Liu Tianhua Erhu Solo Composition Techniques Research

Liu Tianhua (1895 - 1932) is a remarkable virtuoso of Erhu and Pipa performing as well as an excellent national instrumental composer and music educator in modern times. During his short life, he has made vital contribution to the inheritance, reform and development of our national music.Liu Tianhua inherited national music tradition and simultaneously absorbed western music compositional techniques to create entirely new national instrumental works. In this paper, 10 Erhu Solos of Liu Tianhua have been researched, with the emphasis of compositional techniques . The first chapter is the analytical summary of each piece, including the background, compositional techniques and music images etc; The second chapter and the third chapter have made the integrative analyses to the 10 pieces on the basis of the first chapter, from the perspectives of rhythm, tempo, speed, key, melody development ways, performing techniques and form structure. The second chapter and the third chapter summed up the characteristics of compositional techniques of Liu Tianhua's Erhu pieces and explored his inheritance, innovation and the absorption of Western composition techniques towards the folk music, as well as his contribution to expand the Erhu performing techniques.This paper seeks to conduct a comprehensive, systematic and in-depth study to the compositional techniques of Liu Tianhua's Erhu pieces. It aims to provide some consultation and reference for a deep understanding of Liu Tianhua's Erhu pieces and promoting the prosperity and development of the Erhu art as well as strengthening the research of compositional technique theory of national instrumental music and promotion of folk music creation etc.