Top 10 Chinese Classical Music
By admin on 2015-01-23

1. High Mountain & Running River ( 高山流水 )
There is a famous “friendship” story associated with this music (post later). <High Mountain & Running River> was originally one piece. Since Tang Dynasty, it was split into two separate pieces. Especially, the later one <Running River> has been developed more in recent centuries. With a more than 2000 years long history, its oldest opern preserved till now is one from 1425A.D., Ming Dynasty.   <Running Water> performed by Guan, Pinghu was included on the NASA “Voyager Golden Record” and launched into outer space on Aug. 22nd, 1977. Hope it will find “friendship” for human beings.

2.Guangling Melody ( 广陵散 )
This one also has a famous story about “dignity”. It’s also a more than 2000 years old music. It was a popular folk music in the Anhui area. It became very famous since the story happened.  In the video is a “Guzheng” version.  A “Guqin” version is here.

3. Wild Geese Landing on Sand Beach ( 平沙落雁 )

In this piece, the composer presented us a beautiful autumn natural scene like a ink-and-wash style painting. We see slowly flowing sands, white clouds, and gooses flying to the end of horizon.  It tells us to enjoy the harmony between nature and humanity.

4. Three Variations of Plum Blossoms ( 梅花三弄 )

Plum blossom is a symbol of value to ancient Chinese elite. It represents purity, nobility, and dignity. This piece is best music work about plum blossom. It dated from Jin Dynasty, composed by General HuanYin. Tang Shigu (Tang Dynasty) made a Guqin version, which had become popular since then. The video here is a flute version. A “Guqin” version is here.

5. Ambush from All Directions ( 十面埋伏 )
This is one of the most popular Pipa pieces. It describes a famous battle between Chu and Han at Gaixia in the end of Qin Dynasty. In that critical battle, Han army strategically used “ambush from all directions” and defeated Chu army completely.  That failure forced the leader of Chu committed suicide at Wu River (A story is associated.) And Han Dynasty then established.

This piece excellently presents the audience a vivid picture of the fierce fighting in the ancient battlefield with the magic of music,

6. Flute & Drum Music at Dusk (夕阳萧鼓)
One of my favorites. It is one of the most popular Pipa pieces. In 1925,Shanghai Datong Music Society composed the famous “Blossoms on a Spring Moonlit Night ( 春江花月夜 )” based on this ancient Pipa solo

7. Dialogue between Fisherman and Lumberjack ( 渔樵问答 )
This is an ancient Guqin piece. It shows the casual life style of lumberjack and fisherman, who enjoyed themselves between the mountains and rivers without worrying about anything in the populated cities. This kind of life style is what the ancient Chinese hermits like to live: to enjoy nature and life, to forget about money, fame or other distracting troubles.

8. Autumn Moon over the Han Palace ( 汉宫秋月 )
In Chinese classical music, it’s very common to see different music share one name or one music has different versions and names. This one has Erhu, Guzheng, Flute, Pipa, etc, various versions.  The video here is Erhu (Chinese Violin) version.

It describes the lonely and sorrowful life of a palace maid.

9. White Snow in Sunny Spring ( 阳春白雪 )

<Sunny Spring> and <White Snow> were the names of two complicated songs in the state of Chu during the “Spring and Autumn” and “Warring States” period of China. They have a history of 2500 years. The music was composed by some people in the same period.

In Chinese, <Sunny Spring and White Snow> also means “hard to understand, not so popular, highbrow” kind of art.

10. Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute ( 胡笳十八拍 )

It was composed for a narrative poetry (same name) in Han Dynasty. The first ten songs tell that the author missed his motherland when he was in other country. The rest mainly focus on his sarrow missing his young kids.

From this music and poetry, the author showed us his suffering from the war and his love for his motherland and his family