[Explanation] Chinese music emphasizes emotional rhythm, while Western music emphasizes rationality; Chinese music is extremely varied, and Western music has a rigorous and complex structure... For a long time, there have been discussions about the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western music. debates have also received attention.
In the last century, Chinese musician Wang Guangqi once proposed to create a "national voice" with the characteristics of the Chinese nation - national music.
Why create a national music?
Why can't Chinese traditional music "replace it with Western music"?
What is the new meaning of national music in current China?
Zhao Chonghua, Dean of the School of Art Theory and Management of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency "Dongxiwen" to give an in-depth interpretation.
[Concurrent] Zhao Chonghua, Dean of the School of Art Theory and Management, Sichuan Conservatory of Music
I want to clarify two sets of concepts, one is music and music culture, and the other is the ancient west and the modern west.
There is a difference between music and music culture. Music usually refers to audio-visual music such as vocal music, instrumental music, rhythm, etc.; while music culture covers a full range of cultural elements such as music theory, music education, performance, singing, and aesthetics.
The contexts of the ancient West and the modern West are also different.
Generally speaking, the "ancient West" refers to a more serious concept of geography, mainly referring to the areas west of the Central Plains, while the "modern West", in terms of geography, mainly refers to the West in the capital market economic regions such as Western Europe, Southern Europe, Northern Europe, the United States, and Canada. Countries and religiously Christian regional countries have increasingly defined cultural concepts.
[Commentary] Zhao Chonghua said that from the perspective of the history of music exchanges between China and foreign countries, the introduction of "Western music" in the usual sense into China can be traced back to the Silk Road in the Han Dynasty. Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions opened the door to cultural exchanges with the West.
Music and dance were the focus of music exchanges during this period, and musician Li Yannian created "Twenty-Eight Solutions of New Voices" based on foreign music as a typical example.
[Concurrent] Zhao Chonghua, Dean of the School of Art Theory and Management, Sichuan Conservatory of Music
The Tang Dynasty was one of the most powerful countries in the world at that time, with the grand scene of "all countries coming to the dynasty".
People in the Tang Dynasty welcomed foreign culture with a broad mind, and culture and art showed the characteristics of diversification and openness.
At this time, the exchanges of Chinese and Western music and dance became more frequent, and there was a large influx of Western music. There were more than 70 kinds of Buddhist music and dance alone, and many foreign musical instruments settled in China.
[Explanation] Zhao Chonghua believes that Wang Guangqi has creatively divided world music into three major music groups: Greek music, Persian Arabic and Chinese music.
Different geographical environments and different national characters will inevitably create different musical aesthetics, and if the aesthetics is reflected in the form of music, different musical systems can be formed.
[Concurrent] Zhao Chonghua, Dean of the School of Art Theory and Management, Sichuan Conservatory of Music
The similarities and differences between Eastern and Western music can have many answers from different angles.
However, the reason for the formation, as Mr. Wang Guangqi said, is due to the difference in scales, that is, the pentatonic scale system of Chinese music and the major and minor scale system of Western music are the root of the different styles of Chinese and Western music.
[Explanation] It is understood that Wang Guangqi once believed that Chinese music "must be created by ourselves", and "we cannot force Western music to replace it". Zhao Chonghua understands that the individuality shown by a nation in the fields of thought, culture, art, etc. is often There is a strong consistency, which is called nationality.
[Concurrent] Zhao Chonghua, Dean of the School of Art Theory and Management, Sichuan Conservatory of Music
There are complex reasons for the formation of Chinese literati spirit, but some factors are necessary.
To study the national character of Chinese music is to find out these factors, make full use of them in today's music creation, and create musical works that reflect the Chinese style and spirit of the new era.
[Explanation] Zhao Chonghua said that Wang Guangqi once put forward the idea of "national music". Although the development of music of a country and nation is inseparable from external learning, it must be based on the national music of its own country.
"Diversity and unity" has always been the main feature of Chinese music.
[Concurrent] Zhao Chonghua, Dean of the School of Art Theory and Management, Sichuan Conservatory of Music
Today, China has already come out of the predicament of being weak and poor for a century, and has become one of the core forces that dominate the world stage.
The reality of the development of Chinese music has undergone tremendous changes.
The national music of the new era should adapt to reflect this change, and create Chinese national music that is full of national self-confidence, cultural self-confidence, expresses the Chinese national spirit, and conforms to the traditional Chinese aesthetic taste.
Responsible editor: [Li Yuxin]