Jiangnan Sizhu
A style of traditional Chinese instrumental music from the Jiangnan region of China
Jiangnan Sizhu is one of the popular traditional music forms in southern China, originated in ancient Suzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou and other regions. This music form includes a variety of instruments such as stringed, wind, and percussion instruments, including erhu, zhonghu, jinghu, banhu, guzheng, pipa, dizi, dongxiao, hulusi, sanxian, percussion, and so on. The music style of Jiangnan Sizhu is gentle and beautiful, and it is known for its poetic and picturesque characteristics, showing the cultural features and life interest of the Jiangnan region.
The main form of Jiangnan Sizhu is the ensemble of multiple instruments, which is often performed as a program for social and entertainment activities. Performers usually conduct simple practice before the performance to ensure the coordination and harmony of the performance. The performance style of Jiangnan Sizhu is characterized by the delicate transition between notes and the variation of timbre, and emphasizes the sense of rhythm and emotional expression in performance. The music content mainly depicts the natural scenery, customs and folk stories of the Jiangnan region, and constantly absorbs elements from other music forms, evolving and innovating constantly.
Example of Jiangnan Sizhu
Common Ensemble
| Ensemble | Setting |
| Duet | 2 musicians |
| Trio | 3 musicians |
| Quartet | 4 musicians |
| Quintet | 5 musicians |
| Sextet | 6 musicians |
| Septet | 7 musicians |
| Octet | 8 musicians |
| String Orchestra | Group of strings |
| Wind Band | Group of woodwinds, brass, percussion |
| Brass Band | Group of brass, percussion |
| Percussion Band | Group of percussion |
| Orchestra | Group of strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion |
| Choir | Group of different parts of human voices |
| Jiangnan Sizhu | Group of Chinese strings and winds |
| Chinese Orchestra | Group of Chinese instruments |
Writer: Frankie Chan
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Canon in D
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer, the predominant musical figure during the transition between the Classical to Romantic eras. He occupies an unprecedented dominance in the history of Western music history, and has been widely regarded as the greatest, most influential and most popular musician who ever lived.
Beethoven's music inherited the artistic atmosphere of Haydn and Mozart, penetrated the desire for dignity, vented the anger tortured by fate, and demonstrated his determination to fight with fate.
Compared to other musicians, Beethoven is effectively to interact the philosophy of life with audience through music. Although he was not a romantic, he had become the object followed by other romantics.
As a musician, Beethoven suffered from ear diseases. However, he was unwilling to succumb to fate, vowing to take fate by the throat, and continue to complete his career. In the last ten years of his life, without hearing any sound, his compositions influenced the development of music for nearly two hundred years.
