Study Of The Characteristics Of Qu Xiang’s Bamboo Flute Arts

In northern China, the bamboo flute is mostly adopted as an accompanying instrument for various kinds of stage dramas, such as clapper operas and song-and-dance duets. In regard to performing skills, it emphasizes the use of the tongue, and its timbre is relatively firm, with more emphasis on the penetrating quality of tone. The Shandong school of bamboo flute, which is represented by Qu Xiang, is widely recognised in the profession for its accomplishments on the technique of tonguing and fingering. Mr Qu Xiang is ranked among the most renowned masters of bamboo flute arts in the1960s, and is reputed as "a representative figure of the northern style of bamboo flute arts", and "the founder of the Shandong school of bamboo flute". He has composed quantities of classic musical works, which are still widely used in significant national or international music competitions and performances. The technical qualities as well as the musical qualities in his works still have a great research value in present times. As a further development for bamboo flute arts,it’s very necessary to do the studies about Mr.Qu Xiang’s artistic achievements.This essay chooses the styles of Qu Xiang’s bamboo flute arts and the music schools in the Shandong area as study objects, trying to make comprehensive analysis on Qu Xiang’s musical styles and the spread of the Shandong and the northern schools of music, and their influences on the development of bamboo flute arts.