TRADITION AND INNOVATION IN CONCERT FOR YANGQIN AND ORCHESTRA “RHAPSODY” BY WANG DANHONG

Abstract

A brief overview of the genre palette of Wang Danhong’s work and a detailed analysis of one of her most famous works of the twenty-first century, the “Rhapsody” Concerto for Yangqing and Orchestra, make her one of the most prolific composers of the younger generation. In creating instrumental music for many years, she has relied on various genres of folk music in combination with manifestations of the European tradition in terms of musical and expressive means. Wang Danhong’s “Rhapsody” Concerto is an orchestral work that reveals a strong sense of national colour, a kind of musical fantasy on folk themes. A detailed analysis of the architectonics of a large-scale musical work has shown that the compositional structure of sections and smaller structures is influenced by national models of forming based on the variant development of themes under the influence of the Eastern improvisational tradition. This principle of unfolding the musical material is laid down in the first measure: the piece begins with a rhythmic and intonational pattern: eighths + syncopation + sixteenths. Considering the syncopation as an impulse in the rhythmic pattern, the composer creates various combinations of rhythm throughout the work. The musical language of “Rhapsody” was also influenced by the genres of light pop music, particularly jazz. It is worth noting the artist’s orchestral skill, which consists in the ability to combine the harmonious fusion of the timbres of Western orchestras with the individuality of Chinese folk instruments – zhong ruan, pai sheng, da ruan, bamboo flute, and, above all, the solo yangqin. “Rhapsody” is an exemplary work of Wang Danhong’s individual musical style, which adopts the models of Western genres, relying on the variation of musical material, and, using the language of popular music, generates new ideas for composing music for the modern yangqing.