East Asia

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East Asia

• China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Tibet

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East Asia Map
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Background Preparation

• 1.47 billion people
• Chinese influence
• Dynastic histories
• Tradition meets Today

Shanghai, China
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China

• Site 1 Gu qin Ancient Zither
• Site 2 Sizhu Silk and Bamboo
• Site 3 Beijing Opera
• Site 4 Revolutionary Opera

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Arrival China

• Worlds most populous country (1.2 billion)
• Ideographic writing system
• Chinese Philosophy
• Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism
• Communism

Mao Zedong (1893-1976)
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Site 1 Gu qin Ancient Zither

• First Impressions
• Quiet and intimate
• Aural Analysis
• Seven-string fretless zither
• Harmonicsand tone sliding
• Free rhythm

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Cultural Considerations

• Scholars instrument
• Sonic meditation
• Highly philosophical
• Musician interprets notation
• Programmatic themes

Gu qin tablature notation
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Site 2 Sizhu Silk Bamboo

• First Impressions
• Clear melodic line with flowing feel
• Aural Analysis
• Bayin organological system
• Stone, metal, gourd, skin, wood, clay, silk,
  bamboo
• Heterophonic Structure
• Clear beat

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Sizhu Instruments
Dizi
Pipa
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Sizhu Instruments
Erhu
Yang qin
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Cultural Considerations

• Regional styles
• Amateur Music
• Social clubs

A Jiangnan sizhu ensembleat a teahouse in
Shanghais historical district
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Site 3 Jingju Beijing Opera

• First Impressions
• Shrill voices and nasal fiddle
• Rising and falling gongs
• Aural Analysis
• Jinghu and melodic ensemble
• Melody followstonal contour of the language
• Movement percussion

Jinghu
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Cultural Considerations

• Symbolic scenery
• Stylized speech
• Major role types
• Sheng (male)
• Dan (female)
• Jing (painted-face)
• Chou (comedians)

A military scene from a Jingju performance
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Jingju Scenes
Clockwise from Top -Jing actor-Warrior battle
scene-Dan prepares makeup-Jingju orchestra-Dan
Chou actors
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Site 4 Revolutionary Beijing Opera

• First Impressions
• Orchestral sound
• Modern theatre display
• Aural Analysis
• Traditional-Modern Orchestra
• Western harmony

A scene from Taking Tiger Mountain, a
Revolutionary Beiing Opera
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Cultural Considerations

• Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)
• Eight Model Works
• Democracy Movement

A man protests for Democracy in Tiananmen Square,
1989
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Mongolia

• Site 5 Throat Singing

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Arrival Mongolia

• Nomadic herders
• Genghis and Kublai Khan
• Soviet influence

A Mongolian horseman herds sheep
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Site 5 Throat Singing

• First Impressions
• Whistling with low grumble
• Aural Analysis
• Overtone singing
• Fundamental drone

A Mongolian throat singer
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Cultural Considerations

• Spiritual connection
• Republic of Tuva
• Western attraction

A Mongolian yurt (tent dwelling)
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Korea

• Site 6 Pansori

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Arrival Korea

• China-Japan influence
• Korean War
• North/South Korea

North Korean Flag
South Korean Flag
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Site 6 Pansori

• First Impressions
• Wailing voice
• Minimal use of drum
• Aural Analysis
• Wide Vibrato
• Song to Speech
• Puk

Pansori performers
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Cultural Considerations

• Preserved pansori
• Former festival storytellers
• Koreanmusical identity

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Japan

• Site 7 Gagaku
• Site 8 Kabuki Theater

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Arrival Japan

• Island nation with dense population
• Shogun and Samurai
• Zen Buddhism
• Less is Best
• Consistency and control

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Site 7 Gagaku

• First Impressions
• Suspension of Time
• Aural Analysis
• Long sustained tones
• Extremely low rhythmic density
• Distinctive timbres

Hichiriki
Shô
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Cultural Considerations

• Elegant Music
• Confucian Ceremonial Music
• Ritualistic Movement

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Site 8 Kabuki Theatre

• First Impressions
• Twangy lute
• Yo and Ho calls
• Aural Analysis
• Chobo
• Narrator - Shamisen
• Drums and Nokan

Shamisen
L to R taiko, o-tuzumi, ko-tuzumi, and nokan
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Cultural Considerations

• Classic popular theatre
• All male actors
• Puppet performance

Kabuki actors
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Tibet

• Site 9 Tibetan Buddhist Ritual

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Arrival Tibet

• Rooftop of the World
• Tantric Buddhism
• Dalai Lama
• Tibetan diasporas

The 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso b.1935
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Site 9 Tibetan Buddhist Ritual

• First Impressions
• Fog-horn trumpets
• Guttural chants
• Aural Analysis
• Overlapping trumpets
• Punctuating percussion

Tibetan monks play the bub chen (cymbals)
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Tibetan Trumpets
Left Dung chenRight Top Kang dungRight Below
Dung kar
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Cultural Considerations

• Death without dying
• Trumpet symbolism
• The sound of silence

The Bodhnath Stupa near Kathmandu, Nepal