Situated in a region where the local culture is influenced by Greater Guangdong, Hong Kong counts Cantonese music as its indigenous form of traditional music. Here, Cantonese music has enjoyed more than a hundred years of steady and robust development to become the most popular and influential genre representative of regional music for Chinese people at home and abroad. The large number of Cantonese music virtuosi living here has also contributed to the enrichment and expansion of the repertoire locally. As a result, Hong Kong has become an important base for Cantonese music after Guangzhou and Shanghai, and a unique Cantonese music culture with Hong Kong characteristics has taken shape. Numerous Cantonese music classics are well-known to the Cantonese community and have enjoyed enduring popularity.
In this online concert, 'A Centurty of Cantonese Music in Hong Kong', the young musicians of the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble presents classics and fine works of local Cantonese music makers in the last one hundred years. To revive the quaint sounds of those early days of Cantonese music, an old model of yangqin with two fretted courses is used to perform Autumn Moon on a Placid Lake.
In every episode, adjunct professor of the Lingnan University, Yu Siu-wah and local Dizi musician Chu Siu-wai give you an unmatched perspective into the history and diverse themes of Cantonese music before the performances begin. All four episodes will be conducted in Cantonese with Chinese subtitles.
First Episode: Early Cantonese music–Yan Laolie and Ho Lau-tong
The close relationship between Cantonese music, traditional theatre of Guangdong and the Cantonese dialect facilitated the development of Cantonese popular music. Some of the household tunes of the 1950s and 1960s with catchy lyrics were actually derived from classics. This episode describes the history of Cantonese music, representative musical instruments of early Cantonese music and well-known works by virtuosi of that period.
Second Episode: The fusion of Cantonese music with Western elements–Yau Hok-chau and Chan Man-tat
In the first half of the 20th century, Cantonese music was fast developing and showed the deep influence of foreign cultures. This episode traces the development of Cantonese music from the "hard bow" to the "soft bow" combo, and the process of Westernisation from its indigenous roots.
Third Episode: Lui Man-shing and performing styles of Cantonese music
Lui Man-shing (1898–1981) was an epoch-making figure in Cantonese music. The gaohu that he invented transformed the original timbre and acoustics of Cantonese music. A combo he helped to establish, dubbed by the contemporaries as "the Four Greats", produced the period genre called "Spirit Music", which had Western musical instruments incorporated. Apart from an account of Lui's achievement, this episode also explores the causes for the change in style in Cantonese music.
The Centre for Chinese Music Studies of The Chinese University of Hong Kong is acknowledged for lending the yangqin with two fretted courses for performance in this episode.
Fourth Episode: Contemporary Cantonese music–Liu Tianyi and Yi Jianquan
From the 1950's onwards, the development of Cantonese music in Hong Kong and Guangdong took different paths. Quite a number of Cantonese music virtuosi of Hong Kong, such as Lui Man-shing and later, second-generation gaohu maestro Liu Tianyi (1910–1990) returned to Guangzhou. This episode gives an account of the roles that Hong Kong and Guangdong played in the development of Cantonese music in the second half of the 20th century.
Conducted in Cantonese.
The programme does not represent the views of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The presenter reserves the right to vary the broadcast time of the programme.
Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble
The Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble is a professional Chinese music group with its focus on the local community and on producing quality chamber concerts. Founded in 2003, it has a mission of developing Chinese music culture in Hong Kong and delivering the unique charm of Chinese ensemble music known for being "small but elegant, and simple but refined". The Ensemble's current resident musicians are all music graduates from various institutes in Hong Kong, with rich experience in concert performance. The Ensemble is a grantee of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and a registered non-profit organisation in Hong Kong.
(Click here for more)
Artistic Adviser: Ho Man-chuen
Instructor at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Resident Conductor of the Academy Chinese Orchestra, and Artistic Adviser of the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble.
Speaker: Yu Siu-wah
Adjunct professor in the Department of Cultural Studies of the Lingnan University and the Department of Music of The Chinese University Hong Kong.
Moderator: Chu Siu-wai
Gaohu/Erxian: Chan Kai-him
Gaohu/Zhonghu/Yehu/Zhu Tiqin: Tung Tsz-ching
Yangqin: Kwok Ka-ying
Pipa: Wong Ling-yan
Pipa/Zhongruan/Xiaosanxian: Yu Wing-ka
Qinqin/Xiaosanxian/Yueqin/Zhongruan/Daruan: Chan Sze-tung
Guzheng: Chow Lai-kuen
Dizi/Xiao: Ho Siu-cheong
Xylophone: Chak yuet-man
Drums: Cheung Long-hin, Ronney
Information provided by the performers
First Episode: Early Cantonese music – Yan Laolie and Ho Lau-tong |
||
Dizi and Ensemble
|
Thunder in a Drought
|
Arr. Yan Laolie |
Xiaosanxian, Yehu |
A Hungry Horse Shaking Its Bells |
Passed down by Ho Lau-tong |
Pipa Solo |
Rain Lashing on the Plantain |
Passed down by Ho Lau-tong |
"Soft Bow" |
United We Go |
Arr. Yan Laolie |
Second Episode: The fusion of Cantonese music with Western elements – |
||
"Soft Bow" |
Billowing Waves under the Hazy Moon |
Chan Man-tat Arr. Windpipe Cantonese Music Quintet |
Pipa and Ensemble |
Lion Rolling a Ball |
Yau Hok-chau |
"Hard Bow" Ensemble |
In Celebration of Good Times |
Yau Hok-chau |
Third Episode: Lui Man-shing and performing styles of Cantonese Music |
||
Yangqin, Gaohu |
Autumn Moon over a Placid Lake |
Lui Man-shing |
"Soft Bow" |
Stepping High |
Lui Man-shing |
Yangqin Solo |
Lovers' Reunion at the Milky Way |
Lui Man-shing |
Xylophone and Ensemble |
Lion Dance |
Lui Man-shing |
Ensemble |
The Tiger Leaving Its Lair |
Lui Man-shing |
Fourth Episode: Contemporary Cantonese Music – Liu Tianyi and Yi Jianquan |
||
Gaohu and Ensemble |
Birds Returning to the Woods |
Yi Jianquan |
Guzheng Solo |
Weaving Busily |
Liu Tianyi |
Gaohu and Yangqin |
Fish Frolic in the Water in Spring |
Liu Tianyi |
Gaohu Duo and Ensemble |
The new year flower market welcomes spring |
Liu Tianyi |