2 replies to this topic

[fongshaoye]

Robert Temple says in "The Genius of China" that in 1584, a Ming prince Chu Tsai-yu, was the first to develop equal temperament in music. Apparently, his theories weren't very popular among his peers, but instead spread in the West, with later composers such as Bach promoting a universal temperament, which was adopted by Western music ever since.

So, I was wondering why Chinese music is the way it is, how was it influenced, and why does it sound so atonal and odd (at least to my classically trained ears) compared to Western music. Guzheng and guqin music, in particular, sound very different from Western music.

Anyone offer any ideas?

[tempus]

« Ayant consideré un jour et examiné par les Logarithmes l'ancienne division de l'octave en 12 parties egales qu'Aristoxene suivoit deja; et ayant remarqué combien ces intervalles egalement pris approchent des plus utiles de ceux de l'echelle ordinaire; j'ay cru que pour l'ordinaire on pourroit s'y tenir dans la practique; et quoyque les Musiciens et les oreilles delicates y trouveront quelque defaut sensible, presque tous les auditeurs n'en trouveront point, et en seront charmés. » Leibniz

Aristoxenus!

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Aristoxenus

"Having considered one day and reviewed by logarithms the old division of the octave into 12 equal parts qu'Aristoxene suivoit already, and have noticed how these intervals also been most helpful approach to those of ordinary scale j 'ay thought that we might ordinarily stick to the Practice, and the Musicians quoyque and delicate ears will find a sensible default, almost all auditors do find him, and be charmed. "Leibniz

Aristoxenus!

Edited by f0ma, 10 August 2012 - 04:33 PM.
Foreign language

[Wuxiagirl]

Well,Chinese music follows the pentatonic scale,which is probably why it sounds very different ,but I play a western instrument,so I'm not an expert in this.it's best to read up more on Chinese music,especially in books,'cause they tell you what the Internet does not