Musical Narration And Analysis Of Yao Chen’s Sifan

Starting with a narrative interpretation of Yao Chen’s duet for erhu and pipa Sifan(1999),this thesis provides a new analytical and aesthetic perspective for audiences,performers,and scholars to appreciate and interpret this piece.Since this work is written for two Chinese traditional instruments and is based on a Buddhist story("Sifan"),I analyze the musical narrative from the three aspects of musical contour,interval cycles,and other contextual elements.Although these aspects call for different analytical methods,they all involve the intimate relationship between the characters and the hidden points of dramatic conflict in the plot,thus closely connecting the music with the literary narrative.These two levels of narrative expression(unity and conflict)are depicted through pitch and intensity contours as well as interval cycles.For instance,the work begins with the C5 interval cycle,leads to a confrontation of contrasting cycles in the middle part,and finally returns to the C5 cycle at its end.This development reflects the overall narrative of the work.Furthermore,changes of tempo,rhythmic contrasts,and motivic development play an important role in the unfolding of the musical narrative and the progression of the characters’emotions.This thesis is divided into three parts.The first part is an introduction that surveys prior research on musical narrative,contour theory,interval cycles,and Yao Chen’s music;it then defines the purpose,significance,innovation,and research methodology of this project.The second part is divided into five chapters.Chapter 1 introduces the relevant background of Sifan,including biographical information about Yao Chen,details concerning the Buddhist story on which the work is based,and the work’s instrumentation.Chapter 2 offers a detailed description of contour theory and interval cycles,the two principal methodologies used in the analysis.Chapters 3 to 5 analyze the musical narrative of the work from three perspectives:musical contour,interval cycles,and rhythm and motive.The concluding third part is divided into two sections:a summary and extension.The summary reviews the results of the analysis presented in chapters 3 to 5,and the extension explores several studies of other works by Yao Chen to raise questions and issues for future research.