A Research Investigation On The Various Performance Forms Of Laiwu Bangzi

One hundred and sixty years ago, an elderly artist was singing Bangzi, a local artform on a simple grassy stage next to the Wenshui River at the foot of Mountain Tai.The local Bangzi was taught by the artists from troupe from HuiBan. The originallocal opera drama which called Laiwu Bangzi has grown popular on the local operastages throughout China. Since then, based on inheritance of the tradition, LaiwuBangzi, which draws on absorbing the experience of others, innovative improvisations,and forming their own unique musical interpretation, has now come to berepresentative of Shandong musical heritage.Laiwu Bangzi has developed over a hundred years, which is one important kindof Bangzi Operas. At present, it has more than400repertoire, Bang Hu, alto Ban Hu,Bajiao Yue Qin are the three main musical instrument, this unique form of music isdeeply rooted in Laiwu and the surrounding area. It retains the unique local dialectand tuning of Laiwu, which offers an irreplaceable artistic feast for the local peopleand has gained great popularity with the masses. Today Laiwu Bangzi is active inurban and rural stage with a variety of musical performances, it also fully displayslocal government efficiency and folk culture, reflecting vividly local people’s life, andhas unique characteristic and culture connotations. This paper use the methods relatedto some disciplines such as ethnomusicology, anthropology, Laiwu Bangziprofessional and amateur theater troupes are selected for this study. The case studyincludes the performance of the Professional Opera Troupes in Beijing andsurrounding countryside, the performance of the Amateur Troups in Hongling villageand Family Folk Troupes’ performances in Dongwenshi village. They cover a varietyof performance forms of the present Laiwu Bangzi, through the analysis of the livingmusic of Laiwu Bangzi in the fields, so as to further explain the reform anddevelopment process of Laiwu Bangzi, discuss the modern social function andmusical characteristic of Laiwu Bangzi, evermore, the whole nation’s impact onmusic.Laiwu Bangzi, as one wonderful opera in Shandong province, is one of therepresentatives of the region’s opera music. This time-honored art with distinctivemusic has various forms of performances. Although Laiwu bangzi is a traditional formof music with typical regional characteristics, it also adapts to the development of thetimes. Apart from inheriting the common character of Bangzi, Laiwu Bangzi showsthe unique artistic charm and has become the cultural symbol of Laiwu and thesurrounding area.