Bridging the Gap Between Time and Nations
Bridging the Gap Between Time and Nations Comparing Musical Works from Two Distinct Cultures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A pipa versus the Renaissance lute Though located halfway across the world from each other, Europe and China have both historically been known for creating music. Many popular musical instruments that are still played today have developed from these cultures, such as the qin, which is gaining a resurgence in popularity (Melvin, Sheila), and modern orchestral instruments such as the piano, which are still commonly used today. Although China probably first began creating complex musical instruments, Europe was soon to follow. These cultures may be distant in location and time, and their music may sound aesthetically different, but they do share commonalities. A good example of these are the similarities and differences between a 15th century Chinese piece, Mei Hua San Nong , and a mid-20th cent...