China's Instrumental Heritage

Professor Liang Tsai-Ping and His Group - China's Instrumental Heritage

released on LP

The CHENG, of the silk group, is similar to a zither. It has sixteen strings stretched over sixteen frets on an oblong wooden sound box. It is said to have originated in the Ch'in dynasty (221-206 B.C.), and therefore it is sometimes called the ch'in cheng. Apparently the earliest form of the instrument, in the Ch'in and Han dynasties, had twelve strings. Later, the thirteenth to sixteenth strings were added. The strings were originally silk, but brass ones have also been used since the late Ming and early Ch'ing dynasties (about 1650). The cheng was introduced into Japan in its thirteen-stringed form and called koto. The Korean and Vietnamese also imported the cheng from China. Recently, the instrument has been vigorously revived by Professor Liang Tsai-Ping, who was born in Kaoyang, Hopei, in 1911, and a promising period for the instrument is beginning.

The HSIAO, the vertical flute, of the bamboo group, is a bamboo pipe, originally dark or light brown in color, about 22 inches long. It has five holes along the upper side and one along the under side.

The SHENG, of the gourd group, could be called a "mouth pipe-organ." It is distinguished among Chinese instruments by its unique harmonic feature. Along the brim of its gourd base or body there are irregular vertical bamboo pipes. It is played by sucking in the breath at the mouth of each pipe, which leads out of the base or body, very much like the spout of a teapot. The Northern type of Sheng has seventeen pipes and the Southern thirteen. The pipes all have reeds.

The HSUN (sometimes, HSUIN), of the clay group, is an ocarina, one of the most ancient instruments in China. It is made of baked clay and ornamented with designs, clouds, etc. It has six holes, one at the apex to blow through, three in front, and two in back. When it is played, it is held firmly in both hands.

The NAN-HU, the Southern fiddle or violin, of the silk group, is a very popular instrument in China today. Introduced into China proper from neighboring Mongolia, probably in the Yuan dynasty (1280-1368), it has a hollow cylindrical body, one end of which is covered with snake skin while the other is kept open. The body is attached to a long arm over which two strings are stretched. The bow is moved between the strings. (from the liner notes)


Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. P'ing sha lo yen [Wild Geese Alighting on the Sandy Shore] {3:20}
North China folk song of the 17th century; cheng played by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping, hsiao played by Wong Chen-Hwa

2. Lao sen sao tien [Old Monk Sweeping the Buddhist Temple] {1:57}
North China (Shantung) folk song of the 14th century; sheng played by Liang Ming-Yueh

3. Teng lou [Ascending to the Top of a Tower] {2:25}
North China (Hopei) folk song of the 18th century; cheng played by Liang Min-Shih (Miriam Liang)

4. Pai niao chao feng [Hundred Birds Courting the Phoenix] {2:17}
North China (Honan) folk song of the 17th century; cheng played by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping, nan-hu played by Lin Pei

5. Yang-kuan san tieh [The Farewell] {2:47}
North China (Shensi) folk song of the 8th century; hsun played by Liang Ming-Yueh

6. Tsu-yu hsing [Freedom March] {4:35}
composed by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping; cheng played by Miriam Liang

7. Chin shang hua [Flowers on Brocade] {2:23}
North China (Hopei) folk song of the 16th century; cheng played by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping, hsiao played by Wong Chen-Hwa

Side 2

1. I ku-jen [Remembering an Old, Old Friend] {2:23}
composed by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping; cheng played by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping

2. Shu-hua ch'u [Relieving My Heart] {2:57}
composed by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping; cheng played by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping, sheng played by Miriam Liang

3. Han ya hsi sui [Winter Ravens Sporting Over the Water] {2:54}
North China (Shensi) folk song of the 10th century; cheng played by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping, hsiao played by Wong Chen-Hwa

4. Ch'un chiang hua yueh yeh [The Spring River in the Flowery Moonlight] {11:17}
North China (Shensi) folk song of the 7th century; arranged by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping; cheng played by Prof. Liang Tsai-Ping, sheng played by Liang Ming-Yueh, hsiao played by Wong Chen-Hwa, nan-hu played by Lin Pei

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