Saturday, March 20, 2021

Tang-era piece: Wu Chang Yue《五常樂》

Tang-era piece:  Wu Chang Yue
《五常樂》
compiled by David Badagnani (rev. 12 March 2023)

In an effort to make this information more accessible, this document contains resources related to the Tang-era piece entitled Wu Chang Yue《五常樂》(Five Constant Virtues Music), which exists in the form of instrumental parts for a suite in the Dorian mode comprising three movements:
1) 序 (Xu / Jo) - prelude/beginning
2) 破 (Po / Ha) - "broaching"/breaking/developing
3) (Ji / Kyū) - quick/rushing to the end

As preserved in Sino-Japanese sources, this piece is called Goshōraku五常樂(ごしょうらく)』, and it appears in the following score collections:
1) and 2) Sango Yōroku and Jinchi Yōroku, both of which were compiled in the late 12th century
3) Ko-fu-Ryoritsu-no-Maki『古譜呂律巻』, also called Hōshō-fu『鳳笙譜』(1201)
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 Wu Chang Yue

● Full-ensemble realization of the Ji / Kyū movement of Wu Chang Yue by an ensemble featuring performers from Japan, the United States, and Canada (2020):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_HHE9C1Dzg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAWEuSfb3-g

● Full-ensemble realization of Wu Chang Yue, done by Tokinori Yanagita using synthesized sounds (Japan, 2021)

● Multitrack studio recording of the Ji / Kyū movement of Wu Chang Yue, performed by Bilibili user Beilin Zhai Zhuren (北林斋主人), bili, heng di, and percussion (China, 2021)

● Solo heng di performance of the Ji / Kyū movement of Wu Chang Yue, performed by Bilibili user 长清居士 (China, 2021)

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

● Studio recording of the Ji / Kyū movement of Wu Chang Yue, performed by Bilibili users Beilin Zhai Zhuren (北林斋主人, bili, and heng di), and Tang San Song Ning Ming Qing Yi (唐散宋凝明清意, sheng) (China, 2021)

● Solo heng di performance of the Ji / Kyū movement of Wu Chang Yue, performed by Bilibili user 长清居士 (China, 2021)

● Solo pipa performance of the Ji / Kyū movement of Wu Chang Yue, performed by Bilibili user He He He He He Zhouzi (鹤鹤鹤鹤鹤洲子) (China, 2022)

● Full-ensemble realization of a Meiji-era version of Wu Chang Yue, done by Tokinori Yanagita using synthesized sounds (Japan, 2023)

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Bibliography

● 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, Rembrandt.  "Tang-Music  (Tōgaku) Manuscripts for Lute and Their Interrelationships."  In Music and Tradition:  Essays on Asian and Other Musics Presented to Laurence Picken, ed. D. R. Widdess and R. F. Wolpert (Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press,1981), pp. 69-121.

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