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The most popular musical instrument in China. Chinese folk instrumental music

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The Chinese are very musical people. They love music so much that in ancient times they learned to make musical instruments of “eight types”: from stone, silk, bamboo, wood, metal, skin, clay and gourd. The queen of instruments was the qin, which was played by lightly touching the strings with the fingertips. Qin resembles the Russian musical instrument gusli. The seven strings symbolized the seven planets known to the Chinese. In length, the qin had four measures and five more parts, which meant four seasons and five elements of nature: fire, earth, metal, wood and water. The Chinese believed that a person should never part with qin, since its sounds help to improve the mind and direct one's desires for good.

Traditional musical instruments (’†Ќ‘?ѕ№ zhongguo yueqi)

According to historical sources, in ancient times there were about a thousand musical instruments, of which about half have survived to this day. The earliest of these dates back over 8,000 years.

Traditional Chinese musical instruments are closely related to the emergence of music in China. They symbolize Chinese culture and were also indicators of productivity levels in ancient times.

Ancient researchers divided all instruments into eight categories or "eight sounds", according to the material that was taken as the basis for the manufacture of an instrument, namely: metal, stone, strings, bamboo, dried and hollowed gourd, clay, leather and wood .

Metal: refers to metal-made instruments such as gongs and bronze drums.

Stone: stone instruments such as carillon and stone plates (a kind of bells).

Strings: instruments with strings that are played directly with the fingers or in special thimbles - small plectra-marigolds worn on the performer's fingers or with a bow, such as the Chinese violin, 25-string horizontal harp and instruments with a large number of strings, like the zither .

Bamboo: instruments, predominantly flutes, made from bamboo stalk, such as the eight-hole bamboo flute.

Pumpkin tools: wind instruments, in which a vessel made of dried and hollowed gourd is used as a resonator. These include sheng and yu.

Clay: clay-made instruments such as the xun, an egg-shaped wind instrument the size of a fist, with six holes or less, and fou, a clay percussion instrument.

Leather: instruments whose resonating membrane is made of dressed animal skin. For example, drums and tom-toms.

Wooden: tools made mostly of wood. Of these, the most common are the muyu - "wooden fish" (a hollow wooden block used to beat out the rhythm) and the xylophone.

Xun (? Xun)

The clay xun is one of the oldest wind musical instruments in China. Archaeological studies show that clay xun was used as a hunting weapon about 8,000 years ago. During the reign of Yin of the Shang Dynasty (17th - 11th centuries BC), xun was carved from stone, animal bones, and ivory. In the era of the Zhou Dynasty (11th century - 256 BC), the xun became an important wind instrument in the Chinese orchestra.

Zheng (V¶Zheng)

The history of the string instrument "zheng" has more than 2000 years. It was especially popular during the reign of Qin (221-206 BC) in the territory of modern Shaanxi, therefore it is also called "qin zheng".

According to ancient sources, the original zheng had only five strings and was made of bamboo. Under Qin, the number of strings increased to ten, and wood was used instead of bamboo. After the fall of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), zheng became the 13th stringed instrument, the strings of which were stretched on an oblong wooden resonator. Today, one can still enjoy the harmonious tone of the 13, 14, or 16-string zheng, which is still actively used in China as part of musical ensembles, and solo.

Guqin (ЊГ‹Х Guqin)

The guqin, a seven-stringed plucked instrument (somewhat reminiscent of the zither), was widespread in the Zhou era, and was often played in conjunction with another stringed instrument, the se.

The guqin is characterized by a narrow and long wooden body with 13 round marks on the surface, designed to indicate the positions of the overtones or places where the fingers should be placed when playing. Generally speaking, high notes The guqin are clean and harmonious, the middle ones are strong and distinct, its low sound is soft and elusive, with clear and charming overtones.

The sounds of the upper tonality "guqin" are clear, ringing, pleasant to the ear. Mid-pitched sounds are loud, while lower-pitched sounds are gentle and soft. The whole charm of the sound of "guqin" lies in the changeable timbre. It is used as a solo instrument, as well as in ensembles and as an accompaniment to singing. Nowadays, there are more than 200 varieties of guqin playing techniques.

Sona (?? Suona)

Commonly known as the bugle or horn, the sona is another ancient wind instrument that is widely used in various folk performances. It first gained popularity in Central China in the 16th century. In folklore concerts for wind and percussion instruments, as well as in operas, son often plays the role of "first violin".

Resonant and intelligible, this instrument is ideal for playing amazingly lively and pleasantly striking numbers and is often the leading instrument in brass and opera orchestras. Its loud sound is easy to distinguish from other instruments. He is also able to set the rhythm and imitate the chirping of birds and the chirping of insects. Sona is rightfully an indispensable instrument for folk festivities and festivals.

Sheng (v™ Sheng)

Sheng is another ancient Chinese musical instrument that makes sound thanks to the vibrations of the reed. Sheng gained popularity during the Zhou Dynasty as it was often used as an accompaniment for court singers and dancers. Later he found his way among common people. It could be heard at temple fairs and public performances.

Sheng consists of three main parts: reed, pipe and what is called "douzi", and can perform solo, in an ensemble or accompany singing.

Sheng is distinguished by its bright expressiveness and incredible grace in changing notes, with a clear, sonorous sound in the upper key and gentle in the middle and lower keys, it is an integral part of folklore concerts for wind and percussion instruments.

Xiao anddAnd (? Xiao, “JDi)

Xiao - vertical bamboo flute, di - horizontal bamboo flute - traditional wind instruments of China.

The history of "xiao" is about 3000 years old, when "di" appeared in China in the 2nd century BC, having got there from Central Asia. In its original form, the xiao resembled something like a flute, consisting of 16 bamboo pipes. Today, xiao is most commonly seen in the form of a single flute. And since such a flute is quite easy to make, it is quite popular among the population. The two earliest pipes, dating from the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC), were discovered in the tomb of King Zeng in Suxian County, Hubei Province in 1978. Each of them consists of 13 perfectly preserved bamboo pipes, connected together in descending order of their length. The soft and elegant sound of the xiao is ideal for solo as well as playing in an ensemble to express deep soulful feelings in a long, gentle and sentimental melody.

Pipa (”b”iPipa)

The pipa, known in antiquity as the "bent-necked pipa", is a major plucked musical instrument, adopted from Mesopotamia towards the end of the Eastern Han period (25-220), and carried inland through Xinjiang and Gansu by the fourth century. During the Sui and Tang dynasties (581 - 907), the pipa became the main instrument. Almost all musical pieces of the Tang era (618 - 907) were performed on the pipa. A versatile instrument for solos, ensembles (of two or more instruments) and accompaniment, the pipa is renowned for its intense expressiveness and ability to sound passionately and heroically powerful, yet subtly subtle and graceful at the same time. It is used both for solo performances and in orchestras.

Chinese national musical instrument

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Xun (埙 Xun)

Zheng (筝 Zheng)

According to ancient sources, the original zheng had only five strings and was made of bamboo. Under Qin, the number of strings increased to ten, and wood was used instead of bamboo. After the fall of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the zheng became a 13-string instrument, the strings of which were stretched over an oblong wooden resonator. Today, you can still enjoy the harmonious tone of the 13, 14 or 16-string zheng, which is still actively used in China both in musical ensembles and solo.

Guqin (古琴 Guqin)

The guqin is characterized by a narrow and long wooden body with 13 round marks on the surface, designed to indicate the positions of the overtones or places where the fingers should be placed when playing. Generally speaking, the high notes of the guqin are pure and harmonious, the middle notes are strong and distinct, and its low notes are soft and elusive, with clear and charming overtones.

Sona (唢呐 Suona)

Sheng (笙 Sheng)

Xiao and Di (箫 Xiao, 笛 Di)

Xiao - vertical bamboo flute, di - horizontal bamboo flute - traditional wind instruments of China.

Pipa (琵琶 Pipa)

Yueqin (月琴, yuèqín, i.e. "moon lute"), or ruan ((阮), is a kind of lute with a round resonator body. The ruan has 4 strings and a short fretboard with frets (usually 24). The ruan also has an octagonal body and is played with a plectrum. classical guitar, and is used both for playing solo and in an orchestra.
In ancient times, ruan was called "pipa" or "qin pipa" (i.e. pipa of the Qin dynasty). However, after the ancestor of the modern pipa came to China along the Silk Road during the reign of the Tang Dynasty (circa 5th century AD), the name "pipa" was assigned to the new instrument, and the lute with a short neck and a round body began to be called " zhuan" - named after the musician who played on it, Ruan Xian (3rd century AD) . Ruan Xian was one of the seven great scholars known as the "Seven Wise Men of the Bamboo Grove".

Dizi (笛子, dizi) - Chinese transverse flute. It is also called di (笛) or handi (橫笛). The di flute is one of the most common Chinese musical instruments and can also be found in ensembles. folk music, and in a modern orchestra, and in Chinese opera. It is believed that dizi came to China from Tibet during the Han Dynasty. Dizi has always been popular in China, which is not surprising, because. It is easy to make and easy to carry around.Today this instrument is usually made of high quality black bamboo with one blow hole, one membrane hole and six playing holes cut along its length. In the north, di is made from black (purple) bamboo, in the south, in Suzhou and Hangzhou, from white bamboo. Southern di's tend to be very thin, light and have a quiet sound. However, it would be more correct to call the di "membrane flute", since its characteristic, sonorous timbre is due to the vibration of a thin paper membrane, which is sealed with a special sound hole on the body of the flute.

Erhu (二胡, èrhú), a two-stringed violin, has perhaps the most expressive voice of all bowed stringed instruments. The erhu is played both solo and in ensembles. It is the most popular stringed instrument among various ethnic groups China. When playing the erhu, many complex technical bow and finger techniques are used. The erhu violin is often used as the lead instrument in traditional Chinese orchestras. national instruments and in the performance of string-wind music. The word "erhu" consists of the characters for "two" and "barbarian" because this two-stringed instrument came to China about 1000 years ago thanks to the northern nomadic peoples.Modern erhus are made of precious wood, the resonator is covered with python skin. The bow is made of bamboo, on which a string of horsehair is pulled. During the game, the musician pulls the string of the bow with the fingers of his right hand, and the bow itself is fixed between two strings, making up a single whole with the erhu.

Guzheng (古箏, gǔzhēng), or zheng (箏, "gu" 古 means "ancient") is a Chinese zither with movable, loose string rests and 18 or more strings (modern zheng usually has 21 strings). Zheng is the ancestor of several Asian varieties of zither: Japanese koto, Korean gayageum, Vietnamese đàn tranh. Although original name of this picture - "Zheng", is depicted here after all guqin (古琴) - a Chinese seven-string zither. The guqin and guzheng are similar in shape, but they are easy to distinguish: while the guzheng has a support under each string, like the Japanese koto, the guqin does not have supports. The sound of the guqin is very quiet, the range is about 4 octaves. Since ancient times, the guqin has been a favorite instrument of scientists and thinkers, it was considered an exquisite and refined instrument and was associated with Confucius. He was also called "the father of Chinese music" and "the instrument of the sages". Previously, the instrument was simply called "qin", but by the 20th century. this term has come to mean whole line musical instruments: similar to cymbalsyangqin, huqin family of string instruments, western piano, etc. Then the prefix "gu" (古), i.e. "ancient, and was added to the name. Sometimes you can also find the name "qixiaqin", i.e. "seven-string musical instrument".

Xiao (箫, xiāo) is an upright flute usually made of bamboo. This one is very ancient instrument, apparently comes from a flute related to the Tibetans of the Qiang (Kyan) people from southwestern China. An idea of this flute is given by ceramic funerary figurines dating back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD). This instrument is even older than the di flute. Xiao flutes have a clear sound suitable for playing beautiful, pleasing melodies. They are often used solo, in ensemble, and to accompany traditional Chinese opera.

The kunhou harp (箜篌, kōnghóu) is another plucked stringed instrument introduced to China by Silk Road from Western Asia. The kunhou harp is often found on the frescoes of various Buddhist caves of the Tang era, which indicates the widespread use of this instrument during that period. She disappeared during the Ming Dynasty, but in the 20th century. she was revived. Kunhou was known only from frescoes in Buddhist caves, ritual funeral figurines, and engravings on stone and brickwork. Then, in 1996, in a tomb in Tsemo County (Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region) two complete bow-shaped kunhou harps and a number of their fragments were found. However, the modern version of this instrument is more reminiscent of the Western concert harp rather than the old kunhou.

Pipa (琵琶, pípa) is a 4-string plucked musical instrument, sometimes also called the Chinese lute. One of the most widespread and famous Chinese musical instruments. The pipa has been played in China for more than 1500 years: the ancestor of the pipa, whose homeland is the region between the Tigris and Euphrates (the region of the "fertile crescent") in the Middle East, came to China along the ancient Silk Road in the 4th century BC. n. e. Traditionally, the pipa was used mainly for playing solo, less often in folk music ensembles, usually in southeast China, or as an accompaniment to storytellers. The name "pipa" refers to the way the instrument is played: "pi" means moving the fingers down the strings, and "pa" means moving them backwards. The sound is extracted with a plectrum, but sometimes with a fingernail, which is given a special shape. Several similar tools East Asia derived from pipa: Japanese biwa, Vietnamese đàn tỳ bà and Korean bipa.

Chinese traditional music, like all Chinese culture, several thousand years. Due to the isolation of the country from Europe, the instruments of the Celestial Empire are distinguished by their unique flavor for the West. They (together with all national music) absorbed elements of the music of the Tibetans, Uighurs, Manchus, Mongols, etc.

bianzhong bells

Traditionally, Chinese musical instruments are divided into several types according to the material from which they are made: bamboo, silk, wood, metal, stone, gourd, clay and leather. Many of them are extremely exotic, and some have been forgotten in the course of a long cultural evolution. For example, a significant rethinking of the game technique occurred after the creation of a single empire, when local regional features were reduced to a single standard.

A variety of Chinese were formed under the influence of rituals and religion. These were also the bells. They differed significantly from European ones. The first proper Chinese bells were called bianzhong. They replaced the Indian type of round instruments along with the spread of Buddhism throughout the Celestial Empire. Bianzhong were so popular that they appeared in neighboring Korea and even overseas Japan.

Drums

In addition to large bells, smaller models or several other devices appeared in China. Diangu can be attributed to them. This Chinese is a flat drum, which also looks like a tambourine. Special beaters are attached to it. Together with dyangu, they often play paiban crackers. They are made in the form of plates suspended in one bundle.

Xiangjiaogu is a Chinese type of timpani. Its body is made of wood and mounted on a special cylindrical stand. The design was the source of the instrument's name. Xiangjiaogu can be translated as "elephant's foot". Usually this instrument is used solo. For playing, it is set slightly inclined - so it is more convenient for the musician to tap on it with fingers and palms.

Brass

According to the international classification, the Chinese have Western counterparts. For example, traditional di resembles its structure. Its trunk is made of reed or bamboo. More rare models are made of stone, such as jade.

Another Chinese wind instrument, the sheng, is similar to the harmonica. Researchers consider it one of the oldest in its class. Sheng consists of pipes, tongue and mouthpiece. His music is very varied, for which he is loved by performers not only from China. Sheng is often used in an orchestra specifically to enrich the sound and change the timbre.

Strings

The erhu is considered a Chinese fiddle. Vibrato is used to play it. Another type of violin is the huqin. He appeared in the middle of the VIII century and gained widespread popularity throughout the Middle Kingdom. Huqin subtype - jinghu. Since it originated with Peking Opera, it is often referred to as "Peking Violin".

Every Chinese stringed musical instrument in ancient times was made with silk strings. And only in the 20th century, by analogy with Western practice, their steel was changed to steel and nylon.

The seven-string Chinese zither is called qixianqin. It is distinguished by an oblong body a meter long and 20 centimeters wide. Qixianqin is considered one of the most ancient national musical instruments. It began to be actively used already in the III century BC.

Plucked

Traditional Chinese musical instruments used in the game folk ensembles sizhu. These include plucked sanxian (or xianzi). It also became widespread in the performance of dance songs. Sanxian has much in common with similar Central Asian instruments setar and tanbur. Some researchers believe that it appeared after the Mongol invasion of the Celestial Empire.

A similar Japanese instrument, the shamisen, comes from the sanxian. Traditionally, it was most common in northern China. His soundboard was often covered with snakeskin. Other character traits sanxian - a long neck and the absence of frets at the holder of the tuning pegs. Another representative of the plucked is guzheng. It has 21 to 25 strings. Some players use plectrums similar to guitar picks when playing the guzheng.

Other tools

Some Chinese musical instruments have become historical artifacts. These include zhu. This five-stringed instrument was distinguished by an elongated long soundboard. Most of all, he looked like cymbals and zither. Zhu's popularity peaked during the Warring States period in the 5th-3rd centuries. BC e. It finally disappeared around the 10th century during the Song Dynasty.

The pipa is a Chinese plucked lute. Her body is pear-shaped. When playing the pipa, musicians must sit and use a plectrum. This tool has gained widespread popularity in China due to its versatility. It has been used and used in orchestras, ensembles and solo. Pipa appeared in the III century. Around the 8th century, it was adopted by the Japanese, who called it biwa.

The stringed yangqin is considered to be a Chinese similarity to cymbals. It is also similar to the Persian santoor and dulcimer. It is most commonly associated with Chinese opera, where it is played as an accompaniment. Yangqin is made of wood, giving its body the shape of a trapezoid. Bamboo beaters are used to sound the sound.

Traditional chinese music differs in sharp timbres, and in the ensemble, due to the poor compatibility of overtones, this effect is usually also enhanced. Apparently, it was precisely such timbres that the Chinese found pleasant. If you listen to traditional Chinese opera, you can appreciate the depth of the gulf between the tastes of European and Asian music lovers.

Moreover, one of the most common techniques when playing traditional Chinese instruments is vibrato, which in fact also enhances the sharpness of the timbre by repeating two adjacent sounds (a second is a very dissonant interval). And in the traverse di flute, the Chinese even made a special hole, which gives the sound an additional rattle.

Probably, it is thanks to the timbres that Chinese music seems so hysterical and poignant.

Guzheng

The guzheng is a plucked string instrument related to the zither. Typically, the guzheng has eighteen to twenty-five strings, which were traditionally made of silk, but now they are more often made of metal. Probably, before the timbre of the guzheng was much softer. Interestingly, the nut on the guzheng can be moved by changing the tuning of the instrument.

Qixianxin, or guqin (guqin) is an instrument with a similar timbre and structure, but with seven strings. The style of playing the guqing differs from the guzheng in many glissandos.
This is a very ancient instrument - Confucius played it two and a half millennia ago. This instrument is tuned very low - this is such a double bass from Chinese instruments. For the guqin, its own was invented own system musical notation, so it has been preserved very ancient music for this tool. The performer's gestures are part of piece of music, they are described in notes. Each work had some kind of extra-musical meaning, usually associated with nature, often accompanied by poetry.

Pipa

Another plucked stringed instrument, the pipa, is shaped like a lute. The pipa has only four strings. It is believed that the pipa came to China from Central Asia.

Erhu

Erhu (erhu) - string bowed instrument. It is probably the most popular of the traditional Chinese instruments. Erhu has only two metal strings. The bow is fixed between the strings, forming a single whole with the erhu. The timbre of the erhu is soft, similar to a violin.

Sheng

Sheng (sheng) - a wind instrument similar in sound to a bandaneon. It consists of thirty-six (three octaves) bamboo or reed pipes "growing" from a stand with a mouthpiece. The timbre of the sheng is very well combined with the timbres of other traditional Chinese instruments, which cannot be said about the rest of the instruments.

Di

Di (dizi) - transverse flute with six holes. This tool has interesting feature- next to the air inlet there is another one, covered with a thin bamboo film, due to which the instrument has a slight rattling overtone.

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