analysis of yellow river piano concerto Essay Example
Analysis of the Yellow River Concerto composed by Xian Xinghai, arranged by Yin Chengzhong
The Yellow River Piano Concerto was a gem of the Chinese culture in the 20th century, which was written in the Western classical music form and was highly influenced by the Western music in the romantic era. The traditional Chinese music and 20th century Chinese culture was reflected in the music score almost everywhere. Its Chinese music elements in the score consist of the use of the pentatonic themes, harmony, texture, the use of the Chinese folk music, instrumentation, the Model Opera characteristics, the 19th century Chinese historical and political influential elements. The music influenced by the Western culture can be heard from the use of Western concerto form and the canon in the last movement, the harmonies, the influence from the program music/symphonic poem, Romanticism characteristics, nationalism, and the virtuosic piano part writing inspired by the Western Romantic era piano virtuoso composers. This paper will concentrate on the Chinese culture elements found in this concerto.
Yellow River Piano Concerto is indeed the reflection and the historical fruit of the Chinese culture in the 20th century, when China was during the WWII and its government reformation. The characteristics reflected in the music can be found in its texture, instrumentation, harmony, the use of the folk song and the revolutionary songs. These categories mixed together and formed this very first Chinese piano concerto masterwork.
I. Pentatonic Themes
First, by hearing the music, one can very easily recognize its Chinese pentatonic tunes which sound very distinctive in Chinese folk song style. All the main motifs from the themes are pentatonic in this concerto. What is pentatonic scale? Chinese pentatonic scale is based on 宫, 商, 角, 徵, 羽 (Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, Yu). In correspondence with the Western music scales,
The Yellow River Piano Concerto was a gem of the Chinese culture in the 20th century, which was written in the Western classical music form and was highly influenced by the Western music in the romantic era. The traditional Chinese music and 20th century Chinese culture was reflected in the music score almost everywhere. Its Chinese music elements in the score consist of the use of the pentatonic themes, harmony, texture, the use of the Chinese folk music, instrumentation, the Model Opera characteristics, the 19th century Chinese historical and political influential elements. The music influenced by the Western culture can be heard from the use of Western concerto form and the canon in the last movement, the harmonies, the influence from the program music/symphonic poem, Romanticism characteristics, nationalism, and the virtuosic piano part writing inspired by the Western Romantic era piano virtuoso composers. This paper will concentrate on the Chinese culture elements found in this concerto.
Yellow River Piano Concerto is indeed the reflection and the historical fruit of the Chinese culture in the 20th century, when China was during the WWII and its government reformation. The characteristics reflected in the music can be found in its texture, instrumentation, harmony, the use of the folk song and the revolutionary songs. These categories mixed together and formed this very first Chinese piano concerto masterwork.
I. Pentatonic Themes
First, by hearing the music, one can very easily recognize its Chinese pentatonic tunes which sound very distinctive in Chinese folk song style. All the main motifs from the themes are pentatonic in this concerto. What is pentatonic scale? Chinese pentatonic scale is based on 宫, 商, 角, 徵, 羽 (Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, Yu). In correspondence with the Western music scales,