Chinese Composers On Their Works

About the Composers

       Born in Macau, Bun-Ching Lam graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In 1981 she received her doctorate from the University of California at San Diego, and has taught at the Cornish Institute of Arts in Seattle. In 1991 she received a Rome prize fellowship to pursue musical activities in Italy.

       A 1983 graduate of the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music's Composition Department and instructor there, Qu Xiaosong came to the United States at the invitation of the Center for U.S.-China Arts Exchange at Columbia University. He currently resides in New York.

       A native of Canton, Chen Yi earned her M.A. in composition from the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music in 1986. She's presently a DMA candidate in the School of the Arts, Columbia University.

       Zhou Long earned a degree in composition from the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music in 1983, and was resident composer for the China Broadcasting Symphony. He's currently a DMA candidate at Columbia University's School of the Arts.

       A 1985 graduate of the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music in composition, Li Binyang taught at the conservatory for a number of years. He is presently studying for a Master's degree at Louisiana State University.

"Walking Walking Keep Walking" - Bun-Ching Lam
      "Nineteen Ancient Poems" are among the best known in Chinese poetry. I have been very fond of them since I was little, but only until lately have I come to appreciate their greatness: the precise use of language, lively imagery, and depth of meaning. Even though written at least two thousand years ago (supposedly between the two Han Dynasties, 206 B.C.-220 A.D.), they are still as fresh today as ever.
      I have set other Chinese poetry to music before, from the Yuan Dynasty works of Ma Zhiyuan, to the Song poems of Li Qingzhao; and, now, going back in time even further, ancient poems of the Han. These were all originally sung texts -- though the music has been lost over the ages -- thus they have very strong musical character. I've attempted to put them into a new context, in hopes of creating a contemporary expression.
      I have chosen four of the nineteen to work with in "Walking Walking Keep Walking." Since they were folk tunes, I have composed simple melodies, to retain some of the folk flavor. I have also taken the opportunity to browse through some traditional vocal music (e.g. Peking Opera, Cantonese Opera, storytelling), studying some of the melodic structures and accompaniment figures as a background to my composition.

"Stillness" - Qu Xiaosong
      "Drinking at night, I roused myself drunk, returning home in the early hours. The houseboy’s snores pealed like thunder. I knocked on the door, but no one answered. Leaning on my staff, I listened to the rushing river . . ."
      I idolize Su Shi's poetry and greatly admire how the Chinese literati of old placed their ultimate faith in feelings for nature.
      This mortal coil -- its hubbub, its turmoil. I crave peace and tranquility, and often sigh, "What a pity this existence is not mine own; when shall I forsake the hurly-burly?" I hope the day will dawn when "this small craft departs these shores, and I entrust my life to the great sea."
      As far as music is concerned, lately I've become jaded with intricacy and devoted wholeheartedly to simplicity. Just as traditional Chinese artists left areas of their paintings white, so have I left empty space for the performers, listeners, and myself. I hope that we can more sensitively and earnestly listen to, and feel, these pristine sounds.

"Suite" - Chen Yi
      "Suite" is comprised of three independent sections. The melodic material of the first section, which features the pipa, is drawn from the ku-yin (melancholy music) found in Shaanxi regional opera. The piece's form and structure are based on my impressions of the hand motions of the eight standard strokes in the zhengkai style of Chinese calligraphy. The second section, led by the dizi, follows the structural method of traditional Chinese ba-ban rules of the grouping of notes. The third section takes as its basic material the yi-fan mode -- rich in unique characteristics -- of Cantonese Opera, which is then developed by repetition and embellishment to lead the music to a rousing climax.

"You Lan" and "Wu Ji" - Zhou Long
      "You Lan" ("Secluded Orchid") for erhu and piano, is drawn from the guqin melody, "You Lan in the Mode of Jie Shi," from the Six Dynasties period (497-590). The erhu uses its unique timbre, which greatly resembles the human voice, to imitate the original guqin music's evocation of the moods of dark anger, melancholy, nobility, tranquility, and stimulation which meticulously describe Confucius's travels in search of suitable employment. Finding none, he returned home. The luxuriant orchids he spied in a secluded valley on the way stirred complex thoughts and boundless emotions in him.
      "Wu Ji," extracted from ancient Chinese philosophy, literally means "the lack of polarities", or, more appropriately, "beyond the extremity." The music of "Wu Ji" combines far-ranging variations on the piano with tonal possibilities of the zheng and percussion to present the composer's interpretation of the realm of "Wu Ji."

"Southern Features" - Li Binyang
      "Southern Features" was completed in 1986. Before that, I hadn't delved into traditional Chinese music. My idea then was very simple: to try to write a folk-style piece for the two oldest and most genuinely Chinese instruments. After much thought I chose the guqin (7-string zither) and xun (ocarina).
      The guqin can be traced back to the story of its invention by Shen Nong [a mythical character]; the xun, too, has thousands of years of history behind it. One can really call these two instruments "national treasures." The rest was even simpler: I'm a Southerner, steeped in its flavor since childhood. I stubbornly believe South China's culture to be richer and more colorful than the North's. I picked what I was most familiar with and fond of; that's why the piece is called "Southern Features."
      In the past few decades, a group of young composers have started their own exploration and cultivation. The previous generation of composers had begun this work, but they didn't find good creative conditions or environment. A number of works challenging tradition and the status quo have just come out, stirring things up quite a bit. Though traces of certain methods of certain Western composers may be found among them, in general these new works are signs of a new beginning in Chinese music.
      To talk of Chinese folk flavor seems to naturally involve the pentatonic scale. Some even believe that music not using this scale loses its Chinese character which is truly a superficial view. A little knowledge of world music will soon reveal that the pentatonic scale is not exclusive to China. Furthermore, China's musical heritage is so rich that it's wrong to conflate folk style in with the pentatonic scale.
      In writing "Southern Features," I avoided the simple pentatonic scale, nor did I use any specific folk song material. Even now I couldn't say which folk group or folk song the melody derives from. But I can't say that it isn't a Chinese folk-style melody. In terms of musical form, I tried my utmost not to slip into any ready-made frame, paying attention only to the movement and completeness of the music itself. In the vertical arrangement of the two instruments I avoided Western-style counterpoint. At their first appearance, the two instruments are basically in unison, with occasional heterophony on the guqin's part; the second appearance uses different tones, with no special contrapuntal relation; the third time, the guqin is used for percussive effect. In the piece as a whole, I consciously avoided applying modern composition techniques. All of this was in an effort to express a state of simplicity: "To return to the simple and true" has been my basic goal in writing this piece.

Traditional Music Conference

by Li Wei

      The 31st World Conference of the International Council for Traditional Music took place in Hong Kong July 3-9. The first major international conference on Chinese music held outside China, it had special implications for the study and scholarly exchange of Chinese music. Recognizing this, China sent a 26-member delegation to the conference. The following is a report on some of the topics of discussion.

      The conference opened with a speech by Harvard Professor Rulan Chao Pian titled "Return of the Native Ethnomusicologist." Using her encounters during a study trip to her native home, she led into a discourse on the ethnomusicologist as insider/outsider. Professor Chao believes that in regard to some sociological aspects of musical research, the insider may have certain advantages in more readily understanding native cultural values or the implicit significance of specific types of music in cultural context. At the same time, however, the insider's viewpoint may be limited by his or her own social background. Professor Chao also cited differences in attitudes toward current changes in musical cultures. Since insiders identify with their subjects, they are more open to musical change and acculturation. Outsiders, on the other hand, are more opposed to seeing external influences.

      A round-table discussion followed on "Outsider/Insider Issues in Ethnomusi-cology." Participants, speaking from different perspectives and personal experiences, included Professor D. Christensen of Columbia University, Professors K. Nketia and Bell Yung of the University of Pittsburgh, Professor Salva El-Shawan Castelo-Branco of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa in Portugal, and Don Niles of the Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies. The discussions touched upon insider/outsider advantages and disadvantages; reversal of insider/outsider perspectives in ethnomusicological field work; and the implications of the insider/outsider in relation to their research subjects (for example, Bell Yung was of the opinion that "making music" and "talking about music" had very different connotations for insiders/outsiders). Another opinion, voiced by Du Yaxiong of the China Music Conservatory, held that there were far more important topics in ethnomusicology worthy of study.

      Huang Xiangpeng, noted Chinese music historian and former president of the Music Research Institute of China, delivered a key paper on "Ancient Tunes Revealed in Recent Gongchi Notation: On the Question of "High Culture' in Chinese Research." Among the Chinese scholars, Pengcuo Qingrao was of special interest as he was the only scholar from Tibet. His dissertation was on thirteenth century Tibetan music documentation.

      Nearly 40 papers on Chinese music were read in 13 sessions. Presenters and the broader categories included: "Politics, Policy & Methodology" - Wu Ben, Frederick Lau, Feng Guangyu; "Shamanism & Ancestor Worship" - Lisha Li, Liu Guiteng; "Approaches to Analysis" - Wang Yingfen, Theodore J. Kwok; "Western Music in Asia" - F. Kouwenhoven, Dai Jiafang, Kelina Kwan, Liang Maochun; "Islam & Asian Music" - Zhou Qingbao; "Source Studies in Chinese Music" - Qian Renkang, Chen Yungshi, Tsao Pen-Yeh, Shi Xinmin; "Issues in Chinese Historical Studies" - Joseph S.C. Lam, Li Laizhang, Pengcuo Qingrao; "Chinese Music in Hong Kong: Present, Past & Future" - Chan Sauyan, Kyle Heide, Yu Siuwah, Lawrence Witzleben, Chan Wingwah, Joanna Lee; "China & Its Neighbors" - Yang Kuei-hsiang, Wang Yaohua; "Musical Instruments & Instrumental Music" - Yuan Jingfang, Li Minxiong, Xue Yibing, Liu Zaisheng; "Music of Chinese National Minorities" - Wu Guodong, Zhou Ji, Tian Liantao; "Chinese Folk Song" - Qiao Jianzhong, Fan Zuyin, A.M. Schimmelpenninck, Yang Jiusheng, Du Yaxiong; "Buddhism and Asian Music" - Li Wei, Huo Xuchu.

      Among the exhibits were three video documentaries: Daoist Ritual Music, produced by the Shanghai Music Conservatory; Anhui Hua Gu Xi (Flower Drum Opera of Anhui Province), produced by M. Brocker of Germany; and Anhui Nuo Xi (Nuo Opera), produced by R. Branal.

Li Wei is a doctoral student in ethno-musicology in the Department of Music at Columbia University.

Fall Lectures

      This fall, two similar events will take place. On Sunday, September 15 at 2:00 PM, the distinguished guests will be Li Ling and his daughter Li Danna. Mr. Li is vice chairman of the Chinese Musician's Association and former president of the Chinese Conservatory of Music and director of the Central Philharmonic Society. Ms. Li is head of the National Intermediate and Elementary Music Education Committee of the Chinese Musician's Association. They will discuss the state of music education in China today, the development of and research in traditional music, and related subjects.

      Later, on November 3rd, a talk on traditional opera will be given by Professor Lian Bo of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, together with a performance of qin songs by Ms. Shen Dehao of the Shanghai Traditional Orchestra.

      Both events will take place at the Oriental Gallery, a cosponsor, located at 13 Elizabeth Street, 2nd floor, in Chinatown. Admission is free. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions and contribute to the discussion.

Readers' Forum Chinese Music Internationally

by R.I.P. Hayman

      I feel a certain patriotism for China as an American who has studied and worked there for many years. My life has been enriched by its culture and the people struggling to realize its great potential.

      This century of turmoil for China is reflected in the evolution of its music. As society has been transformed, ancient music traditions have confronted the incursion of Western techniques. The sound of this combination is the drama of Chinese musical development.

      Much of the social basis of traditional music is gone: the imperial court, gentry patronage, and, above all, China's insularity. Radio and recordings have now disseminated all kinds of music around the nation. Chinese music has been faced with many uninvited influences - missionaries hymns, Japanese marches, Russian orchestration, and international pop music. The attraction and reaction have been strong.

      The reforms of the 1980's permitted a flowering of interest in traditional forms, including opera, minority music, religious music, ancient court music, and the quiet music of the qin. The vigorous revival of Chinese traditional and ancient music is a valuable assertion of Chinese values in the face of international integration. A return to the original qualities and mystical roots of Chinese music is an important process.

      Though Western style popular music has captured the imagination of the young, many musicians feel a need to maintain the unique aspects of Chinese culture while, at the same time, being drawn to other world music styles. Composer Zhou Long stated [in the first issue of this newsletter]: "The key is to absorb and extract the essence of various cultures in the service of a lasting creativity." This could be the motto of many artists in the global culture. The process of choice and change is especially difficult for China. As Zhou Long noted, "this generation of composers has experienced a serious disruption in cultural life."They certainly share the tragedies of the time.

      European composers have also experienced disruption in this century as their nations have been scarred by war and a search for renewed identity. American music has been characterized by an assertive innovation that has blended world influences. Composers have worked with meditative and conceptual music influenced by ancient Chinese thought. This is not just a fad or fashion any more than is the study of Western techniques by Chinese composers. It is a real and profound synthesis. John Cage once described this process as if winds from Europe, Asia, and Africa met and joined forces in America. This new wind has blown back to the old worlds as a modernizing force at times in conflicts with its roots.

      Can China maintain an identity within the international community? Cultural assimilation is a world trend, but unique Chinese qualities will endure. China will continue to be an important element in global culture, especially through the efforts of dynamic and independent Chinese composers and performers working overseas. Can Chinese composers ignore the rich resource of Chinese tradition and write an independent international music? The global culture allows anyone from anywhere to learn and utilize aspects of other cultures. Yet musicians who ignore their roots may lose their native soul. Tradition is discovered and renewed by each individual.

      Traditions grow and develop or they are abandoned by subsequent generations. This evolution requires independence to study, travel and work. The arts and intellectual community must be recognized as an essential element of society, as the eyes and ears are to the body. A healthy culture permits each composer, musician and listener musical independence.

      Trust the people to create.

R.I.P. Hayman is a composer and an editor of Ear Magazine. He has lived and worked in China many years as teacher, journalist and consultant. His most recent trip to China was in March, 1991.

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Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 3
Autumn 1991
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