|
Gaohu
The ''gaohu'' ( 高胡; pinyin: ''gāohú'', ; Cantonese: gou1 wu4; also called ''yuehu'' 粤 胡) is a Chinese bowed string instrument developed from the ''erhu'' in the 1920s by the musician and composer Lü Wencheng (1898–1981) and used in Cantonese music and Cantonese opera. It belongs to the ''huqin'' family of instruments, together with the ''zhonghu'', ''erhu'', ''banhu'', '' jinghu'', and '' sihu''; its name means "high-pitched ''huqin''". It is the leading instrument of Cantonese music and opera ensembles. Well known pieces for the ''gaohu'' include ''Bu Bu Gao'' (步步高, Higher Step By Step) and ''Ping Hu Qiu Yue'' (平湖秋月, Autumn Moon on Calm Lake). Construction and design The ''gaohu'' is similar in construction to the ''erhu'' but has a slightly smaller soundbox, commonly circular, and is tuned a fourth higher, to G4 and D5. Whereas most ''huqin'' are placed on top of the left thigh, the traditional ''gaohu'' is played with the soundbox held in betw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gaohu - The Asia And Pacific Museum In Warsaw
The ''gaohu'' ( 高胡; pinyin: ''gāohú'', ; Cantonese: gou1 wu4; also called ''yuehu'' 粤 胡) is a Chinese bowed string instrument developed from the ''erhu'' in the 1920s by the musician and composer Lü Wencheng (1898–1981) and used in Cantonese music and Cantonese opera. It belongs to the ''huqin'' family of instruments, together with the ''zhonghu'', ''erhu'', ''banhu'', '' jinghu'', and '' sihu''; its name means "high-pitched ''huqin''". It is the leading instrument of Cantonese music and opera ensembles. Well known pieces for the ''gaohu'' include ''Bu Bu Gao'' (步步高, Higher Step By Step) and ''Ping Hu Qiu Yue'' (平湖秋月, Autumn Moon on Calm Lake). Construction and design The ''gaohu'' is similar in construction to the ''erhu'' but has a slightly smaller soundbox, commonly circular, and is tuned a fourth higher, to G4 and D5. Whereas most ''huqin'' are placed on top of the left thigh, the traditional ''gaohu'' is played with the soundbox held in betw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guangdong Music (genre)
Guangdong music, also known as '' Cantonese music'' (廣東音樂 "Kwongdong yam ngok",''Guǎngdōng yīnyuè'') is a style of traditional Chinese instrumental music from Guangzhou and surrounding areas in Pearl River Delta of Guangdong Province on the southern coast of China. The name of the music is not an accurate description because ''Guangdong music'' is 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 traditional genres of music such as Teochew music and Hakka music (Hakka ''Hanyue'' and ''sixian''). The name of the music originated in the 1920 and 1930s when the music was popular in Shanghai ballrooms in the form of "Spiritual Music" ( 精神音樂, Jīngshěn Yīnyuè; more properly translated as "spirited music"). As the performers were almost entirely fro ... [...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] |
Lü Wencheng
Lü Wencheng (wikt:吕, 吕wikt:文, 文wikt:成, 成, pinyin: Lǚ Wénchéng, or ''Lui Man Sing'' in Cantonese) (1898 in Zhongshan - 1981 in Hong Kong) was a Chinese composer and musician. He composed ''Autumn Moon Over Calm Lake'' () in the 1930s, one of the best known works of Guangdong music (genre), Cantonese music. He also played the ''yangqin'' and was a Cantonese opera singer. His music shows a strong influence of the traditional music of the Shanghai area as a result of living almost thirty years there. Life Lü was born in 1898 in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, but grew up in Shanghai when at the age of three he and his parents moved to Shanghai. There he developed the gaohu, composed and performed ''Guangdong yinyue'', and made recordings. In 1932, he moved to Hong Kong, where he lived until his death in 1981. His daughter, Lü Hong (吕红), is a professional singer, and the wife of Chinese musician Lui Tsun-Yuen. Works Lü is considered to have been a master of G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cantonese Opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form, involving music, singing, martial arts, acrobatics, and acting. History There is debate about the origins of Cantonese opera, but it is generally accepted that opera was brought from the northern part of China and slowly migrated to the southern province of Guangdong in the late 13th century, during the late Southern Song dynasty. In the 12th century, there was a theatrical form called the Nanxi or "Southern drama", which was performed in public theatres of Hangzhou, then capital of the Southern Song. With the invasion of the Mongol army, Emperor Gong of the Song dynasty fled with hundreds of thousands of Song people into Guangdong in 1276. Among them were Nanxi performers from Zhejiang ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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] |
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] |
Jinghu (instrument)
The ''jinghu'' (wikt:京胡, 京胡; pinyin: jīnghú) is a Music of China, Chinese bowed string instrument in the ''huqin'' family, used primarily in Beijing opera. It is the smallest and highest pitched instrument in the ''huqin'' family. The jinghu has a tone similar to a violin but raspier. Construction Like most of its relatives, the ''jinghu'' has 2 strings that are customarily tuned to the interval of a 5th which the hair of the non-detachable bow passes in between. The strings were formerly made of silk, but in modern times are increasingly made of steel or nylon. Unlike other ''huqin'' instruments (''erhu'', ''gaohu'', ''zhonghu'', etc.) it is made of bamboo. Its cylindrical soundbox is covered with snakeskin on the front (playing) end, which forms a taut drum on which the bridge rests, sandwiched between the drum and the strings, which are connected to a peg at the bottom of the soundbox. Use In Beijing opera, the jinghu often doubles the singer's voice. ''Jinghu'' pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Banhu
The ''banhu'' (板胡, pinyin: bǎnhú) is a Chinese traditional bowed string instrument in the huqin family of instruments. It is used primarily in northern China. ''Ban'' means a piece of wood and ''hu'' is short for ''huqin''. Like the more familiar ''erhu'' and ''gaohu'', the ''banhu'' has two strings, is held vertically, and the bow hair passes in between the two strings. The ''banhu'' differs in construction from the erhu in that its soundbox is generally made from a coconut shell rather than wood, and instead of a snakeskin that is commonly used to cover the faces of ''huqin'' instruments, the ''banhu'' uses a thin wooden board. The ''banhu'' is sometimes also called "banghu," because it is often used in ''bangzi'' opera of northern China, such as Qinqiang from Shaanxi province. The ''yehu'', another type of Chinese fiddle with a coconut body and wooden face, is used primarily in southern China. External links Listening Banhu MP3s(click on headphones to listen to indi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Huqin Family Instruments
''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, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Music Of China
Music of China refers to the music of the Chinese people, which may be the music of the Han Chinese in the course of Chinese history as well as ethnic minorities in today's China. It also includes music produced by people of Chinese origin in some territories outside mainland China using traditional Chinese instruments or in the Chinese language. It includes forms from the traditional and modern, Western inspired, commercial popular music, folk, art, and classical forms, and innovative combinations of them. Documents and archaeological artifacts from early Chinese civilization show a well-developed musical culture as early as the Zhou dynasty (1122 BC – 256 BC) that set the tone for the continual development of Chinese musicology in following dynasties. These developed into a wide variety of forms through succeeding dynasties, producing the heritage that is part of the Chinese cultural landscape today. Traditional forms continued to evolve in the modern times, and over the cour ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zhonghu
The ''zhonghu'' (), short for ''zhongyin erhu'' () is a low-pitched Chinese bowed string instrument. Together with the erhu and gaohu, it is a member of the huqin family. It was developed in the 1940s as the alto member of the huqin family (similar in range to the European viola) to increase the pitch range of the instruments used in a Chinese orchestra. The ''zhonghu'' is analogous with the erhu, but is slightly larger and lower pitched. Its body is covered on the playing end with snakeskin. The instrument has two strings, which are generally tuned to the interval of a fifth, to A and E or to G and D (this latter tuning equivalent to the violin's lowest two strings). Presence in popular music Composer Jeremy Zuckerman has used the ''Zhonghu'' in critically acclaimed shows' music such as Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Specifically, he has said in the podcast Song Exploder that along with the ''Erhu'', the ''Zhonghu'' was used in The Legend of Korra's ser ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
