Structural Analysis Of The Special Melody Tones In "Xiang Yu" Mode And Its Origin

"Xiang Yu" mode spreads widely in the central,southern and eastern parts of Hunan province,which is also called "the Special Yu mode in Hunan","the Special Yu mode in central part of Hunan","the Yu mode of Han Nationality in Hunan" or "Pentatonic Mode with Quarter tone".It has caused attention and interest of many Chinese musicians and composers for its distinctive melody tone and local style.The following characteristics of the tone structure are discovered after close analysis of the special melody tones in "Xiang Yu" mode:la-do-mi-sol is the main sound level with three-degree relation;two special sound levels exist which are Wei up to Zheng and Wei up to Shang;an identifying three-tone series is formed based on mi-sol-la;the three degree intervals are the main tones;contraposition and joint of Yu and Gong modes.The special melody tones of "Xiang Yu" mode exist widely in folk songs,opera,Chinese folk art forms and instrumental music.The structure of folk songs with "Xiang Yu" mode falls into three categories:the basic mode of basic three-sound series la-do-mi(A factor)+ special three-sound series la-do-mi(B factor),the developmental mode of A factor +B factor +C factor(element of Zheng),and the developmental mode of A factor+B factor +D factor(Shang).Part music of "Yu Chuan tone" and "Xiao tone" in Hua Gu Opera has close relationship with "Xiang Yu" folk songs.The special melody tones of“Xiang Yu”mode are dramatized through the ways of "rhythm" and "changing the tones",and further form the close tune system of Hua Gu opera.Composers blend "Xiang Yu" in instrumental music by the three ways of blending without change,blending after change and blending with part of special distinctive tones.Tone with change is absolute and tone without tone is relative while "Xiang Yu" is blending in music works.The formation of special melody tones is influenced by many factors such as geographical environment,dialects of Hunan,Wu Tan culture and administrative division.The special geographical environment in Hunan Province has influence on the style and temperament of the tones.The pitch of la-do-mi-sol,which naturally exists in the tone and intonation of Hunan dialects,has divisible relation with "Xiang Yu" tone.Worship of nature and belief in Wu Tan are the tradition and custom of Hunan people.The strange music in Wu Tan culture lays foundation of "Xiang Yu" tones.Administrative division is the main cause of "Xiang Yu's" distribution.The origin of "Xiang Yu" is traced after comprehensive analysis of the factors such as archaeological discoveries,document literature,similarity of The Songs of Chu and lyrics of "Xiang Yu" folk songs and the tones today:during the time between Shang and Zhou dynasties,the musical scale of "Yu-Gong-Jiao-Zheng" in central China(A factor)spread to Hunan via Hubei,then combined with the special tones of native "Three Miao"(B factor),finally formed the special melody tone of "Xiang Yu" mode which has the distinctive style of "neither abroad nor domestic" and "both abroad and domestic".