BEIJING DRUM PIPA CONCERTO STUDY SCORE

for solo pipa and full orchestra
This work was inspired by traditional Chinese Shuo Chang (story-telling) and Jing Yun Da Gu ('Big Drum in Peking Style' - an operatic form that originated around Beijing in the early twentieth century). The solo pipa acts as the narrator, telling the story through the contrast between high, rolling notes and uplifting folk tunes. This concerto is exciting and lively, and it showcases the pipa as a virtuosic solo instrument.

Programme Notes:

The concerto begins with high notes and glissandi in the pipa (a plucked string instrument), interspersed with responses from the gu (drum) and ban (clapper). Through the use of harmonics and rolling on the pipa, the music creates an atmosphere reminiscent of the traditional Shuo Chang (story-telling) style. A calmer section follows, featuring a jubilant pipa melody interposed with bells, which gradually picks up momentum before leading into a cadenza. By beating the body of the instrument, the pipa soloist leads the piece to a thrilling rhythmic climax in which the pipa competes with the orchestral percussion, before returning to the opening atmosphere.

Artist
Composer	Zhou Long
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Series
Pages	60(07)
Language
Instrument
Category	Ensemble
SubCategory1	Full Orchestra
SubCategory2
Medium	Softcover
ISBN13	9780193412750
ISBN10
Dimensions	297x210