Yuan Chu -- Pipa Solo

Title: Dance of Yi.
Composer: Huiran Wang.
Date of Performance: 06/24/2008.
Organization:
GE Asian Pacific American Forum.

The instrument I am playing here is called a Pipa. It is a string instrument of Central Asian origin brought to China along the Silk Road about 2,000 years ago. It became popular at the court of the Tang dynasty in the 7th century, and is now an integral part of Chinese musical culture. From China, it reached many other East Asian cultures and versions of the Pipa exist in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. It is a difficult instrument to master. The four strings are played using a fake fingernail, because the strings are too hard to use real nails.

This song is called Dance of the Yi People. The Yi, formerly also called the LoLo, are a large tribe of about 8 million people living in the mountain areas of Southwest China, with some in the mountains of Northeast Vietnam and Northern Thailand. Most are mountain farmers and herdsmen. Their language is related to Burman. This dance is about love and courtship, and though based on traditional Yi music, this Pipa solo piece was created by composer Wang Huiran in 1960. It is today part of the standard Pipa repertoire, and most students of the Pipa will have learned it.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classical