When Did the Recently
Orchestrated "Jasmine
Blossom" Qualify for the Rank
of Bells and Drums Music?

(An Excerpt of a Paper in the Chinese Music International Journal)
Shen Sin-yan

Keywords: Music Education, Shang Dynasty, Zhou Dynasty,
Chinese Music, Bells and Drums Music, Musical Interests,
Driver for Joy, Musical Compositions

"The history of Chinese musical instruments has been a history of new resonator discovery, new use of physiology in acoustical excitation, and musical acoustics. Acoustical research in the 20th Century revealed a most distinguished history of the science of music in China. Ancient China possessed a level of acoustical science that was essential in supporting the elaborate musical art of those periods. Physics and engineering worked hand in hand to perfect musical instruments and to arrive at desirable orchestration. These are accomplishments that have modern counterparts. In contrast, the overall design of a large set of dual-pitch bells for the performance of music is an achievement that has no equal in the modern physics of music".

- Sinyan Shen, Scientific American

"Jasmine Blossom" is a popular Chinese love song. Today I have 29 renditions of "Jasmine Blossom" from Southern to Northern in region. They range from Zeng Jiaqing’s "Flowers Tune", in the style of Jiangnan (south of Yangzi River) pop music, and Liu Guanyue’s "Jasmine Blossom", which is a traditional folk song for bamboo flute solo and accompanied by the sheng (mouth organ) of Northern China. In term of musical phenomenon, "Jasmine Blossom" of the East is similar to "Flower and Youth" repertoire from the Northwest. There is a rendition of "What a Beautiful Jasmine Flower", which Puccini merrily copied from the earliest imports of a few Chinese LPs he had chanced upon, when composing "Turandot". But in 3,000 years, "Jasmine Blossom" never falls into the class of Bells and Drums Music, until Liu Wenjin has his chance to orchestrate "Jasmine Blossom".

Chime bells are ancient instrument. They became popular in the 1980s (see Shen, Sinyan, Acoustics of Ancient Chinese Bells, Scientific American, 256, 94 (1987)) with the discovery of chimes bells of Zeng Houyi. The zhong bell is quite special. The complete bell chime may consist of several dozen zhong bells, each producing two different notes. It’s an acoustical miracle by design. The chime is collectively called bianzhong (the bell set). The bell chime is the driver for joy in Ancient China.

The first larger-scale composition with Chime Bells after 1980 was by Liu Wenjin. The theme of the composition was the great wall. "The Great Wall Capriccio" is not a Bells and Drums Music.

"Zhonggu Yue" - Bells and Drums Music - connotes music of the court, and is especially concomitant with China the court. Do you know the classic distinction for the rank of music known as Bells and Drums Music? In the history of Chinese music, during the early dynasties of the Shang (16th-11th Century BC) all through the time of Zeng Houyi (5th Century BC; see Shen, Sinyan, Acoustics of Ancient Chinese Bells, Scientific American, 256, 94 (1987)), the court music was largely Bells and Drums Music. The music content of Bells and Drums Music was two fold: ‘ceremonial and ritual’ music and ‘banquet’ music. The first category, some times known as yayue, was to serve various rituals and ceremonies held in the court. The second category is yanyue. The function of yanyue was to provide banquet entertainment to the imperial family and high officials. The performance of banquet music was often performing arts of instrumental and vocal music, often accompanied by choreographic dance. A certain percentage, more than 70%, of banquet music (yanyue) is originally ordinary people’s music.

The political stability and economic prosperity of the Tang period (618 - 907) set the stage for another boom in Chinese music and dance. The artists of the Tang court, drawing on the music and dance of the previous dynasties, were classified by performance into ten types. Li Shimin, the Tang Emperor TaiZong, popularized the dances "Prince Qin Storms the Enemy Lines" and "Jubilant Celebration", to which he personally contributed to the composition of the music. During the reign of Emperor XuanZong, in 712 - 796, the famous dances under the category "Rainbow Skirt & Feather Cape" were popular. The original "The Moon on High", one of the best known Chinese classical orchestral music, was orchestrated during this time. The recently transcribed orchestral piece "Prince Qin Storms the Enemy Lines" can be classified as Bells and Drums Music.

I suddenly realize, the function of Bells and Drums Music was to show the power of the court of China. Let’s hear "Jasmine Blossom". In the beginning, a group of uniform bowed ruan, compass-wise equivalent to cello and double bass, and the sheng play in the prelude, preceding the "blossoming" of jasmine flowers, with di and sheng solo with plucked string.

Throughout the piece, Li Guangcai (haidi, soprano suona) and Wang Ciheng (di) take the lead. The haidi and the di contribute to "Zhonggu Yue" - the Bells and Drums Music.

At the end, Bells and Drums took charge with haidi and bells. It’s like Yang Li-ke performing the haidi, in the orchestral piece the "Great Wall", premiered the 1980s. Similar passages to "Great Wall", feature the bells and haidi, in the conclusion movement of "Jasmine Blossom".

The passage in conclusion seems to sing a world of peace and tranquility, and solemnly and ceremonially for 21st Century China.

The function of Bells and Drums Music was to show the power of the court. 21st Century China is keeping peace and prosperity. Bells and Drums Music is not for ordinary people, it is for Emperors. Today we are like the Chinese emperors, entertained by Bells and Drums orchestra, and the music is "Jasmine Blossom"! Liu Wenjin is currently the best composer for Chinese instrumental music. He orchestrates it 30% love song and 70% bells & drums music. The eight minutes length of Liu Wenjin’s "Jasmine Blossom", signify the celebration of peace in the 21st Century, when China, a world superpower, enters the world of peace (Today Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and his Chinese counterpart, Jiang Zemin, talk world peace during Putin’s visit to China before Jiang retire). When "Jasmine Blossom" develops into a Bells and Drums Music!

There is a trend in Chinese orchestras to eagerly play some targeted celebration programs. But there is too much simple percussion such as with timpani and bass drum. In 2002, Central Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra under Peng Jiapeng as conductor plays Commemoration Overture by Zhao Jiping, is an example.

Bells and Drums Music does not have to use bells and drums. "The Unforgettable Water-Splashing Festival" is conceptually a Bells and Drums Music. I still remember the version of "The Unforgettable Water-Splashing Festival" Liu Wenjin wrote in the 1970s, when a soprano with chorus on top of Chinese orchestra with "shengguan group" and broadband "tanbo group". Liu Wenjin wrote that original version for the Central Song & Dance Company.

Liu Wenjin did not tell me. But his heart is telling me, "If in the 21st Century, China is keeping peace and prosperity, the music will be telling the truth! Wenjin did not have to explicitly tell me; the present and future of Chinese music will tell.

References

Shen, Sin-yan, The Unforgettable Water-Splashing Festival, Chinese Music, 3, 78 (1980).
Shen, Sinyan, Acoustics of Ancient Chinese Bells, Scientific American, 256, 94 (1987).

This article is featured in the Chinese Music International Journal (CM)

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