Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Tang-era piece: Wang Zhaojun《王昭君》

Tang-era piece:  Wang Zhaojun
《王昭君》
compiled by David Badagnani (rev. 26 June 2023)

In an effort to make this information more accessible, this document contains resources related to the Tang-era piece entitled Wang Zhaojun《王昭君》, which exists in the form of instrumental parts for a piece.

As preserved in Sino-Japanese sources, this piece is called Ōshōkun王昭君おう しょうくん)』, and it appears in the following score collections:
1) Gogen Fu『五絃譜』or Gogen Kinfu『五絃琴譜』, the manuscript itself simply bearing the title《五絃》(Gogen); individual pieces in the collection bear the dates 773 and 842 and the music is believed to be of Tang Chinese origin, though the manuscript was probably copied in Japan in the 11th century during the mid-Heian period
2) and 3) Sango Yōroku and Jinchi Yōroku, both of which were compiled in the late 12th century
4) Ruisō Chiyō『類箏治要』(1296 or c. 1261)
5) Rosei Yōroku『蘆聲要録』(perhaps 1661)

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Videos and recordings of Wang Zhaojun

● Two recordings of Wang Zhaojun, as supervised by Laurence Picken and performed by a small ensemble led by Wu Wu-hsing (Taipei, Taiwan, 1972)

● Recording of Wang Zhaojun, as supervised by Laurence Picken and performed by a small ensemble of period instruments (probably Tokyo, Japan or Taipei, Taiwan, perhaps c. 1972)

● Studio recording of Wang Zhaojun, performed by the Shanghai Chinese Ancient Music Ensemble (Shanghai, China, 1988); Wang Zhaojun starts at 14:05
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p38uKQkog0I&t=14m05s

● Studio recording of Wang Zhaojun, as transcribed by Rembrandt Wolpert, performed on pipa by Wu Man (Los Angeles, 2010)

● Reconstruction by Stephen Dydo, performed on kugo (angular harp) by Tomoko Sugawara (New York City, 2010)

● Studio recording of reconstruction by Stephen Dydo, performed on kugo (angular harp) by Tomoko Sugawara (probably New York City, 2010)

● Solo koto performance of Wang Zhaojun by Fu Mingjian (傅明鉴, b. 1955) (China, 2015)

● Performance of Wang Zhaojun by Xu Ge and his ensemble (China, 2018)

● Studio recording of Wang Zhaojun, performed by Bilibili user Beilin Zhai Zhuren (北林斋主人), heng di (China, 2020)

● Full-ensemble realization of Wang Zhaojun, done by Tokinori Yanagita using synthesized sounds (Japan, 2021)

● Full-ensemble realization of Wang Zhaojun, done by Tokinori Yanagita using synthesized sounds, revised version (Japan, 2021)

● Electronic realization of Wang Zhaojun (Gogen Fu version) by YouTube user 古樂尋蹤_HGofACH (Canada, 2022)

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Bibliography

● Picken, Laurence, and Kenneth Pont, arr.  Ancient Chinese Tunes:  Nine Pieces for Recorders, Tuned Percussion, Rhythmic Percussion, Plucked Strings, Guitar, and Optional Clarinets in B Flat.  London: Oxford University Press, 1973.
● Picken, L.E.R., and R. F. Wolpert.  "Mouth-Organ and Lute Parts of Tōgaku and Their Interrelationships."  Musica Asiatica, vol. 3 (1981), pp. 79-95.
● Wolpert, R. F.  "A Ninth-Century Score for Five-Stringed Lute."  Musica Asiatica, vol. 3 (1981), pp. 107-135.

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Discography

● Sugawara, Tomoko.  Along the Silk Road:  Ancient and Modern Music for the Kugo.  Motéma Music, 2010.

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