MUSIC OF PARADISE - EURASIA CONSORT
China, a nation with a profound historical legacy, witnessed the flourishing of a remarkable era during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). In the domain of music, China's heritage traces back to ancient times. In the Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC - 256 BC), the "Sanfen Sunyi" temperament system came into being, and simultaneously, the musical genres of Yayue (雅楽) and Suyue (俗楽) emerged. Long before the Han Dynasty (202BC - 220 BC), dozens of musical instruments had already been developed, accompanied by a classification system for these instruments.
The opening of the Silk Road was a pivotal moment. It enabled a large number of foreign musicians from South Asia (notably India), West Asia (such as Persia), and Central Asian regions to enter China via the spread of Buddhism. This influx led to a significant transformation in Chinese music. As evident from contemporary literature and Buddhist cave paintings, over the millennium spanning the Han and Tang dynasties, Chinese music grew in scale and complexity. It seamlessly integrated Yayue, Suyue, and Huyue (胡楽 foreign music), with the Tang Dynasty standing as the cultural zenith of this period.
However, with the passage of dynasties and the march of history, the music of the Tang Dynasty failed to be directly transmitted through the ages. Fortunately, in the early 20th century, a significant discovery was made in the Sutra Cave of Dunhuang. A pipa (琵琶) score was unearthed, containing 25 pieces of music from the Tang Dynasty. From the 7th to the late 9th century, Japan dispatched numerous envoys to the Tang Dynasty to study. These envoys brought back a wealth of cultural treasures, including musical instruments, scores, and dance forms, which have been meticulously preserved and passed down in Japan to this day. In Japan, in addition to the four-string pipa scores, notations for various other instruments like the five-string pipa, zheng (筝), sheng (笙), and Hengdi (横笛, transverse flute) can be found. These scores are invaluable as they document a great deal of popular music from the Tang Dynasty, playing a crucial role in unlocking the mysteries of Tang Dynasty music.
In 1938, Japanese scholar Hayashi Kenzo took the initiative to translate the music from the Dunhuang pipa score. Subsequently, in the 1970s, researchers at the University of Cambridge delved deeper into the study and practical exploration of ancient music scores. Since the 1980s, Chinese scholars have conducted in-depth research on the rhythms of ancient scores, gradually piecing together the musical tapestry of the Tang Dynasty.
The opening of the Silk Road was a pivotal moment. It enabled a large number of foreign musicians from South Asia (notably India), West Asia (such as Persia), and Central Asian regions to enter China via the spread of Buddhism. This influx led to a significant transformation in Chinese music. As evident from contemporary literature and Buddhist cave paintings, over the millennium spanning the Han and Tang dynasties, Chinese music grew in scale and complexity. It seamlessly integrated Yayue, Suyue, and Huyue (胡楽 foreign music), with the Tang Dynasty standing as the cultural zenith of this period.
However, with the passage of dynasties and the march of history, the music of the Tang Dynasty failed to be directly transmitted through the ages. Fortunately, in the early 20th century, a significant discovery was made in the Sutra Cave of Dunhuang. A pipa (琵琶) score was unearthed, containing 25 pieces of music from the Tang Dynasty. From the 7th to the late 9th century, Japan dispatched numerous envoys to the Tang Dynasty to study. These envoys brought back a wealth of cultural treasures, including musical instruments, scores, and dance forms, which have been meticulously preserved and passed down in Japan to this day. In Japan, in addition to the four-string pipa scores, notations for various other instruments like the five-string pipa, zheng (筝), sheng (笙), and Hengdi (横笛, transverse flute) can be found. These scores are invaluable as they document a great deal of popular music from the Tang Dynasty, playing a crucial role in unlocking the mysteries of Tang Dynasty music.
In 1938, Japanese scholar Hayashi Kenzo took the initiative to translate the music from the Dunhuang pipa score. Subsequently, in the 1970s, researchers at the University of Cambridge delved deeper into the study and practical exploration of ancient music scores. Since the 1980s, Chinese scholars have conducted in-depth research on the rhythms of ancient scores, gradually piecing together the musical tapestry of the Tang Dynasty.
