MUSIC OF EAST

ASIA
MR. IVAN PHILIP S. MUÑEZ
LEARNING FACILITATOR
OBJECTIVES

•Explain How East Asian music relates to

its geography and culture.
•Analyze musical elements of selected
songs and instrumental pieces heard and
performed.
MUSIC
OF
CHINA
 How is Chinese music
related to it’s geography
and culture?
ELEMENTS OF CHINESE MUSIC

1. PITCH/TONAL SYSTEM- Most Chinese

music is in pentatonic scale, which is
derived from the Ling Lun Chinese legend.
The use of pentatonic scale is based on
some symbolic attributes like:
•Kung – the Emperor
•Shang – the Minister
•Chih – the State
•Chaio – the People
•Yu - significant Chinese objects
2. Timbre (Vocal) - the style of singing is
usually thin and nasal.
3. Meter/Rhythm – Chinese music is
mostly in duple rhythm or two
quarter.
It may also convey the "Zhongyong" a
Confucian concept:
4. Texture – It is generally thought
that Chinese music is in homophonic
texture and heterophonic texture.
“Ya Yiieh”- chinese ritual music.
 DISTINGUISHING
CHARACTERISTICS
OF VOCAL AND
INSTRUMENTAL
MUSIC OF CHINA
 TYPES OF CHINESE VOCAL MUSIC
1.Religious Music
•Buddhist Music (Sanskrit Music ) -
chanting music, covering verses, hymns,
and liturgies.
•Taoist Music - influenced by regional folk.
It has a quality of Yunzi, a vocal tune.
2. The Art Song - Xiaoling is a vocal music
of the 12th-13th century based on the
poetry of Qu.
3. Narrative Music - Zhugongdiao is one
of the significant types of narrative songs.
4. Chinese Folk Music - describes the
lives of most Han Chinese people.
Shange is an example of chinese folk
song.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC OF CHINA
•Traditionally, Chinese instrumental music
is heterophonic. The most well-known
forms of instrumental Chinese music are
suites and variations.
 Examples of Instrumental pieces in
Chinese music
1. Solo Instrumental Piece - It is usually
played in a motivating place or environment
like a garden while burning an incense.
This solo instrumental piece has a theme and
variation with a four-part structure composed
of six stanzas with a coda.
a. Stanza No. 1: The Sanqui –This stanza
is in a slow and free rhythm.
b. Stanza No. 2-5: Rudiao (Entering) –
introduces the meter and the main
motives
c. Stanza No. 6: Restatement (Ruman) -
different rhythmic arrangement.
•*Coda (Weishing-tail sounds)
2. Instrumental Ensemble - Instrumental
ensemble can be performed on the
following:
• Guchi - this instrumental ensemble is
usually held in urban areas during holidays.
• Sizhu - it is referred to as the silk-and-
bamboo ensemble where the instruments
play traditional tunes where the texture is
heterophonic.
 Traditional
Chinese
Instruments
 TRADITIONAL CHINESE MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS
The four sections of Chinese classic
orchestra are: the bowed strings, the
plucked strings, the winds, and the
percussion instruments.
Chordophone Instruments
• It is also named as “Hu-qin”, “hu”
meaning foreign or northern folk in China
and “qin” meaning a common term for all
the string instruments which is a big
family in Chinese instruments.
 ERHU - is a two-
stringed fiddle
instrument which is
one of the most
well-known in the
Hu-qin family.
Banhu-it is also known
as the following:
bonghu, pang-hu, qin-
hu, etc. It is the leading
musical accompaniment
in Bang-zi ballads
specifically for local
operas in Central China.
Pipa - this
instrument is
created for
plucking. It has a
short neck and
made of a wooden
belly.
Ruan - it is also
known as the
Chinese guitar
and moon
guitar and it
varies in shape.
 
Yueqin - it
came from ruan
but it has a
thinner sound
with a short
neck and flat
sound box.
THE ZITHER FAMILY
Guqin - is a
seven-stringed
instrument which
has a long and
slender body
made from a
pine tree.
Zheng - This
instrument has a
curved and
elongated surface
with 21 stretched
strings.
Kongho - The
instrument is
similar to the
harp.
The Idiophone Instruments
Dizi - is
considered a
traditional
Chinese flute.
Xiao - it is also
known as a wind
instrument
which is
considered as a
long flute.
Sheng - is also called
as the Chinese mouth
organ. It consists of
13-17 bamboo pipes
in various lengths that
are placed together.
Chinese Folk song - Mo Li Hua
• "Mo Li Hua" is a Chinese folk song which
means a jasmine flower.
• nasal voice
• moderate tempo and range
• homophonic
• syllabic phrasing
FUNCTIONS AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
CHINESE MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS
• Ya-yiieh – It is the music played in court of China.
• Yiieh-hsuan – Music played in the garden facing the hall
together these two dances:
• Wen-wu – A civil dance
• Wu-wu – a military dance
• Tangko – Performed inside the hall
- A chamber song in honor to the king and his
ancestors.