Bridging the Gap Between Time and Nations

Bridging the Gap Between Time and Nations

Comparing Musical Works from Two Distinct Cultures

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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 century classical piece, A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Two ways to illustrate this point are through looking at the compositional techniques that these pieces have in common: variation and modulation.

A musician playing the qin

During the 15th century when Mei Hua San Nong was written, Europe was beginning its musical Renaissance, an era which lasted from 1400 until 1600. Instrumental developments were similar for both Chinese and European cultures during this time. For instance, both cultures created similar instruments categorized in the string family. In China there was the pipa, similar to a Renaissance lute, as well as the ruan, similar to the Renaissance cittern (Chinese Children’s Orchestra) (Arkenberg, Rebecca).  These similarities may be attributed to long trade routes between both areas, as well as similar levels of development in both societies at that time. Despite being half-way across the world from each other, these two cultures had noticeable similarities (History.com Editors). However, as will be explored further, their instruments were used differently.

Mei Hua San Nong is played on the qin- a traditional Chinese string instrument that came to its standard form of 7 strings during the Han Dynasty (202 BCE-220 CE). It has a complex and rich history and was long favored by noblemen as a leisurely instrument to be played in front of friends (Melvin, Sheila). It not only has cultural significance but also has astrological and spiritual meanings: its length is meant to represent the length of the 365 days of the year. The instrument was also once believed to be able to bring the musician playing closer to the cosmos (Moore). It is generally tuned to the pentatonic scale, with strings varying in thickness (Grinnell College). The pentatonic scale is defined according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary as “a musical scale of five tones in which the octave is reached at the sixth tone.” More specifically, it is “a scale in which the tones are arranged like a major scale with its fourth and seventh tones omitted.” (Merriam Webster)

Mei Hua San Nong is an example of a classic qin piece, written during a time when the qin was commonly played and enjoyed. The piece employs techniques generally only used with this instrument. These techniques include quick trills, upward portamento, and downward portamento (--- “Qin”). The piece probably first was written in the 14th century, when the qin was at its height of popularity with noblemen (Instruments of the World).

Benjamin Britten

Nearly 520 years later, European music had made leaps and bounds from its old Renaissance music and was becoming more contemporary. The number of instruments at a composer’s disposal was much higher, and the instruments themselves had evolved. Orchestras show this diversity and often highlight many instruments in their ensembles. Benjamin Britten’s A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra was meant to be a musical teaching resource, separating the sections of the orchestra by instrument for children to better understand how an orchestra works and the instruments that can make them. In each of the 13 variations of the piece, a different instrument is showcased, showing its sound and characteristics. Not only does this piece teach young students about the parts of an orchestra, it is used as a teaching piece for musicians. (British Library)

The main basis of structure for both Mei Hua San Nong and A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra is variations. Music Theory Academy defines a variation as “Once the theme has been played the composer then repeats it, but varies it in some way.” Often music that is based off of variations will begin with a common theme, and that theme will be manipulated into variations. However, while Mei Hua San Nong is simpler- only using one instrument and with three variations, A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra has a much longer thirteen themes, as well as a full orchestra of instruments to play each variation. 

The qin Instrument

Mei Hua San Nong is a classic example of variation in Chinese music. It is written to vary between performers as based on their personal taste - the performer is expected to improvise and make the piece their own. Improvisation is defined as “free performance of a musical passage, usually in a manner conforming to certain stylistic norms but unfettered by the prescriptive features of a specific musical text” No two recordings should sound too similar besides following along the same basic structure of theme and variations (Britannica). Mei Hua San Nong is split into three sections, each a different variation, interestingly similar to a contemporary modern orchestral symphony, which would be played in movements. A good example of the way this concept is used in a European classical piece besides Benjamin Britten’s, is Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2, which is split into three separate movements. Each movement has a distinct sound, while staying within a set key signature.
Because Mei Hua San Nong was written a few centuries ago when the music style was far more simplified, it has a more  basic structure than Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. The piece begins with the plum blossom theme (0:00-1:10), and progresses to three variations of this theme. Each variation follows a binary A, B form and the piece is therefore split into 6 sections.
Each A form has a darker tone, in a lower pitch. In the first variation, the A section is slower, and each note is thoughtfully plucked one by one. However in the second variation, the A section becomes more exciting and the tempo moves faster with polyrhythms. Audio examples here. The B section is in a higher octave with a more flowing, legato melody.

While composing A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Benjamin Britten wanted to create a piece that could be used in children’s music classes to demonstrate the different instruments of the orchestra, how they are used, and what to listen for. He begins the piece by stating a theme (0:05-0:24), which is defined by The Harvard Dictionary of Music as “A musical idea, usually a melody that forms the basis or starting point for a composition or a major section of one.” The piece then continues with thirteen variations on this theme. He uses variations on a theme so it is easier for listeners to comprehend the differences in instruments.

Each variation of this piece is played by a different instrument or group of instruments in order to highlight how that instrument is played. Techniques used only for certain instruments, or characterizations of their sounds are focused on throughout this piece. For instance, in variation eleven (10:15-10:47), the trumpets play in the quicker duple meter, to mimic the marches often used for trumpets.

Musicians who play Mei Hua San Nong are encouraged to perform their own interpretations of these variations for the piece. The musician must have an understanding of the notes used in the piece, as well as the rhythm and mood s/he wishes to convey. Depending on the performer, each recording of the song will sound completely different. The qin, additionally, is played in a different way than more modern instruments used today. Techniques have been developed for hundreds of years, and qin music is notated in its own notation form. Therefore, ornamentation in the music differs from ornamentation one might hear with the piano. In the case of the piano, ornamentation is often adding a short trill, or grace note. However, with the qin, one may add extra flair in the form of vibrato or harmonics. Despite both being stringed instruments, the methods and techniques used to play these can vary greatly. 

These pieces also employ a similar use of modulation. The definition of modulation is “the change from one key to another; also, the process by which this change is brought about” (DeVoto, Mark). In variation six of The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, the violas display this technique.

Despite the many places it can develop from, music is a far more universal art than a listener might assume. Not only did the instruments and music of Chinese and European music develop similarly, but the actual music did as well, while separated by locations and centuries. This comparison can be seen clearly in Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra and Mei Hua San Nong. The two pieces sound very different, but are linked through compositional techniques, such as variation, sections, and ornamentation.