Thursday Tunes

The guzheng is the Chinese version of the zither. It is what most Westerners are thinking of when they talk about "traditional Chinese music."

The guzheng is widely acknowledged as one of the most difficult instruments in the world to master. In part, that's because it is as much a visual art as an auditory one. If you only listen to it, you're cheating yourself of half the experience. A master of the guzheng moves her hands in a smooth and fluid manner, reflecting the pace and body of the music in her motions. This video is an excellent demonstration of that principle.

Chinese music is often meant to specifically represent aspects of the real world. The name of this piece is "Spring River Flower Moon Night." See if you can spot elements from that theme, such as: the slowly flowing river, the river accelerating through rapids, a flower floating on a calm surface, and the moonlight reflected in a rippling pool.



__