ChinesePipa.com
Title
Gao Hong, Chinese pipa soloist
Contact
- IFTPA
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- MAPLE GROVE MN
- US 55311
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- (612) 420-2702
Description
The pipa, (pronounced PEE pah, a four-stringed pear-shaped lute, was introduced to China in the Han dynasty (around 2000 years ago) from Central Asia and was perhaps influenced from plucked lutes of ancient Middle Eastern kingdoms. Early pipas had a variety of shapes, constructional materials and number of strings. Today they are uniform. The pipa is tuned A-D-E-a, with all the open strings sounding below middle C on the piano. Using various playing techniques, performers can imitate a wide variety of sounds - from flowing water, conversing geese and trotting horses to Chinese gongs and drums and sounds of battle. Traditional pipa are usually classified as either civil pieces (wenqu) or martial pieces (wuqu). Comparatively speaking,, civil pieces are refined and elegant, and played at a slow tempo and soft volume. Martial pieces are generally faster and louder and often depict scenes in historic battles. In a traditional Chinese orchestra there is an entire section of pipas which are the leaders of the plucked string group, one of two primary orchestral groups. The pipa is also used in chamber ensembles, to accompany singing and dancing, and is a popular solo instrument.
