Source for Mei'an qin-pu

[blueharp]

Here is a source for the Mei'an Qin-pu as translated by Frederic Lieberman.

www.hkupress.org/asp/bookinfo.asp?PD_NUM=9622090427

The price is fairly reasonable: $22.5US with postage of US$4.81 postage (surface)

This is the least expensive I have located so far. The other sources I have found range from $35US to $70US without shipping!

Steve

[Charlie Huang]

Oh, thanks! I've been looking for MAQP for some time (at an affordable price). But I rather want the original Chinese copy... Oh well, beggers can't be choosers I guess. I saw the Chinese copy at a friend's house, but knew that it was a private publication. The Fred version should at least be sufficient for my needs.

[kyokuhon]

Hey, all,
I just looked at the copy from my college music library, and, at least in that edition, it seems to be of limited usefullness as a performing edition. Mainly, there are no indications of which string stopped notes should palyed on. Open strings are noted, and harmonics, but again, no indication of where the harmonics should be played. It is a wonderful book, with invaluable information in English, but it would be hard to recreate an accurate performance, in my opinion, and wishing no offense to Mr. Lieberman.
Best,
K.

[blueharp]

I also got a copy via interlibrary loan yesterday as my order is still in process. It is quite informative for those of us handicapped by not being able to read Chinese.

It was extremely disappointing to discover that the music does not include the fingering symbols. It renders the book virtually useless for performance.

Still, the commentaries on each piece are most enlightening. It certainly helps with the interpretation!

Steve

[Charlie Huang]

I've already ordered it...

Oh well, at least the translated bits on the main body of text about qin lore would be useful to me.

[Charlie Huang]

I've got it today!

Nice and useful information for a person like me. Yes, too bad the notation is of not much use. If he used GY's notation, it would have been easy to work out the guqin notation out step-by-step.

Strangely, he uses pure nylon wire for qin strings. Interesting.

[blueharp]

It is disappointing that the music lacks the fingering notation. However the information about some of the pieces is certainly very useful.

As to the nylon strings, according to John Thompson's site Lui Tsun-yuen was teaching at UCLA (where Mr. Liebeerman received his PhD) using nylon fishing line on his Song Dynasty qin. Apparently Mr. Lui's opinion was that the finger noise contributed to the lack of popularity of the instrument.

[Charlie Huang]

I thought the pics of him showing the fingering techniques where weird when I first saw them, then I noticed the nylon strings. They don't look nice either, like translucent singapore rice vermicelli... But I suppose it was an alternative to silk strings. Can imagine the noise they will make.

I think the book was intended for Western audience who was more accustomed to staff notation, so he probably exculded that as it might put off people if they discovered that you had to learn qin notation. Then again, lack of learning of qin notation is a hindrance, as qin notation is helpful in getting technique right. Also, he said he missed certain bits out of the original coz he thought to not be useful, but I want those bits!

Anyways, I want to obtain a copy of the Mei'an Qinpu original chinese print. Since it's so privatised (like the Xilutang Qintong), I think I can only get it if I go to China/Taiwan.

[Si]

wow,

I have only been a mamber of this forum for like 2 hours and already I have ordered this chinese zither book!

Interesting that I have never physicaly met anyone that likes chinese music (except my old Er-hu teacher and the Karl Heng music shop in Singapore), now there are a whole bunch of you out there.

Cheers!!

[Charlie Huang]

The facsimile version of the MAQP is available to order from CCN and HST. I've got a copy from my peers at the CMSS, which saved me postaged costs.