Untitled Quiz

East Asian Music

• East Asia encompasses China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, and Taiwan
• This region is one of the most populated regions in the world
• It is significant culturally

Chinese Music

• Dominant and influential culturally
• One of the oldest civilizations
• Land area: 3,600,000 square miles
• World's third-largest nation
• Great influence on other Asian countries

Elements of Chinese Music

• Pitch/Tonal System: Uses a pentatonic scale based on symbolic attributes:
  • Kung: Primary tone, associated with the Emperor
  • Shang: Tone associated with the Minister
  • Chih: Tone associated with the State
  • Chaio: Tone associated with the People
  • Yu: Tone with significant Chinese objects
• Timbre (Vocal): Thin and nasal
• Meter/Rhythm: Duple meter
• Texture: Homophonic texture

Types of Chinese Vocal Music

• Religious Music:

  • Divided into Buddhist and Taoist music
  • Used in religious chants or rituals (salvation and memorial)
  • Buddhist music, known as Sanskrit music, is often chanting, covering verses, hymns, and liturgies
  • Taoist music is influenced by regional folk music and used in ceremonies similar to Buddhist music

• The Art Song: Xiaoling is vocal music from the 12th and 13th centuries based on Qu's poetry. Soloists perform with wooden clappers as accompaniment

• Narrative Music: Zhugongdiao is a significant type of narrative song based on romantic legends

• Chinese Folk Music: Shange is a mountain song

Chordophones

• Erhu: Two-stringed fiddle, one of the most well-known in the Hu-qin family; also called the Chinese Violin
• Banhu: Known as bonghu, pang-hu, qin-hu, etc.; the leading musical accompaniment for Bang-zi ballads, specifically for local operas in Central China
• Pipa: Plucked instrument; short neck, wooden belly
• Ruan: Also known as the Chinese guitar and moon guitar; varies in shape
• Yueqin: Came from ruan, but with a thinner sound, short neck, and flat soundbox

Zither Family

• Guqin: Seven-stringed; long and slender body, made of pine
• Zheng: One of the earliest Chinese musical instruments; made of bamboo; 21 stretched strings
• Kongho: Similar to a harp; aside from right-hand technique, can also be played with the left hand in vibrato

Idiophones

• Pengling: Percussion instruments; two bronze bells; enhance rhythmic instruments in music ensembles and theaters
• Muyu: Made from mulberry wood; played by striking; used in Buddhist chants

Aerophones

• Dizi: Traditional Chinese flute; played with double or triple tonguing, or fluttering
• Xiao: Also known as a wind instrument; considered a long flute; played in Chinese classical music for solo performances.
• Sheng: One of the oldest Chinese instruments; also known as the Chinese mouth organ; consists of 13-17 bamboo pipes of varying lengths

Chinese Musical Compositions

• Ya-yiieh: Music played in the Chinese court
• Yiieh-hsuan: Played in the garden facing a hall (along with Ya-yiieh, these two forms create dances)
• Wen-wu: Civil war
• Wu-wu: Military compositions
• Tangko: Performed inside a hall; chamber song honoring the king and his ancestors

Chinese Folk Song "Mo Li Hua"

• Meaning "Jasmine Flower"
• Describes jasmine flower's purity and fragrance
• Sung in a nasal voice; moderate tempo and range
• Homophonic texture; syllabic phrasing

Performance Task

• Group performance of Mo Li Hua
  • First round: Original tune
  • Second round: Improvised tune with household instruments (spoons, forks, plates, etc.)
• Criteria for evaluation:
  • Creativity (25 points)
  • Musicality (25 points)
  • Vocal Expression (25 points)
  • Mastery (25 points)
• Total points: 100