Recently, the album "Chimes and Symphony - Ritual Music of Bells" published by Shanghai Music Publishing House was launched on the platform of "Learning to Strengthen the Country". The album consists of 12 works, which integrate traditional Chinese music material and Western symphonic music thinking, and organically combine Chinese traditional chimes with Western orchestral instruments, so that the audience can deeply feel the unique charm of ritual music bells and symphony Chinese and Western. "In the past, our research on chime bell culture focused on explaining 'what is', but now the research foothold has become 'what can be done for today', constantly exploring the cultural connotation of musical cultural relics, and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional music and dance art ." Li Youping, deputy dean and professor of Wuhan Conservatory of Music, served as the artistic director of the album.

Chime sound has infinite plasticity

The album "Chime Bells and Symphony - Ritual Music for Bells" was recorded by musicians from Wuhan and Beijing online. 12 works, including Sending God, Ancient Resentment, Dunhuang Xian'e, Xinghua Tianying, The Door of All Wonders, and Altar, explore the cooperation between chime bell and symphony orchestra, and try to make chime bell return as a real musical instrument Band, back to tradition.

The 12 works have a wide range of themes. For example, the music material of "Southern Song Dynasty Ritual Music, Welcome God, Send God" comes from the Lulu music in the Southern Song Dynasty "Zhongxing Ritual Book", which belongs to the 13th year of Shaoxing (1143) Winter Solstice. The prestige of Gong Xuan and Dengge Band was translated by Lin Cuiqing, a professor at the University of Michigan; the first half of "Empty City" was born out of the self-tuned song "Yangzhou Slow" by Southern Song musician Jiang Kui; "Ancient Resentment" was based on Jiang Kui's style The qin song "Ancient Resentment" was translated by Yang Yinliu; "Apricot Blossom Sky Shadow" was translated by Yang Yinliu and composed by Jiang Kui.

Huang Xunfang, a professor in the Composition Department of Wuhan Conservatory of Music, serves as the composer and music director of the album. He conceived according to the presentation logic and method of a complete concert. The works are in various forms, including chime solo, chime and piano, chime and chorus, chime and symphony orchestra, etc. . "The chime can play multi-part, multi-line, and multi-layered musical works. From the perspective of the orchestra, the acoustic plasticity of the chime is infinite. Its quiet and stable character is different from other musical instruments, but it is huge and quiet. Its body limits its portability." Huang Xunfang was one of the first composers who intervened in the creation and arrangement of chime music when Zeng Houyi's chimes were unearthed. In the harmonious expression of cultural traditions and symphonic thinking in Western music, we seek new styles, explore new paths, and launch new works.

In 2014, the concept of nostalgic music was proposed

The chime bell is an important instrument of court ritual and music in the Chinese dynasties since the Zhou Gong system of ritual music. In 1978, the discovery of the chimes and other musical remains of Zenghou Yi in Suizhou, Hubei, made the research and artistic practice of bell chimes become the focus of the world's common attention. At that time, Li Youping, who was studying at Wuhan Conservatory of Music, was shocked by the great creation of ancient Chinese civilization. He began to study historical documents, research results of domestic and foreign experts and scholars, study and study the bell culture of Zeng Houyi, conduct special research, copy and imitate ancient musical instruments, and develop cultural and creative products. , ancient music and dance arrangement and performance and other artistic practice activities.

In the 21st century, Li Youping, Sun Xiaohui and Xie Jun, professors of Wuhan Conservatory of Music, went to the United States successively. He and Lin Cuiqing, a historian of Chinese music culture at the University of Michigan, carried out special cooperative research on traditional Chinese bell, chime and ritual music. In 2014, he proposed the study of nostalgic music. , the concept of creation and performance, formed the "Nostalgic Song Music" led by Li Youping and Lin Cuiqing, composed of composer Huang Xunfang, music philologist Sun Xiaohui, Zhongqing ancient instrument player Xie Jun, and music culture and museum expert Qiao Qing. ——The Song Dynasty Court Ritual and Music Research" team has carried out the creation and arrangement, musical instrument production, stage performance and theoretical interpretation of ancient Chinese style music works in an all-round way. "The joy of nostalgia is the starting point for the study of bells and chimes, and it is also the starting point for the construction of historical and realistic social spiritual civilization and the promotion of excellent traditional culture." Li Youping said.

Chime and bell culture has become a symbolic cause

The album "Chime Bells and Symphony - Ritual Music for Bells" is based on the concept of nostalgic music and the practical experience of nostalgic music. It is a staged and conclusive presentation of Li Youping and his team's research, artistic practice, inheritance and promotion of chime bell culture. The project has been supported by multi-level scientific research management departments, and has been included in the National Cultural Innovation Project, Hubei Provincial Literature and Art Creation Support Project, Wuhan Conservatory of Music Hubei Provincial Key Discipline Construction Major Project, and Sino-US International Cooperation. Next, Li Youping and his team will continue to improve the new chime technology, provide material conditions and technical support for chimes to go international, create a chime music network platform, provide sound and music for the creation, arrangement, performance and appreciation of chime music, cultivate talents with Professional rites and music bell performers, inheritors, etc.

At the end of this year, the first Golden Chime Bell International Composition Competition will be held at the Carnegie Hall in New York, the United States, and premiere. At present, the competition is soliciting chime music works from musicians around the world, requiring participants to create chimes for ensemble with Western orchestras. The competition bell is a set of new Dasheng bells designed and cast by Li Youping on the basis of the Song Dynasty Dasheng bell according to the modern rhythm design. "From archaeological excavation, theoretical research to the stage presentation of ancient chimes, chimes and national bands, chimes and symphony orchestras, from unearthed cultural relics, research documents to musical scores, audio and video publications and corresponding academic achievements and theoretical summaries, the Chime and Bell Institute The outstanding traditional culture of human beings represented has become a landmark cause of cultural development in the new era." Li Youping believes that there will be more and better chimes, chimes and national bands, and new works of chimes and symphony orchestras. Audio, video and stage presentations are published in China and around the world.