Friday, August 15, 2025

Tang-era piece: Sa Jin Sha《撒金砂》

Tang-era piece:  Sa Jin Sha
《撒金砂》
compiled by David Badagnani (rev. 16 August 2025)

In an effort to make this information more accessible, this document contains resources related to the Tang-era piece entitled Sa Jin Sha《撒金砂》(Scattered Golden Sands), which exists in the form of an instrumental part for a single-movement piece in the Lydian mode on A, called Nanlü Gong (南呂宮).

This piece appears in a single score collection:  the 10th-century Dunhuang Scores (Dunhuang Yuepu,《敦煌乐谱》), also known as Dunhuang Qupu《敦煌曲谱》, Dunhuang Juanzipu《敦煌卷子谱》, or Dunhuang Pipa Pu《敦煌琵琶谱》, found in Mogao Cave 17 near Dunhuang in Gansu province, northwest China in 1900; Sa Jin Sha is piece no. 22 of Dunhuang manuscript P.3808, which comprises 25 pieces in tablature for the 4-stringed quxiang pipa.  For this piece (as well as pieces nos. 21, 23, 24, and 25), the quxiang pipa is tuned (low to high): AC♯EA; this tuning was apparently called Yushen Diao (玉神調) or Yuchen Diao (玉宸調).

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Chinese historical sources mentioning Sa Jin Sha

● Jiaofang Ji《教坊记》(The Conservatory Records)
A collection of short essays by the Tang scholar Cui Lingqin (崔令钦, fl. 749).  This piece appears therein as《撒金沙》(砂 being an alternate form for 沙, both characters being pronounced the same).

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Videos and recordings of Sa Jin Sha

● Studio recording of Sa Jin Sha, as reconstructed by Ye Dong, for solo quxiang pipa, played by Ye Xuran (叶绪然, b. 1936) (Beijing, 1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhpmKyjPH9Q&t=08m29s

● Studio recording of Sa Jin Sha, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, performed by members of the Shanghai Chinese Ancient Music Ensemble (Shanghai, 1988); Sa Jin Sha starts at 13:17
● Studio recording of an ensemble arrangement of Sa Jin Sha by Xi Zhenguan (席臻贯, 1941-1994) (China, c. 1992)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPFcwNBdVbw&t=01h03m07s

● Studio recording of an ensemble arrangement of Sa Jin Sha by Xi Zhenguan (席臻贯, 1941-1994), as orchestrated by Zhang Fuquan (张福全), with vocal soloist singing the anonymous Dunhuang lyrics "Shui Diao Ci Wu Gu Huan Feng Gu"《水调辞无谷还逢谷》, performed by tenor Jiang Jiaqiang (姜嘉锵) with the China National Traditional Orchestra (中央民族乐团) (China, 1992)
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV19W1WYCEH9/

● Studio recording of an original semi-improvised piece for pipa and percussion that is inspired by Sa Jin Sha (China, 2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOQB0ob33yI

● Ensemble performance of a modernized arrangement of a reconstruction of Sa Jin Sha (Shanghai, 2018)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OmJeF16AtJU&t=36m39s

● Performance by Dr. Wang Weiping (王维平) of a solo performance of a reconstruction of Sa Jin Sha, featuring nanyin pipa and voice singing "Feng Gui Yun"《凤归云》(The Phoenix Returns to the Clouds) by the Tang Dynasty poet Teng Qian (滕潜) (France, 2020)
● Electronic realization of Sa Jin Sha, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by YouTube user 古樂尋蹤_HGofACH, in both ensemble and solo quxiang pipa versions (Canada, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtZIQv9yPks

● Electronic realization of Sa Jin Sha by YouTube user 古樂尋蹤_HGofACH, in both ensemble and solo quxiang pipa versions (Canada, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMLYUhEG3Gg

● Studio recording of a solo quxiang pipa performance of Sa Jin Sha, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF3yF4HiHxo

● Studio recording of a solo quxiang pipa performance of Sa Jin Sha, as reconstructed by Ye Dong, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNIGIFP8WuE

● Studio recording of a solo quxiang pipa performance of Sa Jin Sha, as reconstructed by Xi Zhenguan, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I13c_LSbnIM

● Studio recording of a solo pipa performance of Sa Jin Sha, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by the Carlsbad, California-based pipa player Wu Man (吴蛮) (2024)

● Studio recording of an original semi-improvised piece for solo pipa that is inspired by Chen Yingshi's reconstruction of Sa Jin Sha, by the Carlsbad, California-based pipa player Wu Man (吴蛮) (2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tDMkb57PSU

● Performance of Sa Jin Sha, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by members of the Eurasia Consort, playing shu konghou and fangxiang (New York City, 2025)
https://www.youtube.com/live/nAK7CJ6NrrA?t=751s

● Pop-style arrangement of Sa Jin Sha by Bilibili user 白傅路刘笔史 (China, 2025)
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1NKgfzSESG/

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Bibliography

● Chen Yingshi 陈应时.  Dunhuang Yuepu Jieyi Bianzheng《敦煌乐谱解译辨证》[A Dialectical Investigation of the Interpretation/Deciphering/Decoding of the Dunhuang Scores].  Shanghai:  Shanghai Yinyue Xueyuan Chu Ban She 上海音乐学院出版社, 2005.

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Thanks to Keith Wong for assistance with this page.

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Site index:
http://earlychinesemusic.blogspot.com/2020/04/site-index.html
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Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Tang-era piece: Yizhou《伊州》

Tang-era piece:  Yizhou
《伊州》
compiled by David Badagnani (rev. 16 August 2025)

In an effort to make this information more accessible, this document contains resources related to the Tang-era piece entitled Yizhou《伊州》(the name by which the city of Hami in eastern Xinjiang was known during the Tang Dynasty), which exists in the form of an instrumental part for a single-movement piece in the Lydian mode on A, called Nanlü Gong (南呂宮).

This piece appears in a single score collection:  the 10th-century Dunhuang Scores (Dunhuang Yuepu,《敦煌乐谱》), also known as Dunhuang Qupu《敦煌曲谱》, Dunhuang Juanzipu《敦煌卷子谱》, or Dunhuang Pipa Pu《敦煌琵琶谱》, found in Mogao Cave 17 near Dunhuang in Gansu province, northwest China in 1900; Yizhou is piece no. 24 of Dunhuang manuscript P.3808, which comprises 25 pieces in tablature for the 4-stringed quxiang pipa.  For this piece (as well as pieces nos. 21, 22, 23, and 25), the quxiang pipa is tuned (low to high): AC♯EA; this tuning was apparently called Yushen Diao (玉神調) or Yuchen Diao (玉宸調).

The Dunhuang Scores include another, apparently closely related piece with a similar title:  You Man Quzi:  Yizhou《又慢曲子。伊州》(Another Slow Piece:  Yizhou), which is piece no. 16 of Dunhuang manuscript P.3808.

In his 2005 book on the subject of the Dunhuang Scores, the musicologist Chen Yingshi (陈应时, 1933-2020) includes a reconstructed vocal version of Yizhou that uses the poem "Yizhou Ge"《伊州歌》(Yizhou Song) by the Tang poet Wang Wei (王维, 692-761 or 699-759) as its text.

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Chinese historical sources mentioning Yizhou

● Beimeng Suoyan《北梦琐言》(mid-10th century), 逸文卷四

● Biji Manzhi《碧鸡漫志》, vol. 3 (mid-12th century)

● Jiegu Lu《羯鼓錄》
Jiegu Lu is a book on music in two parts by Nan Zhuo (南卓, fl. 848-850).  The first part was completed in 848 and the second in 850, during the Tang Dynasty.

● Poem:  "Yizhou Ge"《伊州歌》, by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei (王维, 692-761 or 699-759)

● Poetic lyrics: 《赠歌者二首 其二》, by the Tang Dynasty poet Gao Pian (高骈, c. 822 or 821-887)

● Poetic lyrics:  "100 Palace Lyrics," no. 56《宫词一百首 其五十六》, by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Jian (王建, c. 767-c. 830)

● Taiping Guangji《太平广记》(978), vol. 204

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Videos and recordings of Yizhou

● Studio recording of Yizhou, as reconstructed by Ye Dong, for solo quxiang pipa, played by Ye Xuran (叶绪然, b. 1936) (Beijing, 1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhpmKyjPH9Q&t=10m05s
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1jH4y1n7p3

● Studio recording of Yizhou, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, performed by the Shanghai Chinese Ancient Music Ensemble (Shanghai, 1988); Yizhou starts at 41:15

● Studio recording of an ensemble arrangement of Yizhou, with vocal soloist singing Wang Wei's "Yizhou Ge"《伊州歌》, by Xi Zhenguan (席臻贯, 1941-1994) (China, c. 1992)

● Solo dizi performance of Yizhou by Zeng Zhaobin (曾昭斌) (China, c. 2008)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tFfLlZrXzo

● Stage performance of the Cleveland Chinese Music Ensemble playing Yizhou, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, with vocal soloist singing Wang Wei's "Yizhou Ge"《伊州歌》(Kent, Ohio, USA, 2017)

● Studio recording of a solo pipa performance of Yizhou, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by the Carlsbad, California-based pipa player Wu Man (吴蛮) (2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dLsiM-CLg4

● Studio recording of a solo quxiang pipa performance of Yizhou, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gojbWwWpFuo

● Studio recording of a solo quxiang pipa performance of Yizhou, as reconstructed by Ye Dong, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4jwWgIY6pg

● Studio recording of a solo quxiang pipa performance of Yizhou, as reconstructed by Xi Zhenguan, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ500UGs26U

● Stage performance of Yizhou, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, played by two shu konghou (Shanghai, 2025)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVTgd0DpjKc&t=01h06m15s

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Bibliography

● Chen Yingshi 陈应时.  Dunhuang Yuepu Jieyi Bianzheng《敦煌乐谱解译辨证》[A Dialectical Investigation of the Interpretation/Deciphering/Decoding of the Dunhuang Scores].  Shanghai:  Shanghai Yinyue Xueyuan Chu Ban She 上海音乐学院出版社, 2005.

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Site index:
http://earlychinesemusic.blogspot.com/2020/04/site-index.html
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Monday, August 11, 2025

Tang-era piece: Ji Hu Xiangwen《急胡相問》

Tang-era piece:  Ji Hu Xiangwen
《急胡相問》
compiled by David Badagnani (rev. 16 August 2025)

In an effort to make this information more accessible, this document contains resources related to the Tang-era piece entitled Ji Hu Xiangwen《急胡相問》(Quick "The Barbarian Asks" or possibly Quick Barbarian Dialogue), which exists in the form of an instrumental part for a single-movement piece in the Lydian mode on C, called Huangzhong Gong (黃鐘宮).

This piece appears in a single score collection:  the 10th-century Dunhuang Scores (Dunhuang Yuepu,《敦煌乐谱》), also known as Dunhuang Qupu《敦煌曲谱》, Dunhuang Juanzipu《敦煌卷子谱》, or Dunhuang Pipa Pu《敦煌琵琶谱》, found in Mogao Cave 17 near Dunhuang in Gansu province, northwest China in 1900; Ji Hu Xiangwen is piece no. 19 of Dunhuang manuscript P.3808, which comprises 25 pieces in tablature for the 4-stringed quxiang pipa.  For this piece, the quxiang pipa is tuned (low to high): ACEA; this tuning is known as Fengxiang Diao (風香調).

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Chinese historical sources mentioning Ji Hu Xiangwen

● Jiegu Lu《羯鼓錄》
Jiegu Lu is a book on music in two parts by Nan Zhuo (南卓, fl. 848-850).  The first part was completed in 848 and the second in 850, during the Tang Dynasty.  This piece appears therein as Hu Xiangwen《胡相問》.

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Videos and recordings of Ji Hu Xiangwen

● Studio recording of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Ye Dong, for solo quxiang pipa, played by Ye Xuran (叶绪然, b. 1936) (Beijing, 1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhpmKyjPH9Q&t=03m48s
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1cF4m1F7aC/

● Studio recording of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, performed by the Shanghai Chinese Ancient Music Ensemble (Shanghai, 1988); Ji Hu Xiangwen starts at 19:37
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p38uKQkog0I&t=1177s

● Studio recording of an ensemble arrangement of Ji Hu Xiangwen, with added vocal part, by Xi Zhenguan (席臻贯, 1941-1994) (China, c. 1992)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPFcwNBdVbw&t=51m04s

● Stage performance of an ensemble arrangement of Ji Hu Xiangwen, with added vocal part and dance (China, c. 2010)
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1QN7hzwETQ/

● Studio recording of an arrangement of Ji Hu Xiangwen for gagaku ensemble by the Japanese composer Shiba Sukeyasu (芝 祐靖, 1935-2019), performed by Reigakusha (Japan, c. 2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17YhiwnIhPQ

● Studio recording of an arrangement of Ji Hu Xiangwen for gagaku ensemble by the Japanese composer Shiba Sukeyasu (芝 祐靖, 1935-2019), performed by Reigakusha (Japan, c. 2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK0hTgXfjzg

● Live performance of an ensemble version of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Gus Holley (Northfield, Massachusetts, USA, 2017)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT0ciYEkyEA&t=04m33s

● Ensemble performance of a modernized arrangement of Ji Hu Xiangwen (Shanghai, 2018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmJeF16AtJU&t=01h02m30s

● Cross-cultural (Japanese/Arabic) ensemble performance of an arrangement of Ji Hu Xiangwen for gagaku ensemble by the Japanese composer Shiba Sukeyasu (芝 祐靖, 1935-2019) (Tokyo, 2018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLN0zHRZAys

● Excerpt from an ensemble performance of Ji Hu Xiangwen (Shanghai, 2022)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsEamL7d4m4

● Solo quxiang pipa performance of Ji Hu Xiangwen by Bilibili user 桐木D (China, 2022)
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1cY411j7qS/

● Solo quxiang pipa performance (excerpt) of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by Bilibili user 中阮制作工坊一听阮轩 (China, 2023)
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1fs4y1R7YS/

● Solo quxiang pipa performance (excerpt) of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by Bilibili user 中阮制作工坊一听阮轩 (China, 2023)
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1ZT411b77P/

● Solo performance of Ji Hu Xiangwen for what sounds like a zheng with steel strings, by YouTube user 中国古乐器复原 (c. 2023)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-cjZsk9Nrw

● Electronic realization of Ji Hu Xiangwen by YouTube user 古樂尋蹤_HGofACH, in both ensemble and solo quxiang pipa versions (Canada, 2023)

● Studio recording of a solo quxiang pipa performance of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNWrhVP6Ilc

● Studio recording of a small ensemble performance of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfW4nskJusY

● Studio recording of a solo quxiang pipa performance of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Ye Dong, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWTBgK_rZf0

● Studio recording of a solo quxiang pipa performance of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Xi Zhenguan, by the Shanghai-based musician Zhang Xiaodong (张晓东) (Shanghai, 2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyuLm8TczNE

● Studio recording of a solo pipa performance of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by the Carlsbad, California-based pipa player Wu Man (吴蛮) (2024)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Mw3da-xeao

● Studio performance of an arrangement of Chen Yingshi's reconstruction of Ji Hu Xiangwen for classical guitar by the Swedish guitarist Johannes Möller (2025)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-9ekD4oyiE

● Performance of Ji Hu Xiangwen, as reconstructed by Chen Yingshi, by members of the Eurasia Consort, playing shu konghou, fangxiang, and drums, with dancer (New York City, 2025)
https://www.youtube.com/live/nAK7CJ6NrrA?t=751s

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Bibliography

● Chen Yingshi 陈应时.  Dunhuang Yuepu Jieyi Bianzheng《敦煌乐谱解译辨证》[A Dialectical Investigation of the Interpretation/Deciphering/Decoding of the Dunhuang Scores].  Shanghai:  Shanghai Yinyue Xueyuan Chu Ban She 上海音乐学院出版社, 2005.

----------------------------------------------

Thanks to Keith Wong for assistance with this page.

---------------------------------------------

Site index:
http://earlychinesemusic.blogspot.com/2020/04/site-index.html
Posted by at No comments:
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