1st August, 2008

This, the 33rd meeting of the London Youlan Qin Society, was held at the Royal Aademy of Music in London, during the Chinese Music Summer School.

Introduction

Cheng Yu began the proceedings. We were honoured to be joined by Professor Zeng Chengwei, who once again taught the qin classes.

Professor Zeng then introduced the first piece he was going to play, Gu Guan Yu Shen 孤馆逾神 (Meeting a Ghost in a Deserted House), which led to a short discussion. It  related to a story about Ji Kang 嵇康, one of the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove", who is more usually associated with Guangling San 广陵散. Guangling is the name of a place, but is also a word meaning a wide burial ground. Ji Kang was there one stormy night, with thunder and lightning, when several ghosts appeared. They were the spirits of musicians of the Zhou Dynasty. Gu Guan Yu Shen uses some special techniques to illustrate the thunder and Ji Kang trying to frighten away the ghosts. 

Music

The following music was played:
  1. Gu Guan Yu Shen 孤馆逾神 (Meeting a Ghost in a Deserted House), played by Zeng Chengwei
  2. Kongzi Du Yi 孔子读易 (Confucius Reading the Book of Changes), Played by Zeng Chengwei
  3. Jiu Kuang 酒狂 (Drunken Ecstasy), played by Joshua Petkovic
  4. Liu Shui 流水 (Flowing Water), played by Cheng Yu 
  5. Xiang Fei Yuan  湘妃怨 (Lament of the Xiang Concubine) played by Charlie Huang
  6. Tian Lai 天籁 (Sounds of Nature), played by Julian Joseph
  7. Dongting Qiu Si 洞庭秋思 (Autumn Thoughts by Dongting Lake), Played by Dan Nung Ing
  8. Guan Shan Yue 关山月 (Moon over the Mountain Pass), played by   Kazumi Taguchi
  9. Zui Weng Yin 醉翁引 (The Drunken Old Man), played by Marnix Wells
  10. Meihua San Nong 梅花三弄 (Flowing Water), played by Brian Cox
  11. Qiu Shui 秋水 (Autumn Waters), played by Charlie Huang
  12. Shishang Liu Quan 石上流泉 (A Spring Flowing over Stones), played by Julian Joseph
  13. Liang Xiao Yin 良宵引 (Prelude for a Pleasant Evening), played by Brian Cox
  14. Guangling San 广陵散 (Guangling Melody, 1st part), played by Marnix Wells
* All pieces were played on a qin made by Zeng Chengwei.

Discussion

The music was followed by a short discussion and question and answer session, which may be summarised as follows:

There are many different schools of playing. No matter which branch of which school, for example Li Xiangting, the Northern qin master, or Gong Yi, Southern qin master, or Professor Zeng of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, all play differently but all have good theory behind them. There are two important things for a beginner to learn: the first is rhythm and pitch. The correct pitch is important for all qin players, as it is for all instruments. Once you have learned to play the pitch and rhythm correctly, the next step is to pay attention to the timbre of each note. It is important to get the basic technique right before you learn long, complex pieces. It is best to start with simple pieces and move on to the next when you have mastered them. One should not start by learning difficult pieces, it is important to master the basics first.

The same qin sounds different when played by different players. This is because they tackle each individual note in different ways. Attention to tone colour is very important.

Q: Old score don't usually show the rhythm, so a lot of interpretation is needed. We now have recordings on CD and DVD of famous contemporary masters which we can follow. What is your opinion regarding interpretation?

A: The qin is different from other musical instruments such as the violin. There are many different versions of pieces, interpreted by various scholars and players, each defining the rhythm according to their own interpretation and aesthetic principles. If you like a particular style or a particular player's version of a piece, it is best for you to follow that. But if you wish to play differently you can: there are no fixed rules specifying the length of time to play each individual note. However, there is a sense of rhythm. Many people think qin music should be totally free rhythm, without any structural framework. Marnix Wells commented that although the rhythm is not free, there is room for interpretation. Cheng Yu added her view that you follow your teacher strictly; if you want to play differently, later on you can do your own interpretation (dapu) from the old score.

Q:  Professor Zeng said he doesn't like playing with accompaniment, such as piano.

A: Qin is mainly played solo: you play for yourself. Which is why, if you want to play a different version of a piece, you can.

Q: What do you think of silk strings?

A: Until 1972, all qin players in China used silk strings. Then steel/nylon strings were introduced. For musicians of Zeng Chengwei's generation, and that of Cheng Yu's father (a pipa player), it was strange to start playing on steel/nylon strings. There are pros and cons for both materials. For professional players, silk strings break too easily, and on stage, the lights will cause the tuning to change. But silk strings are good to use at home. Most players have 2 or more qins, with different types of strings. Do not mix strings made of different materials, such as silk  and steel/nylon. This does not produce a good sound.




    Zeng Chengwei discussing Gu Guan Yu Shen

         		Charlie Huang playing Xiang Fei Yuan Joshua Petkovic playing Jiu Kuang


    Copyright the London Youlan Qin Society, 2008. All rights reserved.