Erxian
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![]() Erxian,19th century, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art | |
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The erxian (
Similar instruments also referred to as erxian (constructed and played differently from the Cantonese erxian discussed above) are used in Chaozhou music (where it is called touxian, 头弦, literally "leading string [instrument]") and in the nanguan music of the Southern Fujian people.[2]
The erxian (called yi6 yin4
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Erxian_19th_century_Chinese%2C_possibly_Chaozhu_sub-culture%2C_from_the_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art.jpg/220px-Erxian_19th_century_Chinese%2C_possibly_Chaozhu_sub-culture%2C_from_the_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art.jpg)
Currently, the erxian is used for accompanying the singing of dai-hau (
The erxian of earlier times came in two forms: one for playing bongjee/bangzi (梆子), and a slightly larger one for playing yiwong/erhuang (
- A bangzi erxian is tuned to
士 -工 /la-mi/A-e - An erhuang erxian is tuned to
合 -尺 /so-re/G-d
Today, the bangzi erxian is more commonly used to play both bangzi and erhuang melodies. The heavy silk strings of the earlier erxian have largely been replaced with wound steel strings and some modern players have begun to use erhu bows instead of the heavier (and more uncomfortable) "hard bows."
While the erxian has experienced a decline in usage since the 1920s, it remains a staple instrument in any Cantonese opera orchestra and recently composed Cantonese operas like "
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Creative Arts in Education and Culture: Perspectives from Greater China. Netherlands, Springer Netherlands, 2013. 244.
- ^ "
二 弦 ". Hakka Affairs Council. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
External links
[edit]- Article about nanyue erxian (Chinese)
- Erxian photograph
- Photograph of nanguan erxian[permanent dead link]
- Erxian page (Chinese)
Video
[edit]- Cantonese erxian video by Chu Yung