1.8 Singing在线视频

Lecture VIII Singing Tune of Shadow Play

From the development of shadow play in different places,

the tunes sung in at the early stages were relatively simple.

In the interview of some aged shadow play artists,

many of them could still sing out the tunes of the old plays they learned at a young age.

Some are similar to scripture chants and folk songs.

No data is recorded for the singing tunes of shadow plays before Qing Dynasty.

But those opera forms that are popular among folks have certain regional characteristics,

such as dialects and secular songs,

thus can be easily accepted and loved by local people.

Based on the development path of Chinese shadow play,

its singing tunes develop along with the prosperity of the play.

From middle and late Qing Dynasty,

this type of play reached to its peak nationwide,

mostly due to the special fondness by the governmental officials and the rich.

During this period, there were fierce competitions among the shadow play artists,

which forced them to improve their singing skills and explore new singing tunes for the plays.

Though such new tunes have distinctive local features,

they can be learned,

digested and recreated in a short period after they are spread to other places.

We have learned in the previous classes that Chinese shadow play

has developed into three major regional genres after passing down through ages.

Still, we are not able to distinguish the characteristics of these genres just from the singing tunes.

That is because a certain singing tune is only popular in a certain county or region.

So, we can only analyze these tunes by selecting certain ones that are representative and influential in certain provinces.

Next, let's appreciate a clip of a shadow play with its tunes sung by Master Qin Ligang,

who is a national inhibitor of Yunmeng Shadow Play.

And next,

we'll watch a shadow play sung in Shannxi opera - Ten Discouragements for the Good,

Tangshan Shadow Play is a representative among others in China's northern areas.

It is mostly characterized by the artist's singing skills.

Such tune is composed of two parts,

the male's tune and female's tune.

The former is high and rough,

while the latter is clear and melodious.

This type of shadow play is unique in terms of its melodies,

styles, spoken parts and singing tunes that are full of local characteristics.

Flats in the play are delicate in carving,

beautiful in shapes and special in styles.

And it has all the roles that usually appear in Chinese operas,

such as male roles, female roles, common painted-face roles, male painted-face roles, old male roles, clowns and monsters,

with each role designed with distinctive images, singing tunes and performing forms.

Four-stringed instrument leads in the play, accompanied by other folk instruments.