Suona Art (Shangdang Lehu class)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: suona Art (Shangdang Lehu class)

Applicant: Huguan County, Shanxi Province

Item No.: 68

Project No.: Ⅱ - 37

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Traditional Music

Region: Shanxi Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Huguan County, Shanxi Province

Protection unit: niufu drum music club, Huguan County

Suona Art (Shangdang Lehu class)

Applicant: Huguan County, Shanxi Province

Suona is a transliteration of "surna" in Arabic. It was widely spread in many countries in Asia, Africa and Europe, and was introduced to China not later than the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. In Chinese folk, it also has copper flute, tin flute, pear flower, sea flute and other names. In addition, the small suona used in Fujian Nanqu performance is called "Aizai" or "Nanai"; the suona used in Puxian opera accompaniment is called "Meihua" or "chubian", and the larger one is called "Dalong" or "Dahai Flute"; the all wood suona of Uygur nationality is called "surnai"; the suona of Tibetan, Miao, Mongolian, Korean and other nationalities also have different shapes.

Suona is composed of whistle, core, air disc, rod, copper bowl and other parts. It is arranged in order according to the seven sound levels according to the sound holes. The distance between each hole is basically equal. It can flip the seven tones, and the range is generally two octaves plus two degrees. Suona has many kinds of playing skills, such as glide, vomit, air arch, air top, purr, circulation (continuous blowing for a long time) and so on. It is a kind of solo instrument with strong expressive force.

Suona is one of the indispensable musical instruments in the percussion band. In ancient times, besides playing military music, it was also used for the accompaniment of Yamen drum blowing, opera, song and dance, etc. in folk daily life, it was mostly used for festivals, weddings and funerals, and drama scenes.

Shangdang Yuehu troupe is a form of folk instrumental music playing in Shangdang area, which is mainly distributed in Shangdang area in the southeast of Shanxi Province, including 19 counties and districts under the jurisdiction of Changzhi and Jincheng (traditionally referred to as "Jindongnan area"). In different historical periods, Shangdang Yuehu troupe has been engaged in a variety of performance activities, not only serving the court, the Royal Palace, local government offices and the military, but also performing in folk ceremonies, wedding and funeral ceremonies and other activities. The performance of Shangdang Lehu troupe has distinctive etiquette, folk custom and regional characteristics, which embodies the culture of Saishe and Lehu in Shangdang area.

The musical instruments used by Shangdang Yuehu troupe are divided into three categories: playing, striking and playing, including suona, Sheng, drum, Gong, cymbal, Juqin, Banhu, Sanxian, Yueqin, etc. His music was performed in accordance with the rules and rites, with the combination of rites and music. Yuehu troupe is rich in repertoire, with taipinggu, chaotianzi, yingxianke, dazhifu, xiaobaban and other tunes, shangdangbangzi, shangdangluozi, Huguan Yangko, Xiangwu Yangko, Henan Henan opera, Hebei Shexian Luozi and other opera music as its main contents.

The inheritors of Shangdang Lehu class are mainly the descendants of Lehu living in this area. In the long-term practice of music, artists have formed a more systematic way of playing, tonal theory and temperament theory, which has important research value in music history, opera history, folklore and other fields. In recent years, with the influx of western culture, the etiquette characteristics of Shangdang Yuehu class activities are increasingly blurred, the number of inheriting artists is decreasing year by year, the phenomenon of ancient Qupai lost is very serious, the original performing skills are lost, the inheritance and development are facing crisis, and it is urgent to protect and rescue.