一位日本作曲家对中国音乐之印象

三木稔

将中国民族器乐演奏的顶级中国音乐灌制成激光唱片是个伟大的专案。我急切盼望著能聆听到这张激光唱片中的美妙音乐。
    二十世纪时, 人们仅认为欧洲古典音乐和美国流行音乐是世界标准，他们以为亚洲音乐和乐器是不能与西方音乐相提并论的。鉴于我不同意上述观点，我觉得我应该做些努力，让那些不瞭解东方乐器和音乐的人瞭解我们伟大的音乐。虽然我是个日本人，但我觉得我有义务就我的印象去说明中国音乐的伟大。

二次世界大战时我仅有十五岁，我真实的感受到我应当投身于弥补亚裔受害者的活动中去。所以我开始学习音乐，六十年来我亦自然地保留了我对亚洲音乐元素的热爱。然而，当我是只是个作曲专业的学生时，舶来的中国音乐很有限。同样，舶来的南亚音乐也很少见。但相比中国音乐，我更喜欢南亚一带的元素。但因销售商的问题，人们却未能找到要听的音乐，这确实是非常遗憾的事情。
    另外，中国开始了文化大革命。起初，我很关注这场在中国的革命，但西方传来的宣传片段和音乐过于令人厌烦。在这样的情况下，我们是无法理解中国传统音乐的博大精深。

我于一九八三年随同我的好友王阳桥先生借日本音乐歌舞乐团在中国进行巡迴音乐会的机会来到中国，这是我第一次踏上这片土地。那次，我的八部音乐作品主要由日本传统乐器演奏，并在北京表演三次，在上海表演了两次，包括谭盾先生和诸多优秀的年轻作曲家在内的上百位年轻学生都来观摩我们的音乐会。在讨论会我记得，我就亚洲音乐的未来和作为亚洲作曲家应当如何把握传统做了严肃的讨论。我的多个音乐作品曾被中央乐团用双簧管和大提琴分别独奏，并获了很好的反响。虽然他们的乐器并不理想，但他们有著精湛的技艺。在我真诚的邀请下，中国中央乐团同日本音乐歌舞乐团一同合作，我特别为这次活动创作了《彩虹序曲》，由两个乐团共六十六名演奏家于一九八三年三月五日在红塔礼堂进行了完美的合作演出。我相信这是历史上不同国家拥有不同传统音乐的乐团的第一次合作。

那时我意识到，中国已对乐器进行了相当大的改进。例如，在日本我们于一九六九年将十三弦古筝的弦数由十三弦变为二十一弦。这是日本最成功的一次演变，但中国音乐家们早在六十年代早期便已完成了这项变革。日本的琵琶也来源于中国，但自其引入自唐朝后在外形和品位上均未发生任何变化。但，中国琵琶早已变成了三十品并丢弃了大拨子。日本的吹管器乐一直保持著原来的外形和演奏形式，但同样的中国管乐器在功能上却大相径庭。每一项事件对中国民族器乐进步而言都是十分重要的。

另一方面，我觉得音乐质量也是非常重要的。我认为中国乐器在改进数量上确实取得了长足的进步，但同时他们也丢失了许多重要的传统并且为现代音乐所取代。一九八九年作为艺术委员会成员以评委的身份参加了在北京进行的“ART杯国际民族乐器比赛”，我听到由两位学生精彩演奏了我的日本筝独奏作品《华丽》。他们以不可思议的快速度将这部作品表演完毕。我很猜疑中国音乐的走向问题。同时，我还看到很多参赛者仿用了日本筝的最新技术。但我幸运地安排同许多了不起的学者在中国音乐世界里作探讨。我意识琵琶是中国乐器演变过程中最成功的一项乐器，我想尝试为它作曲。

一九九三年，包括我在内的来自中国、韩国和日本的音乐学者集合各自国家的民族乐队并组织了一个新的传统音乐样式，我将它命名为“亚洲乐团”，且不仅在一九九四年至二○○二年间编撰了五部作品：《民俗交响乐Den-Den-Den》， 《楼兰之梦》，《琵琶协奏曲》，《二○○○‧魂》和《彩虹序曲》（亚洲乐团版本），同时还在日本进行了多场音乐会。在这期间，我从中国中央民族乐团的朋友那儿学到了许多有关中国民族乐器的东西。尤其是，我瞭解到中国使用横、竖两种管乐器的超高能力。例如，笛子的音色和指法使用比日本笛更为敏感。而唢呐的表现力堪比西方的喇叭和其他管乐器。我们日本笙保留了其自唐代传入日本时的原始形状，但中国笙却已发展到难以预想的新内容，他们已成为带有传统风琴的音色。因为都是属于民族乐队的原因，所以他们仍怀著东方的特质。

从二胡的音色中，我们能够很容易地辨认出中国的元素出来。这一特别的音色是民族乐器世界中的一大奇迹。我只能用日本的尺八与二胡进行比较，前者也是中世纪从中国南部传入日本。在音质方面，二胡在不断进步。此外，最近二胡独奏家们还发明了极棒的现代技术。在女子十二乐坊出现后，鉴于二胡比其他乐器更容易上手，二胡在日本流行开来。可能现在有问题的仅是低音胡琴。现代大部分中国乐队使用大提琴和低音大提琴代替发展后的胡琴。当中国能创制出低音和最低音弦乐器后，他们的民族乐团将会更为充实。

与日本相似，许多打击乐器是来自戏剧领域。锣、铙、镲和许多鼓都非常有趣。我经常在我的歌剧中借用小铙。

近期，许多中国作曲家到国外留学，并成长为全球活跃的音乐家，当然，民族乐器的年青演奏家们也进行了广泛的活动。在西方国家，中国标志已蔓延开去，我希望他们不仅在技术上并在音乐上发挥他们的天分。
    一九九六年, 当亚洲乐团在日本首演《楼兰之梦》时，我碰到中国中央民族乐团的杨静女士。在没有任何瞭解的情况下，我观看了她演奏琵琶，突然间意识到她便是那位能与我一同在民族音乐世界内实现亚洲之梦的理想人选。她能熟练地应用英语，所以在没有任何翻译的情况下，我们俩对未来的理想进行了讨论。同时，她也对能学习并演奏我的音乐作品且能跟随我学习作曲表现出热情。那时，我被委任为长野奥林匹克艺术活动制作一个管弦乐作品。我毫不犹疑地决定为她编订琵琶协奏曲。她教了我许多琵琶的演奏技艺并向我演奏了其自编的多个琵琶独奏作品。例如，当我欣赏《九连钰》时，我完全无话可说，自文化大革命结束后没几年，她就写成了此作品，与此同时期，我带领日本音乐歌舞团到达北京和上海，我简直不相信一个二十岁演奏者能够创作并演奏这种原创而不带模仿的灵动作品。

当我发现她的天份后，我们在十年间完成了许多事情。我和杨静编撰了许多独奏曲、室内乐、协奏曲和歌剧，包括我第八部描绘了前往唐朝的日本使节和正在等待的女皇之间的永恆爱情的歌剧《爱怨》。这部歌剧由日本新国家剧院委约，并在二○○六年二月在全球公演。《爱怨》获得了巨大的成功，特别是有杨静演奏的神秘琵琶片段受到了各界人士的好评。我相信他对中国音乐作出了极大贡献。
    我的旅程最终到达了二○○六年“星望国际音乐节”，该音乐节于每年夏末在日本中部一千米高的高地举行并以“中西方音乐交换之地”为主题。在该次艺术节上，我被委任为艺术总监，而杨静被委任为音乐总监。为了这次艺术活动，她举办了名为“中国音乐之旅”的演奏会。并请来了二胡演奏家陈敏和大三弦演奏家费坚蓉。在曲尾，杨静演奏了“明月几时有”（苏轼的诗）。在演奏会上她不仅演奏了琵琶，还用中文背诵了诗文，但日本观众们不仅全盘接受还起立鼓掌。

自一九八九 年以来, 我多次被邀请参加了各种比赛。大多情况下，我是一个外国评委，但我很高兴看到年轻的音乐人们变得非常感性。当我二○○一年第一次参加“龙音杯”中国民族器乐（古筝）国际比赛，我为获胜者袁莎感到震惊。在比赛后，她向我赠送了有她演奏《华丽》的激光唱片作为礼物。在听过她的表演后，我感到那感觉无法和十二年前参加“ART杯”的感觉比较。她演奏我的作品时是如此精彩但又细心且感性。二○○四年末当我与龙音公司辗转在东京、香港和上海的“中–日21古筝交流音乐会”，在日本东京的津田大厦中，日本听众惊奇得发现演奏《华丽》的毛丫比日本的独奏演员表现得更好。

有人说，中国就像世界。在中国有许多民族，自从四千年前中国文化便已博大精深。毫无疑问的，这张套光唱片精选将会获得巨大成功。我相信人们会像享受中国美食一样欣赏这些音乐。然而，我也要说这个丰厚的成果得益于频繁的乐器比赛。
    中国在全球已变得非常强大和重要。我特别希望，中国能在音乐世界中继续保持其民族特色和国际活动。
    联合不同文化需要特别的耐心，我们已经在长久的时间内实践了许多次。我特别希望中国音乐家们经我们的努力而成为音乐领导者，这套重要的激光唱片精选，不仅成为中国民族音乐而且还是亚洲音乐的经典。

（注：本篇按英文原文翻译）

三木稔：

日本著名作曲家、音乐活动家

日本作由家协会副会长

日本音乐集团、亚洲乐团创办人

My impression on Chinese music along a Japanese composer’s walking road

Minoru Miki

It is significant project to issue big CD anthology of top class Chinese music by the traditional instruments. I am very looking forward to listening to them all.

In 20th century, people thought that only European classic and American pops were the world standard. They didn’t think Asian ethnic music and instruments were the same level as Western classic and pops. As I didn’t agree with these opinions, I needed to make every effort to inform ignorant people about the greatness of our instruments and music. Although I am Japanese, I have to trace along my walking road to explain Chinese superiority on music.

After the Second World War when I was only fifteen, I truly realized I have to devote my main life to the atonement for Asian victims. Then I started leaning music, and I have been keeping my interests so naturally on Asian music elements for more than sixty years. However, when I was a composition student, imported Chinese music was quite limited. Also music from Southern Asia was limited. But I had more interest in musical elements from Southern Asia than Chinese one. It was a pity thing that people couldn’t listen to proper recordings caused by supplier’s problem.

Furthermore, China entered so called the Cultural Revolution. At first I paid much attention to the revolution but the music which I could listen to in Japan was so boring and propaganda pieces borrowed from Western tradition. Under these conditions we couldn’t realize that Chinese traditional music is so wide and deep.

My first visit to China was in 1983 as the concert tour of Nihon Ongaku shudan (Pro Musica Nipponia) guided by Mr. Wang Yang Qiao who was studying in Japan and a close friend of mine. That time, my eight pieces by mainly Japanese traditional instruments were performed three times in Beijing and two times in Shanghai. More than hundred of young students including Mr. Tang Dun and talented young composers gathered to our concerts. At a symposium I remember that I had a serious talk about the future of our music and how to handle our tradition as an Asian composer. My several pieces were played with excellent oboe and cello soloists who were belonged to the Central Orchestra. They had poor instruments but their techniques were so wonderful. Also according to my sincere desire, the Central Chinese Orchestra had cooperation with Nihon Ongaku Shudan. I specially composed Rainbow Overture(彩虹序曲) for this collaboration and 66 players from two orchestras had wonderful co-performance at the Red Pagoda Hall on the 5th of March,1983. I believe it was the first cooperation between two different traditional orchestras of different countries in the history.

At that time I realized that China had already achieved quite many evolutions to reform their instruments. For example, in Japan we changed koto’s string number from 13 to 21 in 1969. It was the most successful evolution in Japan, but Chinese musicians did it in early 60s. About pipa, Japanese biwa has never been changed its shape and fret number since Tang Dynasty when we imported instrument itself from China. However Chinese pipa had already 30 frets and abandoned large plectrum. Japanese wind instruments are keeping original shape and performing style, but Chinese wind instruments which have the same origin became almost different instruments in their function. All matters were significant as the progress of traditional instruments.

On the other hand, I didn’t want to change my thought as the quality of music. I thought Chinese instruments achieved much evolution as the quantity. However at the same time they lost many important traditions instead of modernization. I went to Beijing in 1989 as a member of the Artistic Committee and a judge for “ART Cup International Chinese Instruments Competition”. I listened to my koto solo piece Hanayagi (in Chinese 華麗) which was performed brilliantly by two students but in unthinkably fast tempo. I was afraid about which direction Chinese might toward. At the same occasion, I saw many participants imitated our new technique on koto. But fortunately I had many talk about Chinese instruments with great readers in Chinese music world. I also felt personally that the pipa was the most successful traditional instrument in a process of transformation in China, and | thought that I would like to try composing for this instrument.

In 1993, several readers of Chinese, Korean and Japanese musicians including me combined each traditional orchestra and organized a new traditional music style. I named it the “Orchestra Asia” and not only composing five pieces: Folk Symphony Den-Den-Den, Loulan as a Dream, Pipa Concerto, Soul 2000, and Rainbow Overture (Orchestra Asia version) for them between 1994 and 2002, but also produced several concerts in Japan. During these ambitious projects I learned many things concerning traditional Chinese instruments from the colleagues of Central Chinese Orchestra. Especially, I understood Chinese high ability to play on both horizontal and vertical wind instruments. For example, tone color and precise fingering of dizi is quite impressionable than Japanese fue. And suena expresses just Chinese feelings compare with Western trumpet and other wind instruments. Our Japanese sho is keeping original shape since Tang Dynasty but Chinese sheng has been developed unthinkably new way. They became almost western organ without electricity. In case of ethnic orchestra, their presence could show Eastern identity.

By the tone color of erhu, we easily recognize China. This special tone color is one of miracles in ethnic instrumental world. I can only compare with Japanese shakuhachi even if which was brought from south China in medieval age. Concerning tone range, erhu wasn’t stopped its development. Furthermore, recent erhu soloists invented wonderful modern technique. After the 12 girls project, erhu became very popular in Japan because erhu is much easier than other Chinese ethnic instruments to learn. Maybe only one problem is low register Hugin. Now most of Chinese orchestras use cello and contrabass instead of developed Huqin. When China finds out the proper way of low and the lowest bowed string instruments, the form of their traditional orchestra will be finally completed.

It is similar to the Japanese example that many percussion instruments came from theatrical field. Gong, liu, cha and several kinds of drums are all interesting. I frequently borrowed xiao liu for my operas.

In these periods, many Chinese composers went to foreign countries and grew up as quite active musicians in the world. Of course young performers of traditional instruments did wide activities as well. Chinese identity in all aspects spread out in Western countries. I hope they are keeping their talents not only technically but musically.

In 1996, when Orchestra Asia premiered my Loulan as a Dream in Japan, I met Ms. Yang Jing who joined the orchestra first time as a member of Central Chinese Orchestra. Without any knowledge I watched her playing pipa, and suddenly I realized that she 1s the ideal musician who can walk with me to achieve Asian dream in the traditional instrumental world. She speaks English very well. So without any interpreter we could discuss our aim. She was also enthusiastic about learning to perform my music and composition from me. At that time, I was commissioned to compose an orchestral piece for the Art Program of Nagano Olympics. I decided without hesitation to compose Pipa concerto for her. She taught me many pipa techniques and showed me several pieces of hers which she had composed for solo pipa. For example, when I listened to Nine Jade Chains, I was utterly at a loss for words. Only a few years had passed since the end of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and although I had brought the Pro Musica Nipponia to Beijing and Shanghai in the same year, I simply could not believe that a twenty-year old performer could compose such an original, non-imitative and smart piece.

After recognized her talent, we achieved many things during these ten years. I and Yang Jing composed many pieces for solo, chamber ensemble, concerto and operas including my eighth opera Ai-en 愛怨 which describes eternal love between a Japanese envoy to Tang and a waiting lady of the Empress. The opera commissioned by the Japan’s New National Theatre and world premiered in February 2006. Ai-en got huge success. Particularly the secret prpa piece Ai-en performed by Yang Jing was admired outstandingly from every angle. I believe she contributed very much to Chinese quality on music.

My travel finally reached founding “Hokuto International Music Festival” in 2006 which was to be held in every late summer at 1000 meter highland in central Japan to realize “Mecca of East-West Music Exchange”. For this festival, I am acting as the Artistic Director and Yang Jing is acting as the Music Director. As one of this year’s events she organized a concert entitled “China Music Tour” with erhu played by Chen Min and dasanxian played by Fei Jiangrong. As the ending piece, Yang Jing composed When do we see the bright Moon again? (poem by Su Shi). Not only she played pipa but even recited the poem in Chinese, but it was accepted from Japanese audience and got sudden standing ovation under the moon thirteen days old.

Since 1989, I was invited from different competitions several times. Most of the cases I was only one foreign judge. But I was so happy to realize young musicians became very sensible. When I attended the first “Dragons Music Cup” Chinese Musical Instruments (Guzheng) International Competition in 2001, I was so surprised by Yuan Sha, the winner’s musicality. After the competition she presented me a CD in which her Hanayagi (華麗) performance is included. My impression after listening to the piece could never been compared with the one of “ART Cup” 12 years ago. She played my piece brilliantly but carefully and sensibly. Later in 2004 when I organized “Japanese-Chinese 21 Koto (Guzheng) Exchange Concert” with ROI Productions Ltd touring Tokyo, Hongkong and Shanghai, Japanese audience surprised at that Mao Ya played Hanayagi rather better than Japanese soloists in Tsuda Hall in Tokyo.

Someone said that China 1s just like a world. In China many races are living. Since 4000 years ago Chinese culture has been so great and deep. There 1s no doubt of this CD anthology will success. I believe people will enjoy this music like Chinese food. However, I suppose that this richness resulted from frequent competitions between each instrument.

China became very strong and important on the earth. I seriously hope that China keeps both their identity and international movements on music.

To keep projects combining different culture need patience. We have tried them for long time. I hope distinguished Chinese musicians will do beyond our efforts as the leaders. This significant CD anthology must be a classic not only as Chinese ethnic music but also as Asian music.