Modern Harmony and the Study of Chinese Compositions

Author: Wang An'guo
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Most of the articles in this collection are either rereads or first reads, and I believe he is indeed very seriously engaged in his theoretical research work. This collection includes 11 essays and articles written from 1980 to the beginning of the current year. As suggested by the title, the collection is roughly divided into two parts: one part focuses on the study of modern and contemporary harmony, including his master's thesis; the other part examines the works and composers of contemporary China, which are topics closely related to current realities. In terms of content, the collection is highly academic, but readers will undoubtedly benefit from enjoying the insightful research findings of Ren Jiao. In this regard, I am confident that readers will not be disappointed. However, what I would like to discuss here are some of my additional reflections as a reader. At least two aspects of this collection left a deep impression on me: the evident passion Ren Jiao demonstrates for the new music creation in China, as fully expressed in these articles, and his rigorous, down-to-earth scientific attitude toward theoretical research. I wonder if this could be part of the noteworthy characteristics of Wang An'guo, one of the emerging members of the new generation of music theorists. This paper aims to provide a brief summary of the techniques and methods of harmonic innovation in contemporary Chinese musical works and to clarify my fundamental understanding of this issue to meet the needs of music composition, theoretical research, and composition teaching.