Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-01
MUSIC oEEFAR cATHAY
MELODIES AND THE INSTRUMENTS
THAT fRoDUcE THEM.
Bell and GOngvThke Precedence Over
All Others-Drama Is of Compare
lively Late Development.

All Others-D,rama is Of Compare
lively Late Development.
From the Chicago Pqst
Those who repember the wild blast OF
trumpets, accompanied by the monotonous
beat of the drum and the spasmodic ring
ing of bells, that characterized the music
in the CHARACTERIZATION in the Midway
Plaisance, or nave ever seen a Chinese
funeral procession oh its melancholy march
to the graveyard. may have formed some
idea Of Chinese melody.
The American, however who has not
travelled in the orient and forms his opin-
ion from the performances he has heard
in this country, and more particularly In
Chicago, will not do justice to the Chinese
artist-musician- The music furnished by
the celestials Of Chicago's Chinatown Is
little better than rude Orgy, and would
be considered almost parody by the cul-
tured of China: even that of the more tai
ented artists OF the San Francisco settle.
ment, even that of Pell or Mott street
in New York, Is mediocre. but the melodies
heard in the celestial empire itself. are.
in the words of an Englishman, mot half
bad
Chinese music, like many of the sciences,
is said to have been invented by the cele-
brated Emperor Fuh-he, who lived B. G.
1s52-2737. To his genius is attributed the
first "she," sort of lutte, made after the
fashion of the later instruments with which
Nero is supposed to have accompanied the
cracking flames of burning Rome. The
first Fuh-he Iute had twenty-five strings,
but a legend tells that a damsel one day
played on one such instrument before the
Emperor Twang-te a tune so direful that
the monarch became affected to melan-
choly and ordered that the number OF
strings should thereafter be reduced by
half.
Origin of Instruments.
Traditions without number are associated
with the origin OF nearly every musical In
strument in use in China at the present
day. String and reed instruments. such as
were used by the aboriginal tribes, were
the first known. Next came the drums,
which were first used to incite warriors on
the battlefield to deeds of valor. There are
many kinds Of drums distinguished by
names Indicating their size and use. Stone
preceded metal as a musical substance. In
the earliest classics musical stones are men
toned. Sixteen in number were hung by a
cord, and the performer pounded out the
strains with a small mallet. The stones
used by emperors were made of jade.
Though with most peoples the trumpet
has been given first place among metal IN
struments in China the bell takes pre-.
cedence. The sound Is made by striking
the rim with a stick. The use of the bel
as musical instrument Is. however. large
ly confined to religious services and pro
cessions. Not usually 1t Is concerted with
other instruments. The poet writes Of the
expedition of King Yew to the Hwai:
Kin kin peal the bells. peal on,
And the lutes in the concert we hear.
Deep brea thes the organ tone;
Sounding stones join their notes, rich and clear.
The WI While through , the Vessel there sn ring
And the dancers with flutes now appear.
The gong is even more popular than the
bell. The Chinese gopgs are of three kinds
the temple gong. the Soo-chow gong,
which Is shaped like a boiler" and the
watches. or divisions Of time. The gong
is probably the most conspicuous at a the
atrical performance of any of the various
instruments 1t Is supposed also to strike
terror into evil spirits.
Flutes. flies, conch shells. clarinets and
the reed organ are the commonest wind in
nineteen reed tubes into the upper surface
Of gourd. The reeds are pierced near the
base to prevent the emission OF sound until
stopped by the fingers of the performer.
kettle and is inserted In the side of the
gourd. The favored instruments among
the mere cultured Chinese stringed.
These include the she. the kin. which Is
said to restrain and check evil passions
ana correct the human heart" the pi-pa,
four-strfnged guitar; the yeuh kin. or
moon kim" named from it's moon shaped
sound board. which has four strings stand
ing In pairs. tuned as fifths to each other
and the Su-chun or standard Lutte" which
has twelve strings. yielding exactly the
notes Of the twelve Luh, or tubes, invented
by Linglun.
Has an Important Place.
From the beginning Of the recorded his
tory of China until the present day music
has at all times had an important place in
the political system of the Chinese. It's in
luence on the people and the forming Of
their character, either for good or evil, has
never been underestimate. Confucius said:
1T gives finish to a character first estab-
lished by the rules Of pIopriety." Since
Confucius time has done nothing to lessen
the Chinese belief in the inestimable value
of music. At the present day there exists
an imperial board of music. appointed for
the purpose of keeping alive the music of
the ancientS and of exercising a strict CEN
sorship over all compositions.
The influence of the drama upon the peo-
pie is nominal compared with the influence
of music. It's tendency is demoralizing
rather than elevating Granted that the
chief aim of the Chinese playwright Is to
eXalt virtue, he appeals to contrast as his
best means. So in his praiseworthy effort
to proclaim the triumph of morality and
truth the character of the villain is re-
vealed in the broadcast colOrs. No softening
lines mitigate his villainy. He is so sordid
so base. so Wretched, that the after taste
of the portrayal of his temperament con-
teammates the recollection of the good and
it's final achievement.
Both the hero and the villain are painted
in extremes. Their characters are a tIdy
in black and white. The one is just as in
capable of bad as the other is of good. The
hero in every case is marvelously accom-
pished. In him are combined the strength
of Hercules, the bravery of the Hector of
Troy, the wisdom of Nestor and the piety
of Aeacus. He is invariably simple of man
ner and modest. His closing role scarcely
without exception, is to defend the opprass-
ed, straighten the crooked paths of the cor
rupt officials and redress every wrong AS
a browning reward Of his merit and chas-
tity he is given a supreme position in the
state and imperial favOrs are lavished upon
him.
The Drama.
The drama is of comparatively late de-
velopment in China Its origin is traced
to the latter end Of the Tlang dynasty, 936.
Though the religious rites of centuries be-
fore this period, coupled with dancing,
with song and with the music of stringed
instruments and the beating Of drums,
were precursors of the drama, 1t remained
for Chinese Thespis Of the later time to
400