Appreciation of Famous Chinese and Foreign Songs

Author: Chief Editor: Sun Jinan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-02-01
Features: Excerpt: The Ancient Guqin Piece "Jiu" (Drunkard) [Author's Biography] "Jiu" is said to have been composed by Ruan Ji (210–263). Ruan Ji was a renowned litterateur and musician during the Three Kingdoms period. The era he lived in was one of the darkest in Chinese history. Politically, the rulers were corrupt and deceitful; economically, they extorted and exploited; and in terms of lifestyle, they were licentious and extravagant. These factors led to extremely sharp social contradictions and increasingly intense struggles within the ruling class. Additionally, the brutal massacres of scholars and officials who supported the Cao family by the Sima clan further drove many scholars and literati to withdraw from the world, indulging in excesses, getting drunk, living in seclusion, or engaging in empty talk—all as means to protect themselves and escape reality. Ruan Ji once served as the Commandant of the Bìng Army. His father, Ruan Yu, was one of the "Seven Scholars of Jian'an" and was also skilled in music. The Biography of Ruan Ji in the Jin Shu records: "Ruan Ji originally had ambitions to govern the world, but during the Wei-Jin period, the world was in turmoil, and few famous figures remained intact. Therefore, Ruan Ji withdrew from worldly affairs and made drinking his constant habit." This shows that Ruan Ji's drunken and erratic behavior was a way to escape reality under the oppressive political climate of the Sima regime. It is said that when Sima Zhao sent someone to Ruan Ji's house to propose marriage for his son, Ruan Ji drank himself into oblivion for sixty consecutive days, avoiding the meeting. Ruan Ji was also known as the "Green and White Eye," giving white eyes to those who adhered to rituals and customs, but green eyes to those who shared his ideals. Thus, the Mysterious and Secret Collection aptly states: "Ruan Ji sighed that the way was no longer feasible and that he was out of sync with the times. Therefore, he forgot worldly concerns beyond his physical form and found solace in excessive drinking to fulfill his lifelong aspirations. His interest lay in this, so was he truly fond of alcohol? There is a profound meaning behind it!" This insight clearly points out that Ruan Ji's composition of "Jiu" was not a manifestation of cynicism but rather contained complex and profound social content. [Work Introduction] The Guqin piece "Jiu" holds significance for understanding the corrupt and declining social system during the Wei-Jin period. It appears in various Guqin collections such as the Mysterious and Secret Collection (1425) and the Wind Proclamation of the Mysterious (1539) but had been lost for many years. In the 1950s, the Shanghai Guqin master Yao Bingyan successfully notated the piece, and his creative achievement garnered attention from the Chinese music community. The process of notating Guqin music, known as "daping," involves using the ancient and unique "reduction character notation" (reduction characters), which is specifically designed for Guqin pieces. It records only the positions on the Guqin and playing techniques without indicating pitches. The reduction characters combine the distances of the left-hand positions on the Guqin and various techniques of both hands into symbolic notations to guide playing. Since it lacks time signatures, transforming these notations into sound is essentially an act of artistic re-creation, referred to as "daping" in Guqin music terminology. Yao Bingyan's notated "Jiu" adopts a 3/8 time signature, which accurately captures a dazed and state of mind, creating a vivid musical image. This achievement was the result of Yao Bingyan's comparison of multiple traditional notations and years of careful refinement and deliberation. His exploration of the rhythmic patterns of this piece is detailed in his article "The Process of Notating the Guqin Piece 'Jiu'"①. [Appreciation Tips] "Jiu" is a concise and short Guqin piece, with the entire work consisting of less than a hundred sections. Its musical image and emotional expression are relatively simple yet highly expressive. It is like a masterful sketch, capturing the character's essence with just a few strokes. In the realm of Guqin music, it stands as a refined and exquisite miniature. Postscript: Postscript Music is an important treasure in the cultural heritage of humanity. What is music? "Music is the sound that gives rise to joy. Its essence lies in the human heart's perception of external things." This quote from the famous ancient Chinese music treatise Yue Ji succinctly tells people that music is both an art of sound and an art of expressing emotions. As an art of expression, music requires listeners to deeply understand its content to evoke emotional resonance; as an art of sound, it demands listeners to possess a certain musical literacy to inspire rich associations. Music appreciation is an indispensable part of spiritual civilization and an essential aspect of completing the third-degree creation of musical art. As the material and cultural living standards of the Chinese people continue to improve, their demand for music appreciation grows ever more urgent. Outstanding musical works are always delightful to listen to repeatedly. Through repeated appreciation, people not only become intoxicated in their beautiful melodies but also experience spiritual elevation. Moreover, in the process of appreciation, they engage in creative reinterpretation, continuously exploring the depths of music, generating new insights and interests, thereby cultivating noble character and moral integrity while enriching their musical literacy and enhancing their ability to understand and appreciate music. Therefore, how to compile a rich yet accessible music appreciation guide that benefits music educators and enthusiasts in primary and secondary schools has been our long-standing aspiration. The vast world of music, both Chinese and foreign, has led us to select works from different historical periods and musical schools, though inevitably, there are omissions. We have also included some newly influential works in recent years to broaden the horizons of music appreciators. Comrade Zhao Feng, a music educator and critic, kindly wrote the preface for this book in his busy schedule. Associate Professor Wang Yuhe of the Central Conservatory of Music and Associate Professor Zhou Zhukuan of Harbin Normal University provided many valuable suggestions. Many colleagues generously provided materials and photographs for the author bios. Additionally, we referred to relevant musical publications during the compilation process. We extend our gratitude to all. In addition to the named contributors, other sections were written by Comrades Wang Zhenyu, Li Minglin, Du Moli, and Zhang Baohe, among others. Due to our limitations, errors are inevitable, and we sincerely invite readers to point them out. Sun Jinan January 1985, Shandong Normal University