Silk and Bamboo music, the gugin and Pingtan music
Lucy Duran travels to Shanghai to find out what remains of traditional Chinese music in this booming metropolis. Music includes a session by one of Shanghai's best guqin players.
Lucy Duran travels to Shanghai to find out what remains of traditional Chinese music in this booming metropolis. Music recorded on location includes a session by one of Shanghai's best guqin players, who performs on an instrument dating from the 13th century, a group of pensioners who are struggling to preserve the beautiful sound of silk and bamboo, and a performance of Pingtan from the city of Suzhou.
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Music and featured items
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Disappearing culture
Lucy learns that a form of storytelling music called 'pingtan' is disappearing.
Duration: 06:24
Music Played
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Local Suzhou performers
unknown
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Recording.
Pingtan performance
We hear an extract of pingtan performed at a theatre in Suzhou.
Duration: 11:38
Music Played
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Suzhou City Pingtan Troop
unknown
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Recording.
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Suzhou City Pingtan Troop
Unknown
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Recording.
Silk music and the gugin
Lucy talks about how silk has produced some of China's most beautiful music.
Duration: 06:33
Music Played
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Mr Lin Youren
The drunken fisherman
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Recording.
The gugin
Mr Lin demonstrates the gugin and talks about the Cultural Revolution.
Duration: 11:45
Music Played
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Mr Lin Youren
unknown
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Recording.
Background to silk and bamboo music
Anxi explains the background of silk and bamboo music.
Duration: 11:10
Music Played
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unknown
unknown silk and bamboo music
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Recording.
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unknown
unknown silk and bamboo music
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Recording.
Chinese bamboo flute and changes to the gugin
Dai Wei tells Lucy about the changes in playing the gugin due to outside influences.
Duration: 11:08
Music Played
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Mr Dai
unknown
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Recording.
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Mr Dai and Dai Wei
Plumb Tree Blossom
- Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Recording.
Broadcast
- Sat 9 Aug 2008 15:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
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