Jiangnan sizhu

"Jiangnan sizhu" is a style of traditional Chinese instrumental music from the Jiangnan region of China.

Name

The name "Jiangnan sizhu" (江南丝竹 pinyin: Jiāngnán sīzhú) is made up of two parts. "Jiangnan" is the traditional name for the area south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze river in southern Jiangsu, Shanghai, and northern Zhejiang. "Sizhu", literally "silk and bamboo," refers to string and wind musical instruments, silk being the traditional material from which strings have historically been made in China, and bamboo being the material from which the Chinese flutes such as the "dizi" and "xiao" are made. The term "sizhu" by extension also came to refer to instrumental music in general, especially that played indoors. Other "sizhu" traditions also exist, particularly along China's southeastern coastal regions of Fujian and Guangdong.

History

Instruments

Instruments typically used in "Jiangnan sizhu" include plucked, bowed, and struck string instruments; flutes; and small percussion instruments. The most commonly used instruments are:

* "Dizi" - transverse bamboo flute, most commonly with traditional equal distant finger holes which does not produce an equal temperament, although the equal-tempered "dizi" is standard with professionals
* "Xiao" - end-blown bamboo flute, as with the "dizi", equal distant finger holes are preferred with the equal-tempered type standard with professionals
* "Erhu" - two-string vertical fiddle, standard erhu D4, A4 tuning. A second erhu is sometimes used, known as "fanhu" (meaning "counter fiddle" or "cross fiddle"); it has thicker strings tuned a minor third (B3, F4#) or fourth (A3, E4) below the leading erhu
* "Pipa" - pear-shaped lute with four strings, uses standard tuning of A2, D3, E3, A3. Although G2, C3, D3, G3, a whole tone lower, is sometimes used, with other string instruments also tuned a tone lower
* "Yangqin" - hammered dulcimer, smaller than the large professional solo type, has range of two octaves and a fifth; D3 to A5
* "Sheng" - free-reed mouth organ, most commonly with 17 pipes
* "Sanxian" - plucked lute with three strings, the small "southern" type is used, tuned to D3, A3, D4.
* "Qinqin" - plucked lute, tuned to D3, A3, (optional 3rd string is tuned to D3)
* Wooden clapper "(ban)" and small drum "(gu)"

Several other instruments sometimes are also used:

*"Zhonghu" - two-string fiddle, larger and lower pitched than the erhu
*"Ruan" - plucked lute with four strings
*"Liuqin" - small plucked lute with four strings
*"Guzheng" - plucked zither with movable bridges
*"Pengling" – a pair of small bells

As in an Irish traditional music session, the instrumentation is not fixed, and so may vary according to the musicians who are available for a particular performance. Usually only one of each instrument is used, and an ensemble can range from as few as two to as many as ten or more musicians, with the "erhu", "dizi" or "xiao", "pipa", and "yangqin" being the core instruments.

Repertoire

At the centre of the repertory are the Eight Great Pieces (Ba Da Qu)or Eight Great Famous Pieces (Ba Da Mingqu).

The repertoire is based on old melodies such as "Lao Liu Ban" (Old Six Beats), which are elaborated to create new pieces such as "Zhonghua Liu Ban" (Moderately Ornamented Six Beats).

ocial context

"Jiangnan sizhu" is generally considered to be a folk tradition rather than a professional one, and is most often performed by amateurs. It is typically performed in informal gatherings, often at tea houses. By the mid-20th century, it had also entered the curriculum of China's conservatories, where it continues to be performed by large ensembles of traditional instruments in fully scored arrangements.

Notable "Jiangnan sizhu" musicians

In the second half of the 20th century, a quartet from China playing "Jiangnan sizhu" repertoire as well as newly composed pieces comprised four men: "dizi" player Lu Chunling (陆春龄), "pipa" player Ma Shenglong (马圣龙), "yangqin" player Zhou Hui (周惠), and "erhu" player Zhou Hao (周皓). ^{[http://www.amazon.cn/detail/product.asp?ref=DT_RV&uid=000-0000000-0000000&prodid=zjmu575771 photo]} They brought the style to new audiences and performed together for many years.

Related genres

The Shanghai opera genre of "huju" (), which was developed in the mid-20th century, has a musical style and accompaniment that is closely related to "Jiangnan sizhu".

Audio sample

Reference and further reading

*Jones, Stephen (1995). "Folk Music of China". Oxford: Clarendon Press OUP.
*Witzleben, J. Lawrence (1995). "Silk and Bamboo" Music in Shanghai: The Jiangnan Sizhu Instrumental Ensemble Tradition". Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press

External links

* [http://www.tcc.leidenuniv.nl/index.php3?c=312 Photos of "Jiangnan sizhu" in Shanghai]
* [http://home.planet.nl/~chime/entries/venues.html Where to find "Jiangnan sizhu" music in Shanghai]