Coming Soon :
- A brief history of the development of Chinese music around the world
- Introduction of major Chinese music record companies
- Family of Huqin
- Guzheng genre
- The past and present of new folk music
- 100-year old huqin story and sound
- Cantonese Music
- Jiangnan Sizhu
- Guangdong Hanyue
Jiangnan music
「絲竹樂」為民間器樂演奏的一種形式，流行於全國各地，因流行地域不同而有不同的稱謂，如流行於江蘇南部、浙江西部及上海地區的絲竹樂，習慣稱為「江南絲竹」。演奏形式是以絲弦和竹管樂器相結合，從一絲一竹到較大的組合均可演奏，常用的樂器包括琵琶、二胡、揚琴、小三弦、秦琴、中胡、笛、笙、簫、鼓、板、木魚、鈴等。樂曲有小曲及曲牌聯綴的套曲，各種樂器可按各自性能加花減字，自由發揮其特色，使曲調與節奏互相照應、補充。傳統上有著名的「八大名曲」，近年亦有新的創作面世，以豐富固有的曲目。其曲調清新活潑，大多源自民間，屬於「細吹細打」的風格，傳統曲目大多採用「老六板」體系，加花及拉寬節拍變化而成。
–Jiangnan Sizhu
Sizhu refers to the music of traditional stringed and woodwind instruments. It is prevalent in everywhere of China, but there are different names according to various regions they are brought out. For example, spreading in southern Jiangsu, western Zhejiang and Shanghai area is called Jiangnan Sizhu. Its performing layout is merged of string and woodwind instruments and formulation from one string plus one woodwind to a more complicated ensemble version. Generally, the musical instruments used include pipa, erhu, yangqin, sanxian, qinqin, zhonghu, dizi, sheng, xiao, drum, woodblock, wooden fish, bell, etc. There are popular small tunes and also suite of several qupais united together. Musicians can play the melody naturally or by adding ornaments to it and sometimes play the simplified version of it. In general, there are eight pieces of renowned Jiangnan Sizhu melody, more pieces are composed to enrich the catalogue recently. The melody of Jiangnan Sizhu is vivid and bright, most of them are adapted from the folk music of soft and gentle style. The traditional pieces are always the variations of liu ban system.
–廣東音樂
民間器樂的「絲竹樂」流行於珠江三角洲一帶及廣府語系地區的，稱為「嶺南絲竹」。它是一種民間器樂的清奏品種，早期被稱為「譜子」，多由外江小調及粵戲過場音樂等構成，所用樂器包括廣東二弦、竹提琴、月琴、三弦及橫簫大笛組成的硬樂「五架頭」，及至上世紀二十年代中期，呂文成創改「江南二胡」為「粵樂二胡」（後來改稱「高胡」），並結合當年唱片事業的發展，形成一種新的粵韻音樂，普遍地稱作「粵樂」，由於此名稱的二字，北方發音相近，為重疊音，較為繞舌，而當時唱片片芯上標寫演奏者時用了「廣樂音樂大家演奏」之句語，其後發展至將此八字分記於片芯兩旁，「廣東音樂」四字遂開始連用，加上呂文成等音樂家所譜寫之音樂，氣韻相近，配器上也較接近，因此北方人士首先使用「廣東音樂」代替「粵樂」作為稱謂，其粵性曲調的地位亦開始漸次成熟，樂種概念油然而生。所用樂器亦轉化為軟樂組合，包括粵胡、椰胡、揚琴、洞簫、秦琴……等等。
–Guangdong Yinyue
Guangdong Yinyue is also called Cantonese music. It is the Sizhu of the delta area of Pearl River and is named as Lingnan Sizhu. In the early time, it was called Pu Zi which meant instrumental music, it was formed by melodies from the northern district out of the Pearl River and the background music of Cantonese Opera. The instruments include erxian, zhutiqin, yueqin, sanxian and qudi or suona which was called Wujiatou and meant five instruments. Since the mid of 1920s, LU Wen-cheng reformed the Jiangnan erhu and developed the Guangdong erhu which is now called the gaohu. It was then formed a new style of music and was called Yueyue. Yueyue meant Guangdong Yinyue, it was so called because the gramophone records of this new music was recorded by the Guangdong musicians in the same style of performance. The instruments of the new style Guangdong Yinyue include yuehu, yehu, yangqin, xiao, qinqin, etc.
–潮州音樂
民間器樂的「絲竹樂」流行於潮州語系地區的稱為「嶺東絲竹」或「韓江絲竹」，但一般都以「潮州音樂」稱之，它傳播於廣東潮州、汕頭地區，並傳至閩南的龍岩、龍溪，西及惠陽，北達五華、大埔、興寧。曲調多源於民歌、歌舞、小調，並吸收弋陽腔、昆曲、漢調、秦腔、道調和法曲，大約已有四百年的歷史了。它的演出形式分廣場樂和室內樂兩種，廣場樂包括潮州大鑼鼓、潮州外江鑼鼓、潮州八音鑼鼓、潮州花燈鑼鼓和潮州小鑼鼓，室內樂包括潮州弦詩樂、潮陽笛套古樂、潮州細樂和潮州廟堂音樂。潮州音樂最具代表性的特色樂器有潮州二弦、潮州嗩吶及深波。二弦的弓子很長，發音尖亮高亢，是弦詩樂的主奏樂器。潮州的大嗩吶稱「大吹」，小嗩吶稱「噯仔」，音色柔美細膩，是鑼鼓樂的主奏樂器。深波是高邊鑼，音色純厚渾圓，極富地方色彩，它有固定的音高，傳統上用作樂隊調音的標準。
–Chaozhou Yinyue
It was the Sizhu in the area of Chaozhou language and was called the Lingdong Sizhu or Hanjiang Sizhu, but generally called the Chaozhou Yinyue. It spread in the area of Chaozhou, Shantou of Guangdong province and passed on to Longyan, Longxi of south Fujian. In the western side, it passed on to Huiyang and Wuhua, Dapu, Xingning in the north. Its melody mostly adapted from folk songs and other traditional operatic melodies and had a history of almost four hundred years. It can perform indoors or at the playground. Its main instruments include Chaozhou erxian, Chaozhou suona and shenbo. The bow of erxian is longer than other bowed instruments. It has a loud and high frequency sound and is the chief instrument of the string section. The suona is discriminated into the big one and the small one. The big one is called dachui and the small one is called aizi. The suona is the chief melody instrument of the traditional percussion group. The shenbo is a big gong rich in local music style. It is always used as the tuning standard of the ensemble.
–廣東漢樂
「廣東漢樂」又稱「客家音樂」、「外江弦」、「儒家樂」、「漢調音樂」等，主要流傳於廣東梅縣、汕頭、韶關、惠陽等客語地區。它是中原地區人民南遷時帶到廣東的中原音樂，並結合了當地的音樂，經長期的發展演變而成，大約已有數百年的歷史了。演奏的形式分為三類，第一類是「和絃索」及「鑼鼓吹」，和絃索是由頭弦領奏的絲竹樂，其他樂器還有月琴、琵琶、椰胡、提胡、三弦、笛子等，鑼鼓吹是由嗩吶領奏的吹打樂，配合蘇鑼、小鑼、鈸、碗鑼、乳鑼、梆子、搖板等打擊樂器演奏；第二類是「清樂」，只用箏、琵琶及椰胡三件樂器合樂；第三類是「中軍班」，屬於職業或半職業的民間音樂班社，是儀仗性的樂隊，其演奏主要是古曲「大樂」和民間小調，也有用嗩吶吹咔，演奏漢劇唱腔。
–Guangdong Hanyue
Guangdong Hanyue is also called Kejia Yinyue, Waijiang Xian, Rujia Yue, Handiao Yinyue, etc. It is spread in the Kejia language area of Meixian, Shantou, Shaoguan and Huiyang of Guangdong province. It was the music which the emigrants of the middle and lower part of the Yellow River brought them to Guangdong. Since then it merged with the local music and formed the Guangdong Hanyue. It’s performing layout including three formats. The first is called Hexiansuo and Luoguchui. Hexiansuo is a kind of Sizhu which includes instruments of yueqin, pipa, yehu, tihu, sanxian and dizi. Luoguchui is performed by the wind and percussion group, leading by the suona and combined with percussions suluo, xiaoluo, cymbal, wanluo, ruluo, bangzi, yaoban, etc. The second is called qingyue which is played by an ensemble with three instruments including zheng, pipa and yehu. The third one is called zhongjunban which is a ritual band and sometimes use the suona to imitate the song melody of the Han Opera.
–河北吹歌
「河北吹歌」是流行於河北省的一種民間器樂樂種，演奏吹歌的班社稱為「吹歌會」，參加的多數是農民，有的家中幾輩人都是吹歌能手，吹歌是他們的業餘活動，常常於婚、喪、喜、慶及廟會中演出，或在節日及農閒的時候作為文娛活動。吹歌所用的樂器包括嗩吶、海笛（小嗩吶）、管子、笙、笛及打擊樂器等。演奏的多為民歌及戲曲唱腔，故有「吹歌」之名。
–Hebei Chuige
Hebei Chuige is a kind of native music of Hebei province. It always performs in the festivals and ceremonies to celebrate. The peasants of Hebei are mostly the experts of Chuige and some of them are three generations capable in Chuige. They formed their teams and groups which are called Chuigehui. The instruments used include suona, haidi (small suona), guanzi, sheng, dizi and the percussions which always used to perform folk songs and imitate the song melody of the native opera. So it is called the Chuige.
– 西安鼓樂
「西安鼓樂」是流行於西安市區及終南山一帶的具有悠久歷史價值的文化藝術遺產，是一種吹奏與鑼鼓樂結合的民間器樂合奏樂種，屬於細樂類，演奏「西安鼓樂」的班社稱為「細樂社」或「古樂社」，其活動多與當地民俗活動結合起來，舊稱「香會」和「水會」，今已改稱「鼓樂」，香與水是指舊時農民在天旱時的祈雨活動，除此以外，西安古城一帶有許多名山古剎，每年春節、秋收的農閒時節都有盛大「鼓會」與「廟會」的活動，是各個樂社「賽樂」的時機，這些活動已相習成風，成為重要的文化交流活動。演奏的形式分為坐樂與行樂兩種，坐樂使用的樂器有笛、笙、管、箏、琵琶，配合座鼓、戰鼓、樂鼓、獨鼓及雙雲鑼、大鐃、小鐃、大鈸、小鈸、大鑼、馬鑼、叮噹、星星、梆子等。行樂使用的樂器除了笛等外，還用高把鼓、小勾鑼、疙瘩鑼、鉸子、手梆子等。
–Xian Guyue
Xian Guyue is spread in the urban district of Xian and along the Zhongnan Mountain. It is an art of Shaanxi province with long history. Although it is merged with wind instruments and percussions, it belongs to xiyue which means music of fine and soft. The performing teams and groups are called Xiyueshe or Guyueshe. Their activities are always associated with celebrations and festivals. Every year when the slack season comes, the Xiyueshe and Guyueshe will have their competition games the Temple Fair Festival which become a civilization activity in tradition. It’s performing layout including the sitting format and the marching format. The instruments for the sitting format are dizi, sheng, guanzi, zheng, pipa, drums, double yunluo, cymbals, luos, jingle, small bell and wooden block. While the marching format besides using the aforementioned instruments, they also use additional drums, luos and wooden block.
–絳州鼓樂
「絳州鼓樂」因地而名，絳州今稱新絳州，地處山西省，其鼓樂亦稱「絳州大鼓」，泛指在新絳縣一帶流行的鑼鼓樂和吹打樂，是新絳縣地方文化原生態的藝術體現和時代再現。絳州的鼓藝在遠古已現端倪，發展至今，不斷改革，藉鼓板鑼鈸、管弦絲竹，使有限的鼓樂語匯通過花干打，的塑造的形象能進入特定的環境裏，演繹出相對完整的故事，期望能達至「鼓會說話」的境界。
–Jiangzhou Guyue
Jiangzhou Guyue is named according to the place it spread. Jiangzhou is now called New Jiangzhou which is in Shanxi province. The wind and percussion music in Jiangzhou is also called Jiangzhou Dagu which reflects the primitive civilization and its revive. The art of Jiangzhou’s drum music is brought down from the ancient times and through reforming, it develops to a satisfactory manner nowadays. It is now identified as “the drum can talk”.
–蘇南民間吹打樂
中國民間吹打樂流傳甚廣，盛行全國各地，有「南」與「北」之分，蘇南民間吹打樂就是屬於南方一系，比較細膩、流暢，流行於江蘇南部長江下游地區的稱為「十番鑼鼓」，一般都由所謂「堂名」的民間職業鼓樂班社之樂手演奏，是為「吹打」；也有由道家及僧家所奏者，則稱「梵音」。「十番鑼鼓」一般都是指由若干「鼓段」聯綴而成「散套」或不帶「鼓段」的小型「吹打」曲，其分類則有由純打擊樂器演奏的「清鑼鼓」和兼有管弦樂器演奏的「絲竹鑼鼓」，又可再細分為「粗鑼鼓」、「細鑼鼓」；「笙吹鑼鼓」、「笛吹鑼鼓」和舊稱「鴛鴦拍」的「粗細絲竹鑼鼓」等。主要是民間自娛為主，並參加廟會等節慶，遇有民間婚、喪、喜、慶等儀式亦會應邀演奏，當然宗教上，佛道的法事、誦讚也是定必有所參與。
–Sunan Chuida
The traditional music of wind and percussion known as chuida is widely spread in China. It is classified into the southern and northern types. Spreading along the southern part of Jiangsu province is called Sunan Chuida and is belong to the southern type. This kind of music is generally named Shifan Luogu and is always performed by the professional folk musician group which is called Chuida. Another kind performed by the Buddhists and Taoist is called Fanyin. Shifan Luogu is developed from the Santao of certain drum paragraphs linked together or just from the small chuida. It can be classified to Qing Luogu of the pure percussion and the Sizhu Luogu of the percussion together with wind and string instruments. It is mainly the recreation activities for the people, sometimes also play in the celebrations and festivals. Of course, the religious activities of the Buddhists and Taoist are also used it.
–山西民間吹打樂
山西民間吹打樂是屬於中國民間吹打樂的北方一系，比較粗獷、豪放，流行於五台、忻縣、原平、定襄一帶，由若干曲牌按固定順序聯綴成「套曲」演奏，其間亦可取捨其中某些曲牌，在曲牌之間可添加獨立的鑼鼓段落，以其中某一曲牌為名，多用首個。所使用之樂器以嗩吶、管子、笛、笙、大鼓為主，輔以鐃、鈸、鐺及弦樂器，
–Shanxi Chuida
Shanxi Chuida is the wind and percussion music of the northern China. It is loud and open which is widely spread in Wutai, Xin county, Yuanping and Dingxiang. It is developed from linking certain qupais to form a suite. The number of qupais used is depended on the performers and they sometimes add paragraphs of percussion performance into it. The suite is named by using one of the qupai’s name mostly use the first one. Its instruments include suona, guanzi, dizi, sheng, big drum, cymbals and string instruments.
