Ancient Chinese Music Notation and Chinese Zither Instruments
Write a well-organized research essay (of 1000 to 1200 words) in clearly written prose using one of the examples from the Listening Responses as the basis for your paper. Your essay should include a clear introduction, discussion, and conclusion. It should be written in an academic voice (i.e., using the first person sparingly). The precise topic of your essay will depend on which example you choose as your point of departure.
The music example you need use in the paper is:
Lin Youren on qin: “Three Variations on Yang Pass” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4G9ylw-K2I
The qin is a zither (stringed instrument with resonator and no neck) with 7 strings stretched along a long wooden box. It is an instrument of great prestige in Chinese music, historically played by scholars. This piece is based on an 8th-century poem, and first appeared in notation in 1491.EG: How is this music notated? What are other, related instruments? What is the history of the qin? Where is the qin heard today? What are more recent compositions for the instrument (and what styles do they employ)? (*Do not use your textbook as the main source for your information.)
NOTE:
The point of departure for an essay is often a set of questions related to what you want to explore and understand. In more advanced essays, these will lead to a position (or thesis) that you will “argue” through the discussion of your paper. You do not need to present an argument in this essay. Use the music example (provided above) as the basis for your paper. You can discuss this in different ways depending on what interests you most (and what questions you ask). Included below are some possible questions to offer some ideas on directions from which an example can lead. (*Do you not write an essay that is a blow- by-blow account of the example, or that draws heavily on your textbook or class material.)