|
"Cao Yuan De Si Nian," a piece that was composed in 1991, uses the elements of Mongolian music for Chinese bamboo flute (dizi) to imitate the techniques of Matouqin,
Si hu, and vocal singing skills. This piece even extends the conventional range of bamboo flute, resolving the shortcoming of bamboo flute's lack of membrane sound resonance in higher register. All these features make “Cao Yuan De Si Nian” a solo piece of bass-bamboo flute featuring unique styles.
This article is focused on Li Zhen 's "Cao Yuan De Si Nian," a solo piece of the double-membrane flute in D major. This article consists of three main parts. The first part discusses the life of Li Zhen, the background and style of the music, the characteristics of the Mongolian long tunes, the reform of the modern bamboo flute, and how the techniques of Matouqin, Si hu and vocal singing skills have been applied in the music.
The second part emphasizes the analysis of the Mongolian music elements used in "Cao Yuan De Si Nian," which includes the use of various musical instrument techniques, and the discussion of the characteristics and structure of long-tuned music. Based on the pentatonic modes and the concept of "start, bearing, turn, and together" in Chinese traditional music, this part analyses musical form and structure, the musical motive, and how the composer arranged and elaborated the musical progress. In the melodic line, the composer uses the "rhythmic motive" and the "anadiplosis" method to describe the vast scene of the prairie.
Based on the analysis of the first two parts, the third part attempts to elaborate a set of the interpretation of "Cao Yuan De Si Nian," which can be divided into several sub-sections discussing techniques including breath, fingering, tonguing, and other techniques, as well as the arrangement of musical expression and musical structure processing.
Through the analysis of performing skills, the background, and musical structure of the music, this study attempts to compile a better rendering and more persuasive version of interpretation, and argue the limitation in performing this piece and the matters needing attention. Finally, this study endeavors to provide references to the players who play this piece.
|