| ¤¤¤åª© Western Musical Instruments |
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Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
Sound clips sponsored by NAXOS International (Far East). |
Introduction to Musical Instruments - Chinese Musical Instruments
BOWED
STRINGS | PLUCKED STRINGS | WINDS |
PERCUSSION
BOWED
STRINGS
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BANHU
| The Banhu is another two-string Chinese bowed string instrument
with a clear and articulate tone. Its sound box is covered with
a thin ply of wood. The instrument, which comes in three sizes: soprano, mezzo soprano and alto, is especially popular in the northwestern and northeastern parts of China. It is also widely used in the accompaniment of various regional Chinese operas. Play - North-East China Folk Song, Arr. Liu Ming-yuen : The Crescent Moon before Dawn |
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GAOHU
| With a sweet singing tone reflective of the gentility and
refinement of the culture of Southern China, the Gaohu is a
chief instrument used in the accompaniment of Cantonese opera,
where the performance style is highly ornamented. Playing techniques
and tonality are also slightly different from those found in
the performance of Chinese instrumental music. The Gaohu is
played in the same manner as the Erhu, but is sometimes placed
in between the knees to produce a more delicate tone. Play - Wang Yue-sheng : Red Candle Tears |
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ERHU
| The Erhu, with its lyrical and highly expressive tone, is one of the most popular Chinese bowed string instruments widely used in both solo and orchestral performances. The instrument has two strings with the bow clasped in between, and its sound box is covered by snake-skin. Play - Hua Yanjun (A Bing), Arr. Qu Chun-quan : Erquan Spring Reflecting The Moon |
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ZHONGHU
| The Zhonghu is similar to the Erhu in construction, but has
a bigger resonator, whose shape varies from round to octagonal.
It is a newly developed instrument, whose addition to the modern
Chinese orchestra has served to enrich the colour and range
of the orchestra. Play - Liu Ming yuan, Orch. Deng Wei-min : On the Grassland |
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GEHU & BASS GEHU
| The Gehu and Bass Gehu are also newly developed bass string instruments. They are similar to the cello and double bass in tuning and playing technique and are only different in each having a snake-skin mounted resonator. Play - Mongolia Folk Song : The Shepherd's Song |
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PLUCKED STRINGS
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ZHENG
| The Zheng is developed from a small bamboo-made instrument originally
used by ancient herdsmen in 475-221 B.C. It was very popular as early as
Qin Dynasty (255-206 B.C.). The Zheng was mainly used for solos and the accompaniment of folk songs in its early days, but was also used in orchestral performances in the Tang Dynasty. Depending on the type of strings it uses, the instrument is capable of producing a variety of tones. Play - Folk Music : Autumn Moon Over Hand Palace |
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YANGQIN
| The Yangqin, which literally means foreign instrument in Chinese, had
originated from the Middle East. It was first introduced into China during
the Ming Dynasty (1600 A.D.) and is similar to the European dulcimer in
construction. As the Cantonese Yangqin was once made in the shape of a butterfly,
it was also called Butterfly-qin. The Yangqin is played with a pair of bamboo sticks. With gradual improvement, stops have been added to provide semitones and to increase the range of the instrument. Slides and rollers have also been added to facilitate modulation and ensure a quicker and more accurate tuning. The Yangqin is capable of producing not only single notes, but also chords and quick arpeggios. It is widely used as both a solo and accompanying instrument, and remains one of the principal instruments in a Chinese orchestra. Play - Sichuan Yangqin Tune, Arr. Xiang Si-hua, Li Xiao-li : General's Command |
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LIUYEQIN
| The Liuyeqin is a small 4-string plucked string instrument with a history
of about one hundred years. It was originally used in the accompaniment
of folk operas in the An-hui Province of China, but is also used quite often
as a solo instrument. Because of its shorter strings & relatively small
resonator, the Liuyeqin is noted for high pitches and distinctively bright
tones. Play - Wang Hui-ran, Orch. Gong Guo-tai : Spring by the Yi River |
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PIPA
| A pear-shaped 4-string lute-like instrument with a history of more than
2,200 years, the Pipa is one of the most popular Chinese plucked string
instruments, and is widely used in both solo and orchestral performances.
Serving as stops are the 26 bamboo frets glued on the belly of the Pipa
and the 6 ledges at the upper end of the instrument. Play - Ancient Pipa Melody : Ambush On All Sides |
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RUAN
| The Ruan is a 4-string Chinese lute with a history of more than 1,600
years. With sizes ranging from large, medium to small, the modern Ruan is
capable of producing a variety of tones that range from rich to delicate.
It is often used in orchestral performances, as well as the accompaniment
of folk operas. Play - Ning Yong : Camel Bells along the Silk Road |
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SANXIAN
| The Sanxian, which literally means 3 strings in Chinese, is a plucked
string instrument. With a strong, rich tone and a notably wide range, it
is widely used in accompaniment as well as orchestral and solo performances. Play - Henan Folk Music, Orch. Zeng Jia-qing : Da Qi Ban (Starting the Grand Tune) |
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WINDS
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DIZI
| The Dizi is a transverse flute made of bamboo. Pitch is regulated by a
set of holes along the tube. With a probable origin from Central Asia or
Tibet where it was played on horse back as a morale-booster for the troops,
the Dizi was first introduced into China around 187-140 B.C. It is used
in many kinds of music - solo, opera, drama, songs and dances. Play - Jiang Xian wei, Arr. Gu Guan-ren : Journey to Suzhou |
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XIAO
| Similar to the Dizi, the Xiao also has a history of over 2,000 years,
and traces its origin to the Han Dynasty when it was called Giandi. It was
in the Tang and Sung Dynasty, when the Dizi began to be played in an upright
position that the name Xiao was adopted.
The ancient Xiao was made up of 16 or 24 bamboo pipes of various lengths, each with a hole at the top for the player to blow. These bamboo pipes were then placed onto a bird-shaped stand, an instrument which we now call Paixiao. The Xiao has a soft and leaving tone, which makes it a suitable instrument for the performance of lyrical works. However, it is also effective as both a solo instrument and ensemble instrument, and is often played in the accompaniment of song. Play - Zhaojun's Lament |
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SHENG
| With a history of over 3,000 years, the Sheng is one of the oldest Chinese
instruments whose manufacture and use were documented in ancient Chinese
history. The traditional Sheng is made up of 13 or 14 pieces of reeds, but
the number of reeds of the modern Sheng varies from 21 to 32. As the Sheng
can produce chords as well as single notes, it is effective as both a solo
and accompanying instrument. Its pleasing and expressive tones are particularly
appealing to the audience. Play - Dong Hong-de/Hu Tian-quan : A Soaring Phoenix |
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GUAN
| The Guan is normally divided into the Northern Guan and Southern Guan,
which vary in both structure and tone colour. The Northern Guan is made
of wood while the Southern Guan is made of bamboo. The Guan has a very peculiar
tone and is often used to add special colours to ensemble and orchestral
music. Northeast Chinese Folk -Tune Arr. Wang Shi-lu & Zhu Guang-qing : River Waters |
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SUONA
| The Suona is an ancient Chinese wind instrument with a history of more
than two thousand years. It was already very popular in the Ming Dynasty.
The Suona is made in a number of different sizes, with ranges ranging from
soprano, alto to bass. It has a wooden body in the middle and a metal bell
at one end and a double reed at the other. The modified Suona is now fitted
with padded keys.
Noted for its high and brilliant tone, the Suona is effective in capturing
the joyful atmosphere on festive occasions and is, thus, widely used as
a leading instrument in festivals, weddings, as well as funerals. It is
also used occasionally to accompany Chinese operas. |
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PERCUSSION
FLOWER DRUM
| The Dagu, also known as Flower Drum, has a wooden body shaped like a flower
vase. The top and bottom are each covered by calfskin, with the bottom being
typically half to three-fifths the size of the top. The drum is then put
onto a wooden frame and played by two wooden mallets in performances. An
orchestra would sometimes make use of several Dagu of different sizes to
perform solo passages of a melodic nature. Play - Beijing Opera, Arr. Li Min-xiong : Deep Night |
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CHINESE WOODBLOCK
| The Chinese woodblock, whose Chinese name means "wooden fish",
was originally used by Buddhist priests for chanting. It is made of a hollow
wooden block shaped like a fish, as fishes were believed to be always awake
and, thus, serve as a symbol and a reminder of hard work. The earliest Chinese
woodblock used in ancient China was, however, made of a long woodblock about
4 to 5 feet long. It was hung outside a temple and hit at meal times to
congregate the monks. A modern day Chinese orchestra now generally employs
a full set of woodblocks in different sizes. Play - An Zhi-shun : Duck's Quarrel (Xi'an Drum Music) |
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GONG
| It is difficult to trace the origin of the gong, but the use of the instrument
was documented as early as the Tang Dynasty. The gong is made of a big round
metal plate with a turned-up edge to form a sort of dish. Diameters may
vary from 3 inches to 4 feet. Play - Beijing Opera, Arr. Li Min-xiong : Deep Night |
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CYMBALS
| A pair of cymbals is made up of 2 metal plates, each fitted with a leather
strap. Cymbals were found in ancient Persia, Greece and Rome over 3,000
years ago, but they were generally of smaller sizes. Larger cymbals seem
to have been found mainly in China. Used originally in Buddhist rituals,
the cymbals are now widely used for "lion dance" and opera accompaniment. Play - Beijing Opera, Arr. Li Min-xiong : Deep Night |