Introduction to the Instruments
Erhu (二胡)
The erhu is probably one of the more well-known instruments in the Chinese orchestra. Prior to the 20th century, it was used in many traditional instrumental folk ensembles around China. Erhu became one of the core instruments in the development of the Chinese orchestra. With its large expressive potential, much music has been written for it, both solo and ensemble pieces. Since the 1950s, metal strings often replace the traditional silk strings. Design changes were also made to the instrument’s body to improve the quality and volume of sound produced.
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Gaohu （高胡）
In the 1920s, Lu Wencheng developed the Guangdong gaohu, for use in Cantonese instrumental folk music. It is similar in construction to the erhu, but it does not have a base plate or the piece of fabric below the bridge that the erhu has. Instead, it is held between a performer’s thighs and the angle and pressure that the thighs exert on the instrument allows for control of the tone quality. The gaohu was later imported into the modern Chinese orchestra. Orchestral versions of this instrument usually do have a baseplate and fabric under the bridge just like the erhu and zhonghu, and rest on the performer’s left thigh and body during performance.
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Zhonghu （中胡）
The zhonghu was developed in the 1950s to supplement the bowed string section of the newly developed Chinese orchestra. Many pieces of music have since been written for the solo zhonghu, in addition to the numerous orchestral and ensemble pieces of music.
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Practicalities
Techniques
Playing techniques include those of the left and right hand, and both in combination. The right hand is mainly concerned bowing techniques involving bowing speed and direction, and various changes in wrist movements and force. The left hand is mostly involved with various fingerings, vibratos, glissandi, harmonics, and different ways of pressing on and muting of the strings. Pizzicato techniques can also sometimes be found, both for the left and right hand.
Ranges
This section contains score examples showing the instruments’ ranges:
Gaohu
Erhu
Zhonghu
Qualities
Tuned a fifth higher and having a smaller soundbox and membrane that is more taut than the erhu, the gaohu’s sound is bright, silky, and rich.
The sound of the erhu is sweet and expressive. The outer string is brighter while the inner string sounds mellower and a wide range of tone qualities can be obtained via different playing techniques. Not only do the different registers of the instrument have different timbres, the dynamic ranges that are possible on the different registers differ widely too. The lowest octave is the most resonant and can easily produce the loudest sounds while the higher the pitch goes, it becomes more and more difficult to produce equally loud sounds.
The open strings of the zhonghu are a fifth lower than that of the erhu. Having much thicker strings and a larger body, the zhonghu’s tone is thick and rounded.
On its own, each of these instruments can produce sounds that are delicate, graceful, elegant, deft, and nimble. As an ensemble section, the timbre blends easily together, creating a thick sound full of vigour that can carry long melodic lines, provide support, or give springy rhythmic punctuations.
Repertoire Examples
Section under construction…
In-depth
Construction and acoustics
The soundbox of the huqin family is made of wood, with a membrane stretched over it. It can come in a variety of shapes, the most common being hexagonal or cylindrical. The membrane is usually made from the skin of a python. In recent years, there has been development of synthetic membranes although the use of synthetic membranes is not yet very widespread. The bridge sits on top of the membrane, and vibrations from the strings are sent through the membrane and resonated within the sound box. A piece of fabric is inserted below the bridge to absorb noise and prevent wolf tones. It has a long thin neck but no fingerboard. Near the top of the neck, a piece of string called the qianjin is used to tie the instrument strings, pulling them closer towards the neck. The position and tightness of this qianjin affects the tension and tuning of the instrument. Above the neck are two tuning pegs, sometimes also fitted with fine-tuners, used to tune the two strings of the instrument. Because the two strings are tied together at the qianjin, a huqin performer will always press both strings at the same time. Since they are tuned a fifth apart, a double stop on the huqin can only produce intervals of a fifth. Double stops are however not often used as they create a noisy quality to the sound because only the inner string is played by the bow hairs while the outer one is played col legno. This is because the bow is fitted between the two strings and attached to the instrument at all times. A huqin bow is made of bamboo strung with horse hair. It is flexible and the performer is able to control the tension of the bow in performance to a certain extent. The bow of a zhonghu is usually slightly heavier with the bamboo being thicker, and strung with more hairs while the erhu and gaohu bows are usually lighter and more flexible.
Orchestration
Excerpt from Dance of Yao (瑶族舞曲) by Liu Tieshan and Mao Yuan, arr. Peng Xiuwen
In this long cantabile theme (see score and video below), the erhu, zhonghu, and cello take on the melody, with the gaohu playing the countermelody. The zhonghu and cello augments the timbre of the erhu here, making the melody line thicker and richer than if carried just by the erhu alone. In addition to playing at a higher register, the tone of the gaohu also stands out more because of its brighter quality and the use of the erhu, zhonghu, and cello to carry the melody while only the gaohu takes the countermelody ensures that the melody is not drowned by the countermelody.
Dance of Yao (瑶族舞曲) by Liu Tieshan and Mao Yuan, arr. Peng Xiuwen
Example starts ≈ 4:00
瑤族舞曲指揮: 彭修文(1931-1996)演奏: 中國廣播民族樂團
Excerpt from Unforgettable Water Festival (难忘的泼水节) by Liu Wenjin
Different performance techniques are also called into play depending on the musical style of a piece. This piece of music that borrows musical characteristics of the Dai people from southern Yunnan calls for slides into notes that are slightly delayed instead of being on the beat even though this is not reflected in the notated score. With both the gaohu and erhu taking this melodic line, all the performers will have to be synchronized together on these ornaments that are not strictly in time. Many Chinese compositions calls for such “un-notated” performance techniques that has to be gleaned from an understanding of different stylistic characteristics of various folk traditions around China.
Unforgettable Water Festival (难忘的泼水节) by Liu Wenjin
Example starts ≈ 1:15
Excerpt from Harvest Drums (丰收锣鼓) by Peng Xiuwen and Cai Huiquan
“Sandwiching” the erhus between the gaohus and zhonghus is a frequently used technique in writing for the bowed strings. The middle section (erhu) usually carries the main melody while the top section (gaohu) ornaments the melody, arpeggiates the harmony, or creates a shimmering textural support. The lower section (zhonghu) provides supports with notes of the harmony, creates a background with long held notes., or at times play a similar line to the gaohu. Because of the tuning of the open strings of these instruments, if the zhonghu line is written an octave lower than the gaohu, these two groups of instruments can use the same fingering. This aids in creating a homogeneous melody or countermelody especially if there are unique ornamentations that has to be performed in a specific way.
In this example, the erhu doubles the banhu, and the zhonghu doubles the gaohu. The banhu is tuned an octave higher than the erhu. This means that the erhu and banhu uses the same fingering, and the gaohu and zhonghu also have the same fingering. Also, the registers for each of these instruments allow for the greatest resonances. This passage is being flanked by loud passages with full orchestra on both sides, and will sound weak even if asked to play with a forte dynamic level if the instruments are not able to play in each of their respective registers written here.
Harvest Drums (丰收锣鼓) by Peng Xiuwen and Cai Huiquan
Performed by Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra.
Excerpt from Luanyunfei (乱云飞) opera tune, arr. Peng Xiuwen
In addition to sandwiching a melodic line, there could also be a sandwiching effect when the bowed strings are taking on the accompaniment, as can be heard in this case here where they provide a thick chordal support for this operatic passage which traditionally will not be playing a triadic harmony.
Luanyunfei (乱云飞) opera tune, arr. Peng Xiuwen
Excerpt from Lord of Western Qin (西秦王爷) by Lu Yun
The bowed string section here helps punctuate this section that has rapid alternations in meter and irregular accents. Instead of just leaving this punctuation for the plucked strings, the use of the bowed strings add another layer that cushions the sharp points in the plucked strings and gives a more bouncy effect.
Lord of Western Qin (西秦王爷) by Lu Yun
Excerpt from Melancholy of the Desolate Mountains (愁空山) by Guo Wenjing
The bowed strings might sometimes play broken chord patterns and when used appropriately, might serve to heighten tension as can be heard from around 4’20” here.
Excerpt from First Erhu Rhapsody (第一二胡狂想曲) by Wang Jianmin
Within 3 bars, tremolos are passed from the highest to the lowest bowed strings, together with changes in dynamics from mf to p, effectively creating a cascading effect.
https://www.bilibili.com/s/video/BV1rb411Y7TE Excerpt starts at 3:47
Excerpt from Ambush from all sides (十面埋伏) arr by Liu Wenjin and Zhao Yongshan
In this quiet section with long lamenting melody, the sfp tremolos from the erhus create points where the tension is heightened and the very internalized energetic feel is sustained. High bowed strings (gaohus) create a shimmering texture above.
2nd excerpt from Ambush from all sides
Example starts ≈ 2:51
In the same piece, here is an example of the erhus and gehus/cellos having some two-part polyphonic actions. Each of these lines can be clearly heard because of the differences in register, but still sounds a unified whole as the timbres of the erhu and gehu/cello compliment and blends easily.
Excerpt from Dragon Dance (龙舞) by Xu Changjun
This pattern recurs throughout the piece and is carried by the wind, the plucked string, as well as the bowed string sections. Each of these sections however bring a different effect across. The winds give it a clear, brilliant sound, the plucked strings produces very crispy points that articulates the rhythm across very strongly while the bowed strings give a more rounded effect with a slightly “stickier” feel without losing the feeling of the very articulated rhythm.
https://www.bilibili.com/video/av63863167/
Example starts ≈ 3:39
