Traditional folk music begins slow comeback from oblivion
October 1, 2011, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PINCHED by rock, rap and other modern musical genres, Shanghai's traditional folk music has been sinking into oblivion, if not extinction. Minhang District aficionados of ancient culture have been galvanized into a rescue effort.
Seven teachers spent five years compiling the book "Shanghai Folk Music Culture," which was published in August. The first textbook about local folk music traditions in the city has been introduced into classrooms at 31 Minhang schools this semester.
Cultural gems like the Minhang drum and gong, Jinshan haozi (fishermen's and dockers' work songs), the Maqiao lion dance, the Qibao shadow play and Chongming shoulder pole play once flourished in this area, only to fall victim to modern urbanization.
The book has collected all these art forms into one tome. Its six chapters trace the history, features, musical instruments and development of various Shanghai folk music genres.
The origin and development of some folk activities, such as the temple fair, are also included in the book.
Folk music dates back hundreds of years and was part of everyday village life.
Its distinctive features are gradually disappearing, said Shi Honglian, a music teacher at the Minhang educational authority and editor of the book.
"Children of the next generation will have little knowledge of the city's folk music because they are overwhelmed by pop music, which makes me feel sad," Shi said. "Folk music is part of the city's culture and tradition, and it should be protected and passed from generation to generation."
Shi said her daughter, who is now starting university studies, was astonished when she browsed through the book. She said she wasn't aware that there was so much musical tradition in Shanghai's outlying areas. Shi said the reception has been similar among children in classes now using the book.
Compiling the book was not an easy job. Much research was involved to collect sometimes buried reference material. The authors visited libraries, public arts centers, cultural institutes and old artists living across the city.
A number of folk songs have no descendents, and sometimes the tune of one song was represented in a variety of versions from place to place.
Shi and her team members were greatly helped by Huang Bai, a prominent professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music who specializes in folk song research. They were given access to his research materials collected during the 1950s and 1960s.
Yang Guang, a teacher at the Xinzhuang Middle School who contributed one chapter, said he bought an antique book about Shanghai folk songs for 400 yuan (US$61), published in 1958. When the book was new, it cost only 25 cents. Money, like music, has changed in the modern world.
Yang is teaching students and even teachers to sing folk songs in the Shanghai dialect.
"The book and these songs are popular among students and their parents," he said, with obvious delight.
His students performed folk songs at the school's art festival, and the performance was uploaded online, attracting more than 100,000 hits.
They added modern elements by blending rap rhythms with old songs.
Parents have welcomed this folk music revival.
"I think it is a good to promote folk music because there are few places where children can learn about it," said Wang Meili, mother of one student.
Five primary schools, 21 middle schools, three migrant schools and two international schools in Minhang were the first to start using the book in classrooms.
That will be expanded to all schools in the district next year.
An English version of the book is expected to be published next year.
Seven teachers spent five years compiling the book "Shanghai Folk Music Culture," which was published in August. The first textbook about local folk music traditions in the city has been introduced into classrooms at 31 Minhang schools this semester.
Cultural gems like the Minhang drum and gong, Jinshan haozi (fishermen's and dockers' work songs), the Maqiao lion dance, the Qibao shadow play and Chongming shoulder pole play once flourished in this area, only to fall victim to modern urbanization.
The book has collected all these art forms into one tome. Its six chapters trace the history, features, musical instruments and development of various Shanghai folk music genres.
The origin and development of some folk activities, such as the temple fair, are also included in the book.
Folk music dates back hundreds of years and was part of everyday village life.
Its distinctive features are gradually disappearing, said Shi Honglian, a music teacher at the Minhang educational authority and editor of the book.
"Children of the next generation will have little knowledge of the city's folk music because they are overwhelmed by pop music, which makes me feel sad," Shi said. "Folk music is part of the city's culture and tradition, and it should be protected and passed from generation to generation."
Shi said her daughter, who is now starting university studies, was astonished when she browsed through the book. She said she wasn't aware that there was so much musical tradition in Shanghai's outlying areas. Shi said the reception has been similar among children in classes now using the book.
Compiling the book was not an easy job. Much research was involved to collect sometimes buried reference material. The authors visited libraries, public arts centers, cultural institutes and old artists living across the city.
A number of folk songs have no descendents, and sometimes the tune of one song was represented in a variety of versions from place to place.
Shi and her team members were greatly helped by Huang Bai, a prominent professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music who specializes in folk song research. They were given access to his research materials collected during the 1950s and 1960s.
Yang Guang, a teacher at the Xinzhuang Middle School who contributed one chapter, said he bought an antique book about Shanghai folk songs for 400 yuan (US$61), published in 1958. When the book was new, it cost only 25 cents. Money, like music, has changed in the modern world.
Yang is teaching students and even teachers to sing folk songs in the Shanghai dialect.
"The book and these songs are popular among students and their parents," he said, with obvious delight.
His students performed folk songs at the school's art festival, and the performance was uploaded online, attracting more than 100,000 hits.
They added modern elements by blending rap rhythms with old songs.
Parents have welcomed this folk music revival.
"I think it is a good to promote folk music because there are few places where children can learn about it," said Wang Meili, mother of one student.
Five primary schools, 21 middle schools, three migrant schools and two international schools in Minhang were the first to start using the book in classrooms.
That will be expanded to all schools in the district next year.
An English version of the book is expected to be published next year.
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