Dictionary of Melodies from Famous Chinese and Foreign Works

Author: Sun Weiyuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-01-01
Features: This book collects and compiles a substantial number of melodies composed by Chinese composers, including songs, arias from operas, instrumental themes, as well as melodies from Chinese folk songs and traditional instrumental music, totaling over 300 pieces. It broadly covers the main achievements in modern Chinese vocal and instrumental melody composition. This book not only aids in the creation and appreciation of melodies but also provides preliminary materials for the study of melodic theory, melodic history, and comparative research between Chinese and foreign melodies, facilitating the advancement of such research. If it truly serves as a stepping stone for this purpose, we will feel deeply satisfied. The book includes 1,010 melodies of various vocal and instrumental genres from both China and abroad. Some entries contain multiple melodies. To facilitate readers' searches, additional sub-entries are added for multi-melody entries, including different sections, those with introductions, those with uncertain modes, and those where the conventional singing style differs from the score. As a result, the total number of entries reaches 1,234. The entries are arranged using the first six notes of the melody in sol-fa notation (regardless of duration, pitch, or ornamentation) as the barcode, in the order of 1 to 7. For notes with sharps or flats, flats are listed before the base note, while sharps are listed after it. The textual explanations often include references (in bold type). Utilizing these references consecutively can yield further insights. At the end of the main text, there is a classified index organized by genre or period, both in Chinese and foreign contexts.
In this book, we have collected and compiled a substantial number of melodies composed by Chinese composers, including songs, arias from operas, instrumental themes, as well as melodies from Chinese folk songs and traditional instrumental music, totaling over 300 pieces, accounting for about one-third of the book and broadly covering the main achievements in modern Chinese vocal and instrumental melody composition. As the saying goes, "It's not the goods that are at fault, but the lack of comparison." Since the editorial format of this book arranges both Chinese and foreign melodies in sequence by pitch order, it objectively facilitates a comparison of the creative levels and qualities of melodies from both China and abroad. Readers may also consider themselves as "judges" while browsing the book.