2nd Quarter

Music & Arts Notes

Jeashry Amielle T. Bie
Grade 8 - St. Herbert

China

Music of China

Chinese music is based on the doctrines or beliefs of some of the Chinese

philosophers

Chinese music can be found in the records of Emperor Huang Ti

Confucius believed that religious music was beautiful and proper

According to legends, the founder of music of Chinese mythology was Ling lun

Elements of Chinese Music

Pitch / Tonal System

Most Chinese music is in pentatonic scale

Kung - The primary tone which is associated with the Emperor
Shang - The tone associated with the Minister
Chih - The tone associated with the State
Chaio - The tone associated with the People
Yu - The tone associated with significant Chinese objects

Timbre (Vocal)

The style of singing is usually thin and nasal

High pitched or shrill vocal quality

Meter / Rhythm

Mostly in duple rhythm or 2 quarter

Transmits the principle of natural “duality” like female-male or yin-yang
relationship
The “Zhongyong”, a Confucian concept

Texture

Generally thought that Chinese music is in homophonic texture

Thus, It gives the rise to heterophonic texture

Solo Instrumental Piece

The Qin is a six-footed string zither instrument same with the Japanese musical
instrument called Koto

Instrumental Ensemble

Guchi

The ensemble is composed of either one or more riveted-head barrel drums, gongs,
and small cymbals

Sizhu
It is referred to as the silk-and-bamboo ensemble where the instruments play
traditional tunes

The Chordophone Instruments

It is also named as “Hu-qin”, “hu” meaning foreign or northern folk in China and
“qin” meaning in a common term for all the string instruments
Erhu - Two-stringed fiddle instrument, Most well known in the Hu-qin family,
Sometimes called as “Chinese violin”
Banhu - “Bonghu”, “Pang-hu”, “Qin-hu”.. Used in solo performances that express a
passionate and joyful feeling
Pipa - This instrument is created for plucking and has a short neck and is made of
a wooden belly
Yueqin - It came from Ruan but it has a thinner sound with a short neck and flat
sound box
Ruan - Also known as “Chinese guitar” and “moon guitar” and it varies in shape

The Zither Family

Guqin - A seven-stringed instrument which has a long and slender body made from
pine tree
Kongho - Similar to a harp that can also played by the left hand in vibrato
Zheng - One of the earliest Chinese musical instruments made from bamboo. It also
has a curve and elongated surface with 21 stretched strings

The Membranophone Instruments

This is one of the four sections Chinese classic orchestra

Pengling - A percussion instrument consisting of two bells made of bronze. It also
adds beauty to rhythmic instrument in music ensemble and theatre
Muyu - Made from mulberry of carved wood and used by striking it to produce sounds.
It is also used as a musical accompaniment in Buddhist chants

The Idiophone Instruments

This is one of the four sections Chinese classic orchestra

Dizi - Considered a traditional Chinese flute which can be played through double or
triple tonguing and fluttered tonguing
Paixiao - Also known as a wind instrument which is considered a long flute. It is
played in Chinese classical music for solo music
Sheng - One of the oldest Chinese instruments and is named as “Chinese Mouth
Organ”. It consists of 13-17 bamboo pipes in various lengths that are placed
together
Suona, Guan, Hulusi

Chinese Folk Song

Based on Confucian philosophy, they believed that “Music can be used as a means to
political and spiritual enlightenment”. (Confucius)
Ya-yiieh - It is the music played in the court of China
Yiieh-hsuan - Music played in the garden facing the hall together these two dances
T’angko - Performed inside the hall
Wen-wu - Is a civil dance
Wu-wu - Is a military dance
A chamber song to honor the king and his ancestors

Chinese Folk song

One of the example of Chinese folk song is called “Mo Li Hua” which means a jasmine
flower
“Jasmine flower” is a very famous Chinese folk song
It’s tune has been popular for more than 300 years in the regions of the Yangtze
River
As early as the late 18th century, this song has spread to the west
It was used by the Italian composer Puccini in his opera “Turandot” in 1920’s
In 1982, UNESCO recommended “Jasmine flower” to the world

Types of Chinese Vocal Music

Religious music - These are the religious chants or ritual music (temple music)
The Art song - A vocal music based on their arts
Narrative music - These are kinds of music which tells a story
Chinese Folk music - Describes the lives of moist Han Chinese people

Arts and crafts of China

The ideologies of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism played significant roles in

East Asian Art

Chinese art - expresses the human understanding of the relationship between the
nature and humans

Landscape painting - was considered as the highest form of Chinese painting

Chinese calligraphy - is art that is of beautiful handwriting

Woodblock printing - is a technique for printing text, images, or patterns used

widely throughout East Asia

Japan

Music of Japan

Japanese music was influenced by the Royal court of China

There are two main tone of Japanese Music, the Yo-sen and In-sen

Hogaku which means "music of one's homeland"

Sakura is a famous Japanese folk song which means cherry blossom flowers in English

Musical Elements of Japanese Music

Tempo

The music of Japan usually begins with a slower pace and gets faster and gets
slower again

Texture and Rhythm

Japanese music is monophonic and usually written on duple meter

Japanese music is usually sung in high, tight, throated, and melismatic manner

Pitch

Japanese music was influenced by Royal court of China which is based on pentatonic
scale

The two basic types of scale in Japanese Music

Yo-sen (Hard mode)

In-sen (Soft mode)

Types of Traditional Japanese Music

Court Music
Instrumental Music
Theatrical Music

Japanese Vocal Form

Hogaku which means ”music of one’s homeland” is the traditional music of Japanese
based on early Chinese and Buddhist music

Examples of Japanese Music

Shomyo - It was used as a formal ceremonial music in the temple

Gagaku Shomyo - It is the only surviving music in Japan

Chordophones

Koto - A 13-string zither, played using the thumb and first two fingers of the
right hand
Biwa - A short neck lute used to accompany puppet play in gagaku
Shamisen - A long slender three-string plucked lute covered with animal skin
Wagon - A six-string plucked lute covered with animal skin

Aerophones

Ryuteki - Used in kangen ensemble which is a seven-holed transverse bamboo flute

Shakuhachi - A bamboo flute with four finger holes
Sho - A mouthpiece organ similar to Chinese Sheng
Hichiriki - Another instrument used in kangen with a seven-holed double-reed
instrument made of bamboo

Membranophones

Kakko - An instrument used in gagaku and is made up of deer skin

Taiko - Also used in kangen
Shime Daiko - A small Japanese drum, played with a stick named “Bachi”
Shoko - A small gong used also in kangen ensembles. It has two strokes: female
(mebachi-left hand stroke) and male (obachi-right hand attack)

Sakura

A famous Japanese folk song which means cherry blossom flowers in English
It is considered an elegant old music where the melody reminds of the culture of an
urban or court life in Japan

Arts and crafts of Japan

Kimono - is the Japanese decorated their loose, one-piece robe with designs of
flowers cherries and birds
The woodblock printing was adapted in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867)

Japanese artworks - commonly exhibit scenes from everyday life and narrative scenes
crowded with figures and details

Origami is a traditional Japanese paper folding art

Iconic Gods

Among the old deities of Japanese Shinto Religion, Ibesu (the god of sea and marine
life) is the most favored

Kinomo

The Japanese decorated their loose, one-piece robe with designs of flowers,
cherries, and birds

Mizuhiki

It is an essential sign of affection, warmth, and togetherness in Japanese culture

Japanese Printmaking

Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images, or patterns

This method is adapted in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867)

Japanese Painting

Scenes from everyday life

Narrative scenes crowded with figures and details

Ando Hiroshige

Created more than five thousand prints in his career as an artist

Ukiyo-e

A Japanese art is Ukiyo-e which means “pictures of the floating world” and refers
to a type of woodblock printmaking that depicts scenes of peace and happy everyday
life

Origami

It is a traditional Japanese paper folding art

Paper Crane

It is a traditional Japanese paper folding art

Japanese Sculpture

Most Japanese sculpture is associated with religion and the medium’s use declined
with the lessening importance of traditional Buddhism

Architecture

The combination of Buddhist and Shinto motif of architecture is the Japanese

Innovation
Slant edges of the eaves of temples, pagodas, monasteries and torils, are main
features of Japanese architectural designs

The Toji Pagoda Temple

The Ruriko Temple Pagoda

China
The music of _______ has one of the most ancient traditional and cultural music
practices that gave great contributions and influences to other Asian countries’.

Pentatonic Scale
This is the main scale used in Chinese music.

Doctrines
Chinese music is based on their ______ and beliefs of some of the Chinese
philosophers.

Japanese
The _________ firmly preserved their music cultures and traditions.

Hogaku
The _________ means “music of one’s homeland”.

Japanese / Korean
_________ music is greatly influenced by Chinese music.

Sakura
It is considered an elegant old music where the melody reminds of the culture of an
urban or court life in Japan.

Ahrirang / Arirang

This is the kind of folk song which is a metaphor for a love who is dear and
beautiful.

Confucius

According to him, music helps people to express their desires and feelings.

Ling Lun
According to legends, he was the founder of music in China.

Humankind
The concepts of Chinese arts are Heaven, Earth, and __________.

Painting
It is one of the oldest forms of visual arts.

Woodblock Painting
It is a technique for printing text, images, or patterns used widely throughout
East Asia

Cai lun / Ts’ai lun

He was known as the inventor of paper.

Kite
It is an assembled or joined aircraft that was traditionally made of silk or paper
with a bowline and resilient bamboo.
Kimono
A Japanese decorated their loose, one-piece robe with designs of flowers, cherries,
and birds

Calligraphy
This is a decorative handwriting or handwritten lettering

Han Period Classical

The Chinese like to wear their traditional dresses in the __________ style fashion.

Seasons

The style of kimono varies according to __________.

Brush
In modern times, many Japanese wrote with a __________ rather than a pen.

True
To Chinese people, architecture and sculpture were classified as crafts.
Painting is important in the arts and crafts of East Asia.
Easterns used painting to convey their beliefs, traditions, hope, and aspirations.
The aim of the Chinese artist in painting is to present a poetic vision of nature,
or an event that expresses an idea or an emotion.
The two ancient foundations of Japanese traditional music are Shomyo and Gagaku
Shomyo.
Mo Li Hua is a Chinese folk song which means a Jasmine flower
Chinese vocal music is mostly described as low pitched, thin, non-resonant nasal
and usually performed solo or monophonic in texture.
Japanese music is usually sung in a high, tight, throated voice and melismatic in
manner.
Chinese instrumental ensembles can be performed on the following: a. Guchi b. Sizhu

Korea

One of the most popular countries all over the world

It is best known chosen or “Land of the Morning Calm”
Despite the influences of the other nations, Korea had remained their own identity,
originality and culture
The two parts: North Korea and South Korea

Music of Korea

Musical Elements of Traditional Korean Music

Texture and Rhythm

The texture of Korean music is monophonic in nature yet ornamentation is very

important in,
The modal structure of their music is based on a five-tone scale or the pentatonic
scale

Pitch

The pitch in Korean music is subtle in such a way that Korean music and even their
instruments are not able to show variable pitch

The Traditional Music of Korea

The two categories:
Chong-ak - Known as the good and noble music
Sog-ak - Known as the music for the common people’s ceremonies

Sijo - Known as the classical lyric song and considered as a sophisticated

traditional music of Korea and their indigenous popular song
P’ansori - It is where one person performs an operatic song
Pomp’ae - One kind of genre in Korean Buddhist chant, It’s objective is worshipping
Hossori - A short chant music
Chissori - A long chant kind of music
Hyangak - A native court banquet music of Korea

Sanjo

An extended solo instrumental music with an hourglass-shaped drum known as changgo

It means “Scattered or random melodies”
Has six movements, with each section having a contrasting melodic type

Examples of ensemble instrumental pieces:

Salmunori
Pungmul
Sinawi Ensemble - A (Shaman) starts the main ritual

Chordophone Instruments

Kayagum - A 12-string instrument the same as “Chin” in Chinese instrument

Hyang-Bipa - A five-stringed instrument played with a pick
Haegum - Two-stringed fiddle instruments that came from China

Aerophone Instruments

Saeng-Hwang - A mouth organ with 17 bamboo tubes. Which is played like a harmonica
Taepyeongso - A double reed pipe; this instrument is in high pitch
Hyang-piri - Known in Korean music culture because it carries the main melody in
music ensemble

Membranophone Instruments

Janggu (Changgu) - An hourglass-shaped drum mostly played in all Korean court and
folk pieces
Puk (Buk) - A barrel drum known to be one of the oldest Korean instruments
Bak - Made form 6 pieces of birch wood, It is used at the beginning and end of
musical works moving to dance sections

Korean Folk song

Ahrirang or Arirang - which means “Dear and Beautiful Korea” is a kind of folk song
which is a metaphor for a loved one who is dear and beautiful