Timbre Ornamentation |
The instrumentation and ornamentation in both pieces are one of the first links between traditional Chinese and English romantic music. In the Lark Ascending, the violin will often go to very high registers and revert to lower registers. The same pattern can be followed in Er Quan Ying Yue although the register is not as high. Both instruments give out a very smooth timbre, the erhu richer, while the violin is more soaring. Furthermore, in both pieces, trills are used to enhance the musicality of the piece. In the Lark Ascending, they served as a contrast to the runs and in Er Quan Ying Yue as an effect that worked together with the other ornaments such as the grace notes and tremolo, which is also commonly found in western classical and romantic music.
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Word Painting |
Another link that is
very prominent in both pieces is word painting. The melodies in both pieces are
used to describe an event and convey a sensation. In The Lark Ascending, the
ascending runs and trills mimic a bird flying and gives a sensation of being
free. Er Quan Ying Yue also use word painting to create a more somber picture.
The main melody sets in a deep, but contemplative feeling of the night, while the
developments of the three motifs reflects Abing's circumstances in life with
the climax being the ultimate conflict and sorrow that Abing has before he
reaches a more meditative peace in the end. Both pieces utilize a wide range of
dynamics to express their ideas, and ends in the same theme that was first introduced.
Scenically, one can imagine the moon in the sky by mountains and lakes in the performance of Er Quan Ying Yue. Some
disturbance causes ripples on the water, scaring the fish, but eventually night
settles back in. Both pieces also mainly uses the pentatonic, rather than
diatonic scale to describe nature.
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Stylistic/Technical Techniques |
The last musical link between the two cultures that can be seen in both pieces is the freedom of interpretation it gives to the performers. In the solo part, both pieces give the performers a chance to interpret it however they like. It can be seen that rubatos, and longer breaths and pauses occur in both pieces during the solo section. Both pieces are also very legato, with the small use of accelerando at the climatic points in each piece. However it is interesting to note that since the since the piece was written for two different instruments, the technical techniques of The Lark Ascending requires the performer to be in tune and able to play at a very high register of arpeggiated notes while Er Quan Ying Yue slides between arpeggiated notes at a lower register since the erhu cannot reach as high as the violin.
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