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Post by Bryan on Aug 18, 2005 7:47:56 GMT
Yup have to repost Lol does anybody know whether the erhu song Racing Horses can be played on the guzheng cux ii've seen people done it before and want the notes.
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Post by paulv on Aug 18, 2005 19:39:15 GMT
Hi Bryan, I've heard "Horse Racing" done with erhu & yangqin together and it sounded good. I guess you could give it a try -- it's in the Key of F, and you can download the score from www.cadenzamusic.biz/ which has parts for erhu and (I think) yangqin on the score. Look in the erhu section, fourth column -- it's called "saimaqp". Good luck....... Regards, Paul Valente PS: I haven't played it -- still have a few more years of learning to do!!
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Post by YouLanFengChune on Aug 19, 2005 3:02:29 GMT
hi!
paul, sai ma is actually very very easy. It takes a bit of technical practise and lots of imagination. I think you can do it. What is your current repertoire?
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Post by Bryan on Aug 19, 2005 6:20:53 GMT
But can ii use it for guzheng?
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Post by Bryan on Aug 19, 2005 6:21:49 GMT
ii cant open it >_>
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Post by paulv on Aug 19, 2005 14:05:28 GMT
Bryan: I sent the score to your MSN email address listed in your profile for this forum. Enjoy.....
YinHao: I've been playing erhu for about 20 months now. I've learned the keys D, G, F, B-flat, A, & C. I'm currently learning "Butterfly Lovers" and "Blue Flower Ballad". I really love LanHuaHua and as you know, it changes keys several times and has a couple of fast passages that are very challenging for me -- challenging in the sense that I have to have both hands synchronized on all those sixteenth notes. The key changing isn't that bad. After these two, I would like to learn Shandandankaihuahongyanyan if my teacher says "OK".
My practicing schedule is 2 hours Tues - Thur, 3 hours Fri & Sat, and 3 hours every other Sunday. It's not an aggresive schedule, but it's what I can do at this point of my life.
Regards,
Paul Valente
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Post by YouLanFengChune on Aug 19, 2005 15:58:51 GMT
hahaha...
weird. Lan Huahua is supposedly harder than al the rest!!!! ShanDan Dan is considered much easier. The first performer of lan hua hua is Wang Fang Liang (in Singapore) and i have played the dizi version of it. Its actually abt a girl, who was caught and executed, fighting for the communist. 5 3 23 1, 27 61 5. this line actually says: " its my mother who gives birth to me, but its the "party" which fed me!"
The dizi version is harder, but i like th erhu version better, especially the mournful parts!
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Post by paulv on Aug 19, 2005 19:08:11 GMT
Weird? That's an understatement for me. If you ever met me you would probably say, "Something's wrong with this 'laowai' " At any rate, I tend to want to learn songs as I hear them and I tend to like the ancient, sad songs the best. At least my teacher will tell me ifI'm not ready for a particular song. Regards, Paul Valente
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Post by twilight on Aug 19, 2005 22:26:14 GMT
My practicing schedule is 2 hours Tues - Thur, 3 hours Fri & Sat, and 3 hours every other Sunday. It's not an aggresive schedule, but it's what I can do at this point of my life. Regards, Paul Valente wow Paul, your schedule is quite impressive, and it's not even agressive to you ;D you put me to shame
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Post by YouLanFengChune on Aug 20, 2005 8:31:38 GMT
Paul, There's something i'm unhappy abt in what you said: If Chinese playing violins and guitars is NORMAL, and USUAL, Caucasians playing Erhu is EQUALLY Normal and Usual!
Right?
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Post by davidmdahl on Aug 20, 2005 20:32:42 GMT
Paul, There's something i'm unhappy abt in what you said: If Chinese playing violins and guitars is NORMAL, and USUAL, Caucasians playing Erhu is EQUALLY Normal and Usual! Right? I don't mean to put words in anyone else's mouth, but it is just an observation that it is relatively common for Asians to play Western instruments, and uncommon for Westerners to play Asian instruments. This is more a reflection of fashion and popular tastes than quality or value. I truly wish that the balance was more equal. I love good music and expressive instruments no matter the culture that produced them. I do wish that playing erhu, and Chinese music in general, in Portland was more "normal" for all races. It is a relative small group of people that I can share this wonderful music with. Best wishes, David
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Post by James on Aug 23, 2005 9:48:02 GMT
who is this Wang Fang Liang anyway?
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Post by paulv on Aug 23, 2005 13:39:54 GMT
YinHao -- I agree with David's observations. Actually, I discussed this with my teacher once and he told me that parents in China want their kids to learn piano and violin and steer them away from the traditional Asian instruments. I know in the few trips to China that I have taken I did notice more and more trends toward Western styles/customs. I have also noticed that most Westerners, who are interested in traditional music, tend to learn traditional instruments that are from their European origins.
Twilight -- Thanks for the compliment, but I must explain since the intent is not to put people to shame as everyone has a different lifestyle. My wife & I don't have any kids (at least not yet) and she comes home from work a few hours later than I. I don't much care about sports and there's not a whole lot on TV I like until late in the evening (when I have to go to sleep!). So, all I'm left with is maintaining two cars and a house which are not everyday tasks. As a consequence of all this, I have a halfway decent practice schedule for the erhu.
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Post by Charlie Huang on Aug 24, 2005 11:32:04 GMT
My parents keep on asking me 'why do you have to learn guqin etc, when you could be learning piano etc, then it would be easier for you to get into bands or what not and easier for you to make money out of it, blah blah blah...' I am so ashamed at my Chinese community in my neck of the woods since most of them have some rather inaccurate preconceptions of what Chinese music is, or how it ought to be when they may have heard about 5 minutes worth of Chinese music in their whole life (not including the trash that populates the media), and that they do not seem to have any interest it, or respect for it sometimes. And I did thought so about the Asian tendancy to lean towards Western instruments. Not that that is bad, but since Western music has literally conquered the world, there's plenty of Western instrumental musicians about. I think more focus should be placed on homegrown music (whatever the country) since Western music seems to take a priority over it. Also, the people at my school seem to be more interested in Cantopop et al rather than anything traditional, even the deputy head who asked me if I could play Shimian maifu on the bloody guqin coz she wants something fast and instantly recognisable! I have never been more taken-aback in my life... *shakes head* Anyways, I want to change this, and with me in contact with a rather good dizi player (who turns out to be a Westerner named Max) in Birmingham, he and I are thinking of forming a sihu ensemble and for me to duet with him with my qin. My cousin has already suggested some help for me, since she works at the Chinese association and knows that there are Yangqin classes being taught at the place (but people in their 30's and 40's). I'm rather excited at the prospects to come and hopefully, we'll make an impact. I've also written a strongly worded article criticising the state of Chinese music in my community and hopefully will get it printed in the Chinese association magazine.
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Post by paulv on Aug 24, 2005 12:16:08 GMT
Charlie, Putting together a small ensemble sounds great -- good luck with it!! I share your feelings regarding the ongoing disappearing of traditional music. My erhu teacher's student membership consists of adults who want to hold on to a piece of the "old country" and parents who want their kids to do something that is also a piece of the "old country" -- and then there's me.
I hope someday, when I'm fairly proficient on the erhu, that I can also play in a small ensemble and promote traditional music. The music is too, too beautiful to let it fade away........
Regards, Paul Valente
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Post by davidmdahl on Aug 24, 2005 23:42:01 GMT
Since any unfamiliar traditional or classical music is usually an acquired taste, it helps to mix a little of the familiar in with the "pure" stuff. For example, at a recent event at the Portland Chinese Garden the music ensemble (guzheng, dizi, & pipa) played a few tunes from the animated film "Mulan". It was a little startling at first, but it sounded good, and got the audience in a receptive mood for more. Maybe to some of us, the familiar also includes the usual showpieces such as Racing Horses. <g>
I have to admit to doing some pandering of my own when playing Vietnamese music. The traditional tunes are my favorites but there are also some modern Standards that everyone (VN) seems to know and love to hear. The irony of my situation is that apparently the sight of a white dude playing traditional Asian music has some Asians taking another look at their music and instruments. Pop music is still the 800 LB/KG gorilla, but hopefully we can be part of a movement to keep the traditions alive and healthy.
I have been asked why Asian music is important to me. It may be a bit cheeky for me to think this way, but I suggest that the music of Beethoven or the Beatles does not belong to me any more than the music of Ah Bing belongs to the Chinese. They are all treasures enriching the lives of everyone.
Best wishes,
David
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Post by davidmdahl on Aug 24, 2005 23:51:21 GMT
I hope someday, when I'm fairly proficient on the erhu, that I can also play in a small ensemble and promote traditional music. The music is too, too beautiful to let it fade away........ Sorry for the unsolicited advice, but I encourage you to not postpone ensemble playing too long. If you wait until you decide you are good enough, you will miss out on some great fun and valuable lessons. It is great practice and experience to play music with others, especially when they are better than you. I have played music with tolerant musicians of vastly greater skill and experience than myself, and I treasure those memories. Best wishes, David
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Post by calden on Aug 25, 2005 2:09:40 GMT
The irony of my situation is that apparently the sight of a white dude playing traditional Asian music has some Asians taking another look at their music and instruments. Pop music is still the 800 LB/KG gorilla, but hopefully we can be part of a movement to keep the traditions alive and healthy. I have been asked why Asian music is important to me. It may be a bit cheeky for me to think this way, but I suggest that the music of Beethoven or the Beatles does not belong to me any more than the music of Ah Bing belongs to the Chinese. They are all treasures enriching the lives of everyone. Best wishes, David David: Very well said! I find timeless treasures in lots of different music of different cultures and historical eras. I am transported to another place when I'm in the center of an erhu piece and really playing well, and it transcends culture, history, and nation. The same thing happens when I'm in the middle of the nth cycle of an Appalachian fiddle tune or Irish jig, that may have come from some little place 400 years ago via a hundred or more different ears and minds. Carlos
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Post by paulv on Aug 25, 2005 12:23:35 GMT
Sorry for the unsolicited advice, but I encourage you to not postpone ensemble playing too long. David, I agree. Right now I'm playing with an ensemble of other erhu students and some guzheng students once a month. I hope to, in the near future, to play more frequently with a smaller group. I find timeless treasures in lots of different music of different cultures and historical eras. Carlos, Great statement -- can I use it? Regards, Paul Valente PS: The erhu folks are definitely dominating this forum!
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Post by calden on Aug 25, 2005 14:23:24 GMT
I find timeless treasures in lots of different music of different cultures and historical eras. Carlos, Great statement -- can I use it? Regards, Paul Valente Paul: Sure, but I wish I had said something more profound if I'm to be quoted! To me it's patently obvious that sampling the wide variety of music that exists on this planet is the only way to go. I would die of suffocation were I to only sample music from my historical period, from my geographical location, from my particular cultural context. Ever heard the Bulgarian Woman's Choir? Carlos
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Post by paulv on Aug 25, 2005 15:50:09 GMT
Carlos, you're exactly right. With all the cultural diversity in this world, there is a wealth of great music to listen to. I've never heard the Bulgarian Women's Choir, but I've heard music from that region and it sounded very nice.
I wonder if there's a [profitable] market to have a radio station that just plays folk music from various countries?
Regards,
Paul Valente
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Post by calden on Aug 25, 2005 19:49:51 GMT
Carlos, you're exactly right. With all the cultural diversity in this world, there is a wealth of great music to listen to. I've never heard the Bulgarian Women's Choir, but I've heard music from that region and it sounded very nice. I wonder if there's a [profitable] market to have a radio station that just plays folk music from various countries? Regards, Paul Valente Actually, I wouldn't think so because there are plenty of internet stations that do just that kind of thing, and I'm sure there are lots of podcasters doing it as well. One thing that technology has given us is the ability to have a fuller understanding of the richness of worldwide culture. Just witness this forum!!! People of all ages and genders (all two of 'em) and geographical locations sitting down and hashing it out about how to hold an erhu bow. Even ten years ago that would have been a stretch. The only thing left to do for us Americans is to get off our butts and start learning some foreign languages. Carlos
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Post by paulv on Aug 26, 2005 16:51:29 GMT
Editorial Comment: I think you forgot the word "lazy" that should go in front of "butts" But seriously, most Americans are missing out on many foreign websites because of language. Regards,, Paul Valente
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Post by davidmdahl on Aug 26, 2005 21:03:03 GMT
Editorial Comment: I think you forgot the word "lazy" that should go in front of "butts" But seriously, most Americans are missing out on many foreign websites because of language. Regards,, Paul Valente Guilty as charged. There have been plenty of times when it would have been handy and enriching for me to be able to communicate in Vietnamese or Chinese. Unfortunately when I am on my butt it is often due to exhaustion. After doing what is necessary for work, family, church, and music, there is little time or energy left for studying a language. Notice TV is not listed. Well, maybe Jay Leno now and then. <g> I know it is all about priorities, but sometimes doing something new means letting something else go. I admit though to the temptation to order one of those Rosetta Stone sets. Maybe I could find 15 minutes per day. Best wishes, David
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Post by blueharp on Aug 27, 2005 6:52:59 GMT
It certainly couldn't hurt to speak/read at least one other language. It really does broaden one's horizons. I get by in English and French (my two main languages) with a smattering of German and Spanish. Still I am always embarassed about my lack of skills around my friends that are fluent in 3 or more languages. Is music still considered to be the universal language?
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