Chaozhou gong and drum music through the study of the rhythm and drumming technique of 'She Qing' ('Celebration of the Community') by Chen Zuohui from a percussionist's point of view.

摘要

This paper is an analysis of both the rhythm and the drumming technique of a contemporary composition She Quing (Celebration of the Community) by Chen Zuohui. Through the detailed study of the work, one will start to understand and appreciate the uniqueness of this folk drumming in south China.;The tuning of the gongs and cymbals to specific pitches, as well as the spectacular conducting hand movements of the master drummer are the two major characteristics of this type of folk drumming. Various hand movements of shaking, swinging, pointing, chopping, drawing, knocking, and even sword drawing and poking from the Chinese martial arts, are incorporated in the drumming.;This study also introduces the different types of gong and drum music of Chaozhou, their instrumentation, repertoire, as well as the percussion, wind and string instruments used.;As a Western trained percussionist, the author also discusses both the advantages and the difficulties in learning the She Quing in terms of the grip and the stick control, the instruments, the hand movements and the posture, the notation of the hand movements, the rhythm, learning be sight and reciting with the mnemonics, learning as a Chinese person, and also improvising.