Ancient Perspectives on Music
The ancient Chinese belief that music is meant not to amuse but to purify one’s thoughts finds particular expression in the cult of Qin, a 7-stringed long zither possessing a repertory calling for great subtlety and refinement in performance and still popular among a small circle of scholar-musicians.
Also, traditionally the Chinese have believed that sound influences the harmony of the universe. A result of this philosophical orientation was that until quite recently the Chinese theoretically opposed music performed solely for entertainment; accordingly, musical entertainers are relegated to an extremely low social status.
The Influence of Western Music in the 20th Century
In the first half of the 20th century Chinese music was considerably influenced by the music of the West. Three major schools of thoughts arose in response to this influence. The first school aimed at reviving the old thousand-piece orchestras that once delighted ancient princes and sages and resisted the influence of Western music. The second school concerned itself almost exclusively with Western music. The last school of Chinese music took great pride in traditional Chinese musical culture but did not hesitate to apply it to Western techniques of composition and performance.
Liu Tianhua (1895—1932) is a Chinese musician and composer best known for his innovative work for the erhu (Chinese two-stringed fiddle). Paying tribute to Western classical theory, Liu has a special passion for ethnic music, devoting a lot of time to exploring the Chinese tradition and mastering the art of melody from skillful folk artists of his time. Liu is also considered a prominent instrument designer who greatly enhanced the sound of the erhu, turning it into a solo instrument.
Chinese Contemporary Music since 1949
Since 1949, Chinese contemporary music entered the phase called the “Revolutionization”. Under the policy of art in the service of working people, many musical works were composed in a strong national style. The most famous Chinese violin concerto “Butterfly Lover” (1959), was written based on the Yue Opera work with the same name. The piano concerto “Yellow River” is based on the “Chorus of Huanghe” composed by Xian Xinghai. These two works are expressions of revolutionary spirit, with Chinese folk music materials merging with the Western concerto form.
Diversification of Chinese Music after Reform and Opening - up
Since the reform and opening-up in China, with the wide-ranging exchange of culture between China and other countries, Chinese contemporary music has become diversified in genre and individualized in expression and technique. Vocal music no longer holds a dominant position; there is an increased output of solo instrumental, chamber music, and orchestral works. And many musicians with great virtuosity have emerged and gained world fame.
Lang Lang (1982—) is a popular pianist in the world, whose skill and energetic performance style put him in a league of his own. Since taking center stage at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony, Lang Lang has become a superstar on the international circuit. He has performed at the China’s 60th Anniversary and headlined hundreds of more concerts around the globe, demonstrating enormous skills and an emotional, physical response to the music in every performance.
