared in China during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), during which time it was used in the palace orchestra and bowed with a bamboo stick. It was further developed in the Song Dynasty (960–1279), when it began to be bowed with a horsehair bow. In 1105, during the Northern Song Dynasty, the instrument was described as a foreign, two-stringed fiddle in an encyclopedic work on music called (; literally "book of music") by the music theorist Chen Yang (). Similar instruments The used in music and the use ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Huqin
''Huqin'' () is a family of bowed string instruments, more specifically, a spike fiddle popularly used in Chinese music. The instruments consist of a round, hexagonal, or octagonal sound box at the bottom with a neck attached that protrudes upwards. They also usually have two strings, and their soundboxes are typically covered with either snakeskin (most often python) or thin wood. Huqin instruments usually have two tuning pegs, one peg for each string. The pegs are attached horizontally through holes drilled in the instrument's neck. Most huqin have the bow hair pass in between the strings. Exceptions to having two strings and pegs include variations of huqin with three, four, and sometimes even more than five. These include the zhuihu, a three stringed huqin, the sihu, a huqin of Mongolian origin, and the sanhu, a lesser-known three-stringed variation. The most common huqin are the ''erhu'', which is tuned to a middle range; ''zhonghu'', which is tuned to a lower register, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Huqin
''Huqin'' () is a family of bowed string instruments, more specifically, a spike fiddle popularly used in Chinese music. The instruments consist of a round, hexagonal, or octagonal sound box at the bottom with a neck attached that protrudes upwards. They also usually have two strings, and their soundboxes are typically covered with either snakeskin (most often python) or thin wood. Huqin instruments usually have two tuning pegs, one peg for each string. The pegs are attached horizontally through holes drilled in the instrument's neck. Most huqin have the bow hair pass in between the strings. Exceptions to having two strings and pegs include variations of huqin with three, four, and sometimes even more than five. These include the zhuihu, a three stringed huqin, the sihu, a huqin of Mongolian origin, and the sanhu, a lesser-known three-stringed variation. The most common huqin are the ''erhu'', which is tuned to a middle range; ''zhonghu'', which is tuned to a lower register, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese Orchestra
The term Chinese orchestra is most commonly used to refer to the modern Chinese orchestra that is found in China and various overseas Chinese communities. This modern Chinese orchestra first developed out of Jiangnan sizhu ensemble in the 1920s into a form that is based on the structure and principles of a Western symphony orchestra but using Chinese instruments. The orchestra is divided into four sections – wind, plucked strings, bow strings, and percussion, and usually performs modernized traditional music called ''guoyue''. The orchestra may be referred to as ''Minzu Yuetuan'' () or ''Minyuetuan'' () in mainland China, ''Chung Ngok Tuen'' () in Hong Kong, ''Huayuetuan'' () in Southeast Asia, or ''Guoyuetuan'' () in Taiwan, all meaning Chinese orchestra. The term modern Chinese orchestra is sometimes used to distinguish the current form from ancient Chinese orchestras that existed since the Shang dynasty and was used in royal courts and later during Confucian ceremonies. Anc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bowed String Instrument
Bowed string instruments are a subcategory of string instruments that are played by a bow rubbing the strings. The bow rubbing the string causes vibration which the instrument emits as sound. Despite the numerous specialist studies devoted to the origin of the bowing the problem of the origin of the bowing is unresolved Some say that the bow was introduced to Europe from the Middle East while others say the bow was not introduced from the Middle East but the other way round and that that the bow may have had its origin from a more frequent intercourse with North Europe and Western Europe List of bowed string instruments Violin family * Pochette * Violin (violino) * Viola (altviol, bratsche) * Cello (violoncello) * Double bass (contrabasso) ;Variants on the standard members of the violin family include: * Tenor violin * Five string violin * Cello da spalla * Baroque violin * Kontra * Kit violin * Sardino * Stroh violin * Låtfiol * Hardanger fiddle * Lira da bracc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kumo Xi
The Kumo Xi (Xu Elina-Qian, p.296b), also known as the Tatabi, were a Mongolic steppe people located in current Northeast China from 207 CE to 907 CE. After the death of their ancestor Tadun in 207, they were no longer called Wuhuan but joined the Khitan Xianbei in submitting to the Yuwen Xianbei. Their history is widely linked to the more famous Khitan.Xu Elina-Qian, pp.268-271 During their history, the Kumo Xi engaged in conflict with numerous Chinese dynasties and with the Khitan tribes, eventually suffering a series of disastrous defeats to Chinese armies and coming under the domination of the Khitans. In 907, the Kumo Xi were completely assimilated into the Khitan-led Liao dynasty of China. Etymology Omeljan Pritsak reconstructs the ethnonym underlying Middle Chinese *''kʰuoH-mɑk̚-ɦei'' as ''qu(o)mâġ-ġay''. The first element ''qu(o)mâġ'' is from *''quo'' "yellowish" plus denominal suffix *''-mAk'', cognate with Mongolian ''qumaġ'' "fine sands" and with Turkic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zither
Zithers (; , from the Greek word ''cithara'') are a class of stringed instruments. Historically, the name has been applied to any instrument of the psaltery family, or to an instrument consisting of many strings stretched across a thin, flat body. This article describes the latter variety. Zithers are typically played by strumming or plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, the term refers to a larger family of similarly shaped instruments that also includes the hammered dulcimer family and piano and a few rare bowed instruments like the bowed psaltery, bowed dulcimer, and streichmelodion. Like an acoustic guitar or lute, a zither's body serves as a resonating chamber (sound box), but, unlike guitars and lutes, a zither lacks a distinctly separate neck assembly. The number of strings varies, from one to more than fifty. In modern common usage the term "zither" refers to three specific instruments: the concert zithe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yazheng
The yazheng (simplified: 轧筝; traditional: 軋箏; pinyin: zházhēng; also spelled ''zha zheng'' or ''zha cheng'') is a Chinese string instrument. It is a traditional zither similar to the guzheng but bowed by scraping with a sorghum stem dusted with resin, a horsehair bow, or a piece of forsythia wood (sometimes yazheng can plucked). The musical instrument was popular in the Tang Dynasty, but is today little used except in the folk music of some parts of northern China, where it is called ''yaqin'' (simplified: 轧琴; traditional: 軋琴). Playing The zhazheng is generally played while seated on the floor. It has a tone similar to that of a viola, but raspier. Some contemporary players prefer to use an actual horsehair bow rather than a stick, believing the sound to be smoother. The instrument is used in court, aristocratic, and folk music, as well as in contemporary classical music and film scores. The Korean ''ajaeng'' (hangul: 아쟁; hanja: 牙箏) is derived from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ajaeng
The ''ajaeng'' is a Korean string instrument. It is a wide zither with strings of twisted silk. It is played with a slender stick of forsythia wood that is drawn across the strings in the manner of a bow. The ''ajaeng'' mainly plays the bass part in ensemble music. And the ''ajaeng'' is divided into two types. The ''ajaeng'' used in court music is called ''jeongak ajaeng'', and the ''ajaeng'' used in folk music is called '' sanjo ajaeng''. The original version of the instrument, and that used in court music (called the ''jeongak ajaeng''), has seven strings; while the ''ajaeng'' used for '' sanjo'' and ''sinawi'' (called the ''sanjo ajaeng'') has eight. Some instruments have as many as nine to twelve strings. The ''ajaeng'' is generally played while seated on the floor. It has a tone similar to that of a cello, but raspier. Some contemporary players prefer to use an actual horsehair bow rather than a stick, believing the sound to be smoother. The instrument is used in court, ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rosin
Rosin (), also called colophony or Greek pitch ( la, links=no, pix graeca), is a solid form of resin obtained from pines and some other plants, mostly conifers, produced by heating fresh liquid resin to vaporize the volatile liquid terpene components. It is semi-transparent and varies in color from yellow to black. At room temperature rosin is brittle, but it melts at stove-top temperature. It chiefly consists of various resin acids, especially abietic acid. The term ''colophony'' comes from , Latin for "resin from Colophon" ( grc, Κολοφωνία ῥητίνη, Kolophōnia rhētinē), an ancient Ionic city. Properties Rosin is brittle and friable, with a faint piny odor. It is typically a glassy solid, though some rosins will form crystals, especially when brought into solution. The practical melting point varies with different specimens, some being semi-fluid at the temperature of boiling water, others melting at 100 °C to 120 °C. It is very flammable, burni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
