Three Variations on the Plum Blossom

Introduction

Its harmonic theme is played three times, in the upper, middle and lower registers, hence the name

Three Variations on the Plum Blossom is a guqin piece that also exists in a version for the bamboo flute. According to the Shenqi Mipu, Wang Huizhi of the Eastern Jin once asked Huan Yi to play for him on the flute, and that flute tune was later adapted for the qin; the original flute score is lost. The earliest surviving qin tablature is in the Shenqi Mipu of 1425, while the Boya Xinfa of 1609 credits the piece to Yan Shigu of the Tang. It has ten titled sections, and its theme is played in harmonics three times, in the upper, middle and lower registers of the instrument, which gives it its name. In the twentieth century it was recorded for qin and xiao, and Lu Chunling arranged it as a dizi solo.

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