Lovers' Sorrow

Introduction

Lovers' Sorrow is a classic of Cantonese music that is often listed as an old tune, and the Guangzhou Daily describes it as drawn from the folk legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. An early known recording appeared on the Gelin label in 1931, played by Yin Zizhong, Song Hong and Song Yuwen in a mixed Chinese and Western trio, with sections in the yifan mode, the regular mode, a shortened yifan return and a fast liushui close. Gelin issued a second recording in 1935 by Lü Wencheng, He Dasha and others, whose sleeve credits the score to Wu Risheng. Modulation, finger slides and a gradual quickening carry the lament to a climax in the closing liushui section. The version usually heard today differs from the 1931 recording in its sections and tempo.