130 likes | 352 Views
Chinese Music from the Tang Dynasty and the Works of Gustav Mahler. The Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 C.E.). A golden age of culture in Chinese history Unified over a vast territory At the end of it’s reign, ruled over around 80,000,000 people
E N D
Chinese Music from the Tang Dynasty and the Works of Gustav Mahler
The Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 C.E.) • A golden age of culture in Chinese history • Unified over a vast territory • At the end of it’s reign, ruled over around 80,000,000 people • Received influences in the arts through trade from areas like India, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Persia • Buddhism and Confucianism, major influences in Tang culture
Music of the Tang • Known to typically use pentatonic scales • - • Developed over the course of the entirety of Chinese history, until the 600s of Tang rule • Musical performances of song and dance were reserved for the upper class and wealthy • Court music
Instruments • Lutes (Pipa, Liuqin) • Guzhengs • Harps (Konghou) • Wood winds (Flutes - Dizi)
Li Bai • A Chinese poet who lived in the 8th century • Regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Tang dynasty, and arguably in Chinese literary history • Some of his works put a peculiar focus on wine • His poetry was adapted to be sung in German for Gustav’s Mahler’s Song for the Earth.
Gustav Mahler (1860 – 1911) • Bohemian born • Was Jewish, and was often ridiculed by the Vienna media for it. External pressure pushed him to convert to Roman Catholicism • Began studying music at the age of 15 at the Vienna Conservatory in Austria • Became the director of the Vienna Opera at age 37 • Composed 9 symphonies and 4 song cycles • Composing style is considered to be of the late Romantic Era • Known for his dualities in life, and music. (e.g. west v. east, triumph v. heartbreak, optimism v. hopelessness.) • Was not very highly regarded as a composer during his time • Died of a blood infection in 1911
Das Lied von der Erde • Integrated four of Li Bai's works into his symphonic song cycle Das Lied von derErde. (Li Bai regarded as one of the greatest Chinese poets, lived in the Tang Dynasty) • An orchestral piece in 6 parts • 1. The Drinking Song of Earth’s misery • 2. The Lonely One in Autumn • 3. Of Youth • 4. Of Beauty • 5. The Drunken Man in Spring • 6. The Farewell • Although it was his ninth symphony, was not numbered his ninth • Incorporates western ideas with eastern, Chinese influences • Contained flute passages that imitated Tang musical style • http://youtu.be/CJeRlfibzcs?t=23m12s (23:12 – 26:26)
The comparison • Das Lied von derErde • Large, orchestral • Lengthy six part song cycle • Incorporated the used of voices • Almost like an opera, in nature Similarities • Similar flute passages • Both pay homage to traditional Chinese art style • Melodic lines from the woodwinds sound similar at time • Lady Meng Jiang • Written to imitate the style of Classical Chinese Chamber music • Soloist piece • Short piece
Works Cited • http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/twen/mahler.html • http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/classicalcomposers/p/mahlerprofile.htm • http://www.leonardbernstein.com/ypc_script_who_is_gustav_mahler.htm • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Lied_von_der_Erde • http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/mahler.php • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Bai • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Dynasty_art#Music • http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Tang/tang.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Dynasty • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterophony • http://www.philmultic.com/home/instruments