MUZI · STAGE · Jiangnan Sizhu
Song of Joy
Festive sizhu, slow to fast
At dusk in a water town, four musicians in a canal-side pavilion play erhu, bamboo flute, pipa and yangqin around a table set with a lamp and teacups. A boatman in a straw hat poles past below, and a stone bridge fades into mist.
Introduction
One of the Eight Great Pieces of Jiangnan sizhu, moving from a slow opening to a lively close
Huan Le Ge (Song of Joy) is one of the Eight Great Pieces of Jiangnan sizhu, played around Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It opens slowly and gradually speeds up, building a festive, joyful mood. The melody is bright and warm, with a clear rise and fall and a singing quality. In the past it was often played at temple fairs and other celebrations. The flautist Lu Chunling counted it among his representative works, and China Record issued a recording by him and fellow musicians in 1964.
A work in copyright: facts only.