Kotone

彰化北管

Collection

Beiguan of Changhua

7 recordings, 1:33:20

Beiguan is the music Taiwan hears at every temple festival: suona and gongs leading the procession, and the luantan opera played for the gods. It has been kept for two centuries by amateur clubs, and Changhua, in central Taiwan, has some of the oldest, Lichunyuan among them.

These recordings were made between the 1980s and 2001 and published by the Changhua County Cultural Affairs Bureau, which has shared them openly. The set opens loud, with four suona and a full battery of gongs, then turns to the quieter string suites, a sung opera scene and two songs recorded at club practices.

  1. 洗馬科Xǐ mǎ kē — Washing the HorsesLichunyuan (梨春園), Changhua: Chen Zhulin (tonggu drum); Chen Guoliang, Chen Qingfa, Zhong Xingnan, Yang Maoji (suona); five-piece gongs and cymbals · Suǒnà, Luógǔ · 20018:40
  2. 什牌・倒旗Shípái · Dàoqí — Ten Tunes and Toppling the BannerLai Musong (beigu drum), Qiu Huorong and Zheng Rongxing (suona), with Chen Jiawen, Zhang Xinjie, Liu Yaoyuan and others · Suǒnà, Luógǔ · 199936:23
  3. 內四套Nèi sì tào — The Inner Four SuiteLai Musong (tixian, lead fiddle), Chen Jiawen (clapper and drum), Lin Yongzhi, Huang Yueyun, Su Ying'en, Zheng Rongxing, Zhang Xinjie, Chen Huiqin (flute), Liu Yaoyuan (sheng) · Mixed ensemble, Dízi · 199914:29
  4. 外四套Wài sì tào — The Outer Four SuiteLai Musong (tixian, lead fiddle) and the same ensemble as the Inner Four Suite · Mixed ensemble, Dízi · 199910:38
  5. 斬瓜Zhǎn guā — Slaying the Melon SpiritLichunyuan (梨春園): Huang Youfu (xiaosheng voice); Chen Zhulin leading the percussion, Lin Kunchi leading the strings · Voice, Luógǔ, Mixed ensemble · 198510:25
  6. 洛陽歌Luòyáng gē — Song of LuoyangChen Zhulin (陳助麟), voice and kexian fiddle, Lichunyuan · Voice · 20006:49
  7. 鬧朝・碧波玉Nào cháo · Bìbō yù — Uproar at Court: Jade of the Blue WavesLi Rui (laosheng voice), Chen Zhulin (kexian), Ye Amu (clapper), Lichunyuan · Voice, Mixed ensemble · 19885:56