Drama music is the musical part of Chinese opera, including the vocal aria, rhyme and instrumental accompaniment, opening and transition music. Among them, singing is the main one, and there are singing forms such as solo singing, duet singing, chorus singing, and accompaniment singing. It is the main means of expression to develop the plot and characterize the characters. The singing accompaniment, fill-ins and strings play a role in supporting the tune, maintaining the tune and setting off the performance. The percussion used in the opening, transitions and martial arts fields is an important factor in coloring the atmosphere, adjusting the stage rhythm and the structure of the opera.

Drama music is an important part of Chinese opera, a comprehensive art that integrates drama, music, performance, acrobatics, stage art and other artistic means. It can express the content of drama in a concentrated way and is also a distinguishing factor. The main symbols of different genres of drama.

The development of opera music has a long history. The folk songs and opera music of the Han Dynasty, the song and dance music of the Tang Dynasty and the rap art music of the Song Dynasty are the foundation of its development.

The structure of opera music mainly has two forms:

1. Qupai style (also known as Lianqu style). That is, a variety of songs are combined according to the needs of the singing style. These include the pattern changes of loose-slow-fast-scattered;

2. Plate cavity (also called plate variation), including basic plate, auxiliary plate and various accents, etc.

Our country has a very rich variety of operas. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 300 kinds. They are our country’s precious national cultural heritage, and thus have also given rise to rich and colorful opera music.

1. Traditional opera music and modern opera music

Chinese opera music thrives and develops in the soil of the Chinese National Music Garden. It is closely related to classical songs, folk songs, and folk art music. Like music categories such as , national instrumental music and so on, they jointly create colorful Chinese national music. Compared with the former, its connotation and denotation, form and content, style and color embody the highest level of Chinese national music, and it is the master of all types of music in our country! Looking at folk music and art in various countries around the world, there are folk songs, folk arts, dances, and national instrumental music. However, there is no opera that integrates singing, dancing, and music, and uses singing, reciting, acting, and fighting as the basic means of expression. Art. Therefore, Chinese opera is a relatively unique artistic phenomenon in the world, especially opera music, which has formed modifications, styles and colors that are completely different from the world, especially European music.

There are four to five hundred types of operas in Chinese opera, and there are more than thirty kinds of operas from ethnic minorities alone. It is a huge artistic group. If you do a little analysis, it is not difficult to see: among the various types of operas The biggest difference is the musical style. If we compare Chinese opera music with European opera music, it does not reflect the personal musical styles of composers such as Mozart, Rossini, Johann Strauss, and Supe, but each represents a province, a city, and a country. Region, a nation, in other words, it is rooted in the soil of different places, formed and developed according to the characteristics of the music language of different places, and has a strong local color (except for Beijing Opera, other opera types in our country are collectively referred to as "local opera" ). Therefore, Chinese opera music is characterized by group style, local style, and national style. Music is an important factor that clearly distinguishes various opera types. The same script can be arranged into Peking Opera, Yue Opera or Henan Opera. But music alone cannot replace each other. In the concept of opera as a comprehensive art, it not only focuses on the artistic categories of choreography, performance, costumes, and stage design, but also focuses on other means of expression such as hands, eyes, body, method, and steps. It can be said that music is the lifeline that distinguishes between types of operas. and identification mark. There is a folk saying: Watching a play is not called "watching" but "listening" to the play. This is why.

Traditional Chinese opera matured during the Song and Yuan dynasties. As we all know, both Song lyrics and Yuan operas have music scores. The framework of a word card or song card does not move. The playwright either writes lyrics according to the sound or follows the words, thus producing ever-changing operas. Over the past hundreds of years, classic plays such as "The Injustice of Dou E", "The Story of the West Chamber", "The Story of Pipa" and "The Peach Blossom Fan" have emerged one after another, producing China's top ten classical comedies and top ten classical tragedies respected by modern people, but it is regrettable What's more, only the script and no music are left behind.

However, despite this, we can still learn from some scattered ancient books such as "Songs of Taoist Baishi" from the Song Dynasty, "Shi Lin Guang Ji" from the early Yuan Dynasty, "Taiko Yiyin" from the Ming Dynasty, "Nine Palaces Dacheng North and South Ci Gong Pu" and "Shattered Records" from the Qing Dynasty. Some traces and clues of music can be seen in materials such as "Jin Ci Pu".

Since the four major melodies of Kunqiang, Gaoqiang, Bangziqiang and Pihuangqiang were formed, they have learned from each other and absorbed each other. After hundreds of years of vicissitudes, they have now formed three major styles: Peking Opera, Kunqu Opera, Henan Opera, Chinese opera music represented by Yue Opera, Huangmei Opera, Qinqiang Opera, Sichuan Opera, and Guangdong Cantonese Opera, especially Peking Opera known as Chinese Opera, is well known that its music is formed by absorbing the musical elements of many opera types from the east, west, south, and north. For example, Xipi originated from Qin Opera in Shaanxi, and Erhuang originated from Yihuang Opera in Jiangxi or Hubei. There are also tunes such as Siping Diao, Gao Ba Zi, and Nan Bang Zi, all of which were borrowed from other opera types. It is said that most of the instrumental music and tunes in the Peking Opera theater are derived from Kun Opera, and most of the percussion music in the martial arts theater is derived from Bangzi Opera... From the perspective of the formation and development of Peking Opera music, the main reason why it has become a national opera is that it is good at being eclectic. As the saying goes, "the sea is open to all rivers, and it is broad when it is tolerant." Can we say that multi-faceted and multi-level absorption is an important reason for the development of traditional Peking Opera.

Since traditional opera music is "tolerant of all rivers, it is vast", but who specifically created and compiled their singing styles, instrumental music, etc.? In the past, writing on the history of opera was actor-centered. As for the formation of the genre, it was rarely explained from the perspective of creation. Forgive me for being ignorant, but I have yet to see a monograph on the four famous dans of Mei, Shang, Cheng and Xun that explains the characteristics and differences between the schools in terms of melody, rhythm, timbre, range, accompaniment and other factors. of. For example, in the history of opera, Wei Liangfu is known to have reformed the original relatively simple Kunshan opera in terms of arrangement of tunes, melody processing, rhythm arrangement, articulation, instrumental accompaniment, etc., making Kunqu opera a major opera genre. However, we do not know how he adapted it from Was the original Kunshan accent material rescheduled to a new accent? Another example is the formation of Mei School's singing style and accompaniment. We only know that it was the piano masters Mei Yutian, Xu Lanyuan, Wang Shaoqing and Master Mei who worked with him to finalize the style. However, their specific creation process is unknown. It can be seen that traditional opera music creation is mostly actor-centered, and is formed through repeated consultation and polishing by piano players (or flutists), drummers and others without strict music score recording, and then is based on " It was passed down to the second and third generation of disciples through oral transmission and heart-to-heart teaching. This method is still widely used in the opera industry today. As far as I know, many Peking Opera singing scores were recorded from records by the master of traditional Chinese music, Mr. Liu Tianhua. of. Therefore, the creation process of traditional music will probably always remain a mystery.

The performance factors of opera music are composed of (vocal) actors and (instrumental) musicians. From a long-term point of view, I think that the solo, duet, duet, chorus and other forms used by actors to play roles in the play will not change in the future, and the gongs and drums of the martial arts field will not change too much. It is the instrumental accompaniment of the band. Practice has proved that each type of opera has a basic backbone instrumental music arrangement in the early stage, such as: the three major pieces of Peking Opera (Jinghu, Yueqin, and Beijing Erhu); the three major pieces of Hebei Bangzi (banhu, bangdi, and sheng); Guangdong and Guangdong Bangzi There are three musical instruments (gaohu, dulcimer, qinqin); three major pieces of Yue opera (main hu, secondary hu, pipa), etc. The musicians and drummers of these main instruments simultaneously master the accompaniment of the whole drama. Under this basic combination of literary and martial arts, according to the needs of the plot and singing, suona, sheng, pipa, sanxian, zhongruan, daruan, erhu, zhonghu, dahu (cello), bass, etc. were gradually added. The instruments range from more than 10 people to more than 20 people, forming a medium-sized band. For example, the Peking operas "Wild Boar Forest" and "Wangjiang Pavilion" that appeared in the 1950s and 1960s; the Yue opera "A Dream of Red Mansions" and "Rouge"; the Huangmei opera "The Match of an Immortal"; the Cantonese opera "Zhaojun Leaving the Fortress" and so on. This resulted in the formation of a small and medium-sized national orchestra consisting of four parts: wind instruments, plucked instruments, percussion instruments, and string instruments.

Therefore, for composers engaged in opera music, their creative activities have developed in many directions: first, composing music for opera; second, composing music for opera acapella, including opera songs; composing music for opera instrumental music, including concerts. Especially the third item, it gives composers unlimited creative space, so they can create the following work forms:

1. Lead instrument (such as Jinghu, banhu, bang (qu) flute , pipa, guzheng and other musical instruments solo, ensemble and concerto).

2. Independent orchestral and national orchestral works.

3. Large-scale symphonic suite-type musical works.

4. Opera oratorio.

5. Opera-style music and dance or dance drama.

To sum up, these new varieties of opera music are not invented by the author, but are exquisite operas harvested by musicians after more than 40 years of hard work. The author now lists the well-known works as follows :

Instrumental solo works include: flute solo "Five Bangzi", "Three Five Sevens" and "Lanqiao Hui"; banhu solo "Qin Opera Brand Music", "Hebei Hua Bangzi" and "Red Army Brother is Back"; Erhu solo Solo "Capriccio on a Theme of Qin Opera", "Shadow", "Baoyu Crying Soul" and "Henan Xiaoqu"; Yang Qin solo "Lin Chong Runs at Night"; guzheng solo "Wen Ji Returns to Han"; Jinghu solo "Deep Night", etc.

Folk music ensembles include: "Beijing Tune", "Welcoming Relatives", "Zizhu Tune", "Wujiang Song", "Tea Picking Dance", "Zhaojun's Resent", "General's Order", etc.

Large-scale symphonic suites include: violin concerto "Butterfly Lovers"; symphony "Shajiabang" and "Taking Tiger Mountain by Wisdom"; symphony suite "Su San", symphony "The Female General of the Yang Family", etc.

3. The creation and performance practice of "The Soul of the Pear Garden"

Since 1982, the author spent twenty years creating a work titled "The Soul of the Pear Garden" "The symphony and concerto series of "The Musical Soul of the Liyuan", the author is not worried and details the creation and performance of "The Musical Soul of the Liyuan" as follows:

1. The national orchestral Yue Opera "Dream of Red Mansions" suite, composed in 1982

1. Daiyu enters the mansion 2. *** Reads in the West Chamber 3. Daiyu buries flowers 4. Daiyu burns manuscripts 5. Good relationship 6. Crying souls run away

In 1983, the Central People’s Government Recorded by a radio station, performed by the Hongqi Yue Opera Troupe and conducted by Wu Hua.

2. Peking Opera "Yu Meiren" Suite by Jinghu and Orchestra, composed in 1983

1. The Conflict between Chu and Han 2, Scattering Love 3, Hearing the Song of Chu 4, Advising the King 5, Night Shen Shen 6, Yu Jihen

It was recorded by the Central People's Broadcasting Station in 1984 and premiered at the Beijing Concert Hall by the China Opera and Dance Drama Theater in the same year, with Li Zhigong conducting.

In 1987, it was recorded and released on tape by the Shanghai Record Company. It was performed by the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, with Zhang Suying as soloist and Qu Chunquan as conductor.

In 1991 and 1997, he was selected to participate in the CCTV Spring Festival Gala twice, performed by the China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra, with Zhang Suying as the soloist and Wu Hua and Wu Houyuan conducting.

3. Suite "Yang Guifei" by Banhu and Qinqiang Opera Orchestra, composed in 1990

1. A Daughter in the Yang Family 2, Colorful Clothes and Feathers 3, Yuyang Drums

4. Mawei Po Qian 5, Misty

Recorded in 1998 by the Central People's Broadcasting Station, with the China Conservatory of Music Chinese Orchestra, Shen Cheng as soloist, and Huang Xiaofei conducting. It premiered at the Beijing Theater in the same year.

4. Grand Suona Concerto Henan Opera "Legend of Bao Longtou", composed in 1990

1. Sitting in Kaifeng Mansion 2. Dreaming of the Netherworld 3. First Trial of the Dragon Head Guillotine

Recorded in 1994 by the China People's Broadcasting Station, with the China National Traditional Orchestra as the soloist, Feng Xiaoquan as the soloist, and Wang Fujian as the conductor.

In 1995, the China National Traditional Orchestra performed in Hong Kong and Taiwan, conducted by Hu Bingxu.

In 1998, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra performed at the Victoria Concert Hall, conducted by Wu Bingxu.

5. Symphonic Suite from the Peking Opera "The Legend of White Snake" by Jinghu and the Orchestra, composed in 1992

1. Love in the Lake 2, Sudden Changes at Duanyang 3, Flooding the Golden Mountain 4, Broken Bridge Sentiment 5, Tower Falling Reunion

The Central Orchestra premiered at the National Palace Theater in Beijing in 1992, with Ai Bing as the soloist and Hu Bingxu conducting.

In 1994, he participated in China's first opera music competition and won the first prize. He was a concerto player with the National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra, soloist Zhang Suying, and conductor Hu Bingxu.

In 2001, he was selected to participate in the CCTV Spring Festival Opera Gala, where Wang Caiyun and Ai Bing performed solo.

6. Guzheng and Orchestra Cantonese Opera Suite "Lin Zexu's Thoughts", composed in 1993

1. Imperial Envoy 2, Lingnan Complaint 3, Humen Smoking 4, Haikou Resistance against the Enemy 5 , Dismissed and Exiled

It premiered in May 1999 at the Jinfan Concert Hall in Beijing, performed by the China Conservatory of Music Chinese Orchestra, with Sun Xin as the soloist and Liu Shun conducting. In the same year, it was broadcast by the "Chinese Music Fragrance" column of CCTV.

Performed in April 2000 at the Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore, performed by the Singapore Orchestra, with Xu Lingzi as the soloist and Lan Yingxuan as the conductor.

7. Kunqu Opera "Peony Pavilion" Suite for Dizi and Orchestra, composed in 1995

1. Garden Tour 2, Sorrow 3, Lost Paintings 4, Vows 5, Resurrection

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It premiered in 1998 at the Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore and performed by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, with Yu Xunfa as the soloist and Hu Bingxu conducting.

8. Double Erhu Concerto and Huangmei Opera Fantasy "The Fairy's Match", composed in 1995

1. Encounter on the Road 2. Returning Home 3. Farewell

It premiered in 1996 at the Tainan City Cultural Center Auditorium in Taiwan, performed by the Kaohsiung Orchestra, with Xin Xiaohong and Luo Junhe as soloists, and conducted by Yan Huichang.

Performed in 1999 at the Hong Kong Cultural Center Concert Hall, performed by the Kaohsiung Chinese Orchestra, with Yang Sixiong and Jiang Mingkun as soloists, and conducted by Yan Huichang.

Performed in Macau in May 1999, it was performed by the Macau Chinese Orchestra, with Jiang Kemei, Yuri and Asdakhov as soloists, and Huang Jianwei conducted.

Performed in April 2000 at the Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore, performed by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, with Xu Jingwen and Zhang Bin as soloists, and Hu Bingxu conducting.

9. Symphonic Concerto for Jinghu, Erhu and Orchestra, "Girls of the Yang Family", composed in 1998

1. Love of Women 2, Ode to the Sword and Horse 3, Song of the Lonely Witness 4, Ode to the Expedition

In 2002, the performance test was conducted by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra at the Hong Kong Cultural Center Concert Hall, with Xin Xiaohong and Xin Xiaoling as soloists and conducted by Yan Huichang.

10. The Four Hu (Erhu) Concerto was composed in 2001 (not performed) by the Tangshan shadow play "Shadow Tune Caprice·Han Palace Love"

1. Shadow Love 2 , Shadow of Lament 3, Shadow of Phantom