Houyang Gao Qiang Of Wu Opera Music Research

Wu Opera,usually known as "Jinhua Opera",is the second local Opera of Zhejiang Province.Its long history and profound influence are famed as "the traditional Hui Opera,the forefathers of Beijing Opera and the ’living fossil’ of Nanxi Drama."Wu Opera has six tunes,including Gaoqiang,Kunqu Opera,Mixed tune,Tanhuang(a folk style of storytelling sung in rhyme which originates from south-east China),Hui Opera tune and Shidiao Opera.Gaoqiang is the most ancient tune among them.As one of three Gaoqiang in Wu Opera,Houyang Gaoqiang is the treasure of traditional folk music culture.Its activeness in central Zhejiang basin endowed it with strong local characteristics and unique artistic value.After collecting and summing up the current research,it is not difficult to find that firstly,there is no definite conclusion of Houyang Gaoqiang’s origin and transformation,or its naming among the circle;secondly,the present academic studies of its music ontology,artistic characteristics or value are obviously not thorough enough to match the long history nor the lively performing practice.With the ethnomusicological perspective of research and based on the approach adopted by related subjects such as historiography and morphology,Houyang Gaoqiang will be studied as the object of this essay.Focusing on the analysis of its historical evolution,music morphology and the current status,the author wish the writing will help enriching one’s own knowledge structure while having a deeper understanding of Houyang Gaoqiang in Wu opera and to pay a tribute to the tradition music through the research.This essay can be divided into six parts.By historic method,the first part will comb and sum up the relationship between Houyang gaoqiang and China Gaoqiang、Zhejiang Gaoqiang、Wu Opera Gaoqiang’s derivation which is put in the development of history by herarchy relationship,and analysis Houyang Gaoqiang’s situation.In the second part,by reference to the method of morphology and linguistics,the lyrics and language used in Houyang Gaoqiang is analyzed.The analysis include the general pattern of lyrics,the use of dialects and the relationship between the singing music and the lyrics.In the third and the forth part,the musical morphology of Houyang Gaoqiang is analyzed including Qupai and singing、the structure of its ballad style、the accompaniment by instrumental and other aspects.The essay will analyze the musical characteristics of Houyang Gaoqiang more prominent by three aspects:repertoire、language and music.The author will take an example which is a classic play in Houyang Gaoqiang in Wu opera《Huangjinyin》.The fifth part will summarize Houyang Gaoqiang’s artistic feature.The sixth part will discuss the protection and inheritance of Houyang Gaoqiang with the present situation.