A Study Of The Aesthetic Features And Performance Styles Of Dongping Xian Shui Song

Xian Shui Song is a very old traditional piscatorial folk song formed in the daily life of fishermen in Dongping Town, Yangjiang City. It is improvised, pristine, and melodious, showcasing its resplendency to the world through its long history, cultural profundity and aesthetic features. However, as the pace of globalization and modernization quickens, Xian Shui Song is losing its habitat. Since less people wish to learn it, preserving this art form is critical.This thesis consists of four parts. The first part starts with the background and the history of Xian Shui Song, featuring its aquatic traditional culture and the current status quo, and analyzing the'Dan'( Boat people) contexts from which the Song was originated and developed.The second part examines the aesthetic features of the Song in light of its culture and music. Dongping Xian Shui Song is a traditional folk song sang in Yangjiang dialect whose phonetic property, sentence structure, rhythm and tone, and rhetoric form the aesthetic features. The traditional culture and the aesthetic principles of the'Dan'people help shape the musicality of the Song: prominent characteristics are its discrete and modulated beats; parallel form;'Yu Jiao'and'Hui Shang'keys, and graduated melodic progression. This makes the Song tender and soothing.The third part analyses the original ecology of its singing techniques from the perspective of ethnic vocal music. With the researcher's performance experience, the analysis will highlight the regional traits, breath support, natural chest resonance, clear enunciation and articulation, special sighing technique, and sincere sentiment of the Song.The fourth part addresses the preservation of Xian Shui Song. It recommends measures for Song collection, arrangement and compilation; development of the traditional culture of'Dan'people; protection and enhancement of the original ecology of the singing techniques, creation of new songs, nurturing of singers, and the roles ethnic vocal music educators and performers should play.