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Instrumental Music

(ezhejiang.gov.cn) Updated : 2016-08-12

1. Solo

A large number of talented players and excellent music came forth in Zhejiang’s history. Judging from the collected material, xiao (a vertical bamboo flute) is the most important instrument for the pipe wind kind, erhu for the stringed instruments, pipa and sanxian (Chinese tri-chord) for the plucked instruments respectively, each having their master players and magnum opus.

2. Concert

Concert includes Si Zhu (featuring the combination of stringed instruments and pipe instruments), Chui Da (blow-and-beat music) and Luo Gu (gongs and drums).

(1) Si Zhu

Si Zhu is the music that combines the use of stringed instruments and pipe instruments like flute, sheng (a reed pipe wind instrument) and guan (a wind instrument), bangu (a small drum), muyu (a percussion instrument). Occasionally, gongs and drums are used to make several sounds for certain artistic conception. Si Zhu is an important breed of Zhejiang folk instrumental music, with different subgroups for different areas. Single music is most common as its structure and variation is often added in its repetition part.

(2) Chui Da

Chui Da, also called "Gu Chui" (drum and blow), is a most popular music genre among Zhejiang folks. It features a combination of pipe wind instruments and percussion instruments such as gongs and drums. Stringed instruments are also often added into the music. Music featuring suona is called Cu Chui Luo Gu (roughly blowing with gongs and drums); music featuring flutes is known as Xi Chui Luo Gu (delicately blowing with gongs and drums). If necessary, xianfeng (trombone) and haotong (copper clarion) can also be integrated into the band. Chui Da is so closely related to life that people cannot do without it on ceremonial occasions and holidays. In the old times, a Chui Da band was always an indispensable component in the rituals when people prayed to god, worshiped ancestors and conducted office duties.

(3) Luogu

Luogu (literally "gongs and drums") is a Chinese percussion ensemble. It typically comprises several types of drum and several types of metal idiophone (including gongs and cymbals) and wooden idiophone (including temple blocks and Chinese claves). It is commonly used around Zhejiang. Luogu music composed of many singles is very long, which is usually performed in accordance to the characteristics of each single, the overall arrangement and the directions of the conductor. In ancient times, it was often used on ceremonial occasions and festivals such as Lantern Festival, or used as an accompaniment in some local operas.

Qing Luogu, a performing form of Luogu music in Eastern Zhejiang, uses more than 30 different kinds of instruments. The players could produce sounds in different pitches and rhythms by varied forces, thus creating the wanted atmosphere to express their feelings.

The Luogu music in different areas of Zhejiang features different combinations of instruments. The most common one comprises four drum, a small gong, a big gong and a cymbal. 


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