Relaxing Piano Music
Historically, the zheng is one of the oldest musical instruments in China. Literary references to it date back to the third century B.C. In the early eighteenth century, Chinese music began to develop a bayin system for categorizing musical instruments, and the zheng was placed in the silk category. Silk strings were the traditional instrument's string material. The use of metal strings became more common after the seventeenth century. Today, zhengs often use steel or wound nylon strings. Their strings are usually sixteen or twenty-one-spaced.
Chen's blending of East and West
The study of traditional Chinese piano music has several implications for the musical literacy of college students. It highlights the importance of music education in forming a spiritual civilization. The lack of qualified teachers and insufficient attention to music popularization are the most common challenges in higher professional colleges. Other common issues include aesthetics and poor preparation. Research indicates that the need to increase attention to educational activities in colleges should be considered if we hope to improve students' academic performance and interest in classical music.
Chen's blending of East and West is evident in his distinctive style of piano music, which combines elements of Chinese aesthetics with Western techniques. Chen was a member of the White Swan Art Club, composed of students who had a desire to learn more about Western art. Despite this, Chen never lost his respect for the Chinese art tradition. In fact, his early career saw him teaching Chinese national style to Chinese students in Shanghai.
The introduction of Western harmonises on Chinese piano music was triggered by the rise of the romantic genre. The European-style harmonies were a foreign influence to Chinese music, so Chinese composers took it upon themselves to incorporate Chinese themes into their piano music. Despite the cultural differences between Western and Chinese music, the new genre has gained recognition across the world in the past hundred years, and more musicians are interested in studying this style.
This study has several limitations. For example, the research design of this study had a control group that did not listen to any music, and a group that was listening to only one type of stressor. This was insufficient to identify if piano music is a valuable stress management tool. This type of study will be more accurate once researchers have the proper instruments to test the effects of piano music on stress levels. Therefore, we need to conduct more research on this topic.
The first influence of Western harmonises on Chinese piano music was in the early 19th century, when the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra was formed. The orchestra's first conductor was Italian, and the instruments were Western-styled. The orchestra trained young Chinese musicians to play Western-styled music and promoted Western orchestral works. Later, the Qing Dynasty ended in war and rebellion, and the newly-established Republic of China embraced global values. As a result, exploration of Western notation and harmony gained momentum.
While Westerners have described Chinese solo piano music as loud, this is not accurate. Chinese music is typically composed with a basic verse-chorus-bridge structure. Songs do not usually include extended introductions or elaborate guitar solos. Songs in this style are typically ballad-style and are moderately-paced. The instruments used to play these pieces are often simple and basic, and Chinese artists rarely change keys within a song.
The melody is relatively brief, consisting of just a few notes. It repeats enough times to get stuck in the listener's head, but not too often. This technique helps build tension without having the piece drag on for too long. Another way to create tension is to refrain from using root position chords and to avoid the tonic in the melody. The piece doesn't need to last long to be meaningful.
Studies have shown that listening to music can significantly lower stress and anxiety levels. The biological stress responses associated with listening to music can reduce the production of cortisol, a hormone that helps the body respond to stressful situations. It works by decreasing the activities of two types of brain activity known as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which are involuntary responses. Both systems help us focus better on certain tasks and can sharpen our memory.
The young pianist has won numerous competitions and has performed throughout China, Canada, and the US. She has won many top awards in competitions including the Macau International Competition for Young Musicians, the Associated Manitoba Arts Festivals, and the Brandon Festivals of the Arts. In addition, she has performed a piano concerto by Ravel with the Beijing Philharmonic at the age of 14 and has been a member of Astral Artists since she was a youngster.
Some composers have incorporated elements of Western classical music into Chinese piano music. Many Western composers have incorporated the use of traditional Chinese melodies, or qupai, in their compositions. This style is often described as a "folk song." It is characterized by varying tempo and ornamentation, and serves several functions depending on the mood of the instrumentalist and the audience.
