Scale is one of the basic elements of music, without which there is no music. How are scales produced? When did pentatonic scale and heptatonic scale form and develop in China? This is one of the problems that music historians pay special attention to. In the past, Chinese and foreign experts and scholars have discussed this issue to varying degrees, but there are different opinions. Karl Nief of Sweden, when talking about the formation of China's pentatonic scale and heptatonic scale, said: "In the distant Taikoo, China people have made a musical system that still exists today by acoustic methods, and they have found a scale of five tones, (so, la, do, re, mi). These five tones started with the do tone and were obtained by the method of five degrees symbiosis, and the tune is based on this pentatonic scale.
The seven-tone scale used in the West was also formulated by China people in BC 1500. "(History of Western Music) That is to say, he presumed that China's seven tones were formed in the Shang Dynasty, and the western seven tones came from China. The formation of pentatonic scale and heptatonic scale in Qian Lin's Three Pairs of China in Japan is contrary to that of Karl Neve. He believes that "in Archean, there were five kinds of strings, which may not be the correct pentatonic scale like Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zheng and Yu, but only five tones with different intervals. Moreover, "the development from pentatonic scale to heptatonic scale can be traced back to Zhou theoretically, but the practical application of heptatonic scale in music is still far behind." According to documents, Yang, a domestic music historian, believes that musicians in the middle and late Spring and Autumn Period linked the appearance of "Seven Tones" with the king's attack (1066 BC). (Draft of China Music History) Jian Wu and Liu Dongsheng think that "the formal formation of the pentatonic scale in China may not be earlier than the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. "The formation of the seventh tone may not be too far away from the fifth tone." (A Brief History of China Music) In addition, some people assume that the formation of China's seven tones came later and attributed it to the influence of western culture. Only the five tones of Gong, Shang, Jiao, Hui and Yu belong to China.
In order to find a more exact answer, many China music historians turned their attention to music archaeology. The era of early culture in Jia Hu is 2000 years earlier than that in Yangshao. Accordingly, as early as the transition period from the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age, the ancestors' understanding of logarithm had surpassed the level shown by Yangshao Tokisho. Jia Hu bone flute has only eight sound holes, but we can't understand the mathematical level at that time from the simple arrangement between 1 and 8. In fact, Jia Hu's ancestors were not only familiar with the difference between 1 and 10, but also able to flexibly use the equal division and unequal division of numbers. To find a reasonable pitch arrangement on the bone wall requires not only long-term practical experience and high sense of sound, but also comprehensive consideration and calculation of the above uncertain factors. There is a complicated relationship between mathematics and temperament. As far as the music field is concerned, number and law are inseparable, and there is a proportional relationship between the string length of stringed instruments, the aperture of wind instruments and law (here refers to the pitch standard). The rules and regulations for determining the scale relationship have a certain relationship with numbers.
During the period of 1977, the musical archaeological team headed by Comrade Lu Ji investigated the musical instruments unearthed in Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi, Gansu and other places. According to these materials, Comrade Lu Ji pointed out that "a complete scale has been formed during the Yangshao culture period in China, which may be the pentatonic scale that we later know is still in use. It is even certain that the seven-tone scale has been mastered by the residents of Huoshaogou by this time. " (Music Series II) Thus, he believes that pentatonic scale was formed around 2000 BC. Comrade Xia Ye's research method is slightly different from the above comrades. In addition to documentary records and ancient musical instruments, he was also exposed to the actual tones of existing national folk music. He believes that the ancient seven-tone scale "was formed by adding two sounds of" changing palace "and" changing emblem "on the basis of the five-tone scale." And "it is different from the new scale similar to western tunes that was popular later." (Musicology Series 198 1, Part I).
China's ancient seven tones belong to the old scale, and Jia Hu's bone flute is also an old scale, which proves that the two are in the same strain. The appearance of new scales can be traced back at least to the Yin and Shang Dynasties. There are three sound holes in more than 20 pottery urns unearthed from the site of the early fire of Yin and Shang Dynasties in Yumen, Gansu Province. The results of sound measurement show that they can all blow out the four main tones of do, mi, so and la in the later pentatonic scale, and some of them can also blow out the fa tone, that is, the angle is cleared first without the commercial tone. According to the above information, Comrade Huang Xiangming proposed in the article "The Known Musical Materials in Neolithic Age and Bronze Age and the Development History of China Scale" that the formation of pentatonic scale "is not necessarily completely later than pentatonic scale, but the complete appearance of pentatonic scale may be a new thing that occurs simultaneously with pentatonic scale." The discovery of Jia Hu's bone flute confirmed his inference.
The shape and playing method of Jia Hu bone flute are somewhat similar to the popular "Chou" in the Middle Ages. According to the textual research of Comrade Yin Qidun, a volume of secret music was found in Suoguo Temple in Kaifeng, Henan Province in 1953. The names of musical instruments are recorded in the secret book. It looks like a clarinet, with a total length of 34 cm and an inner diameter of 2.4 cm. There are six sound holes in front, no flute holes, and no flute at the top. When playing, blow vertically, and the upper end is inclined to the right side of the mouth for 45 degrees, forming an artificial blow hole, exhaling airflow, and promoting its vibration and sound production. As a musical instrument, "revenge" has never been recorded. Could it be "?" The two words "chip" and ""are similar in pronunciation in Henan dialect. On the jade piece written by the Han people, it says? Play the flute. "
Visible "?" It's a vertical instrument. Judging from the shape of "Qiu", its playing style is very similar to that of Jia Hu bone flute. "Tajiks in the Tashkurgan region of Xinjiang are still in use today. This "? "The local call eagle flute, made of eagle wing bone. In addition, two Wei and Jin Dynasties "? Unearthed in Tukuzishalai area of bachu county, southern Xinjiang. . Its sound hole position and playing method are the same as today's eagle flute, which shows that the descendants of Jia Hu bone flute have their spread.
Jia Hu bone flute, most of the sound holes are pronounced accurately, so it can be seen that when Jin made the bone flute, it was calculated accurately. As we know, the pronunciation of wind instruments is related to the length of the pipe, the diameter of the pipe and the distance of the sound hole. When the pipe length and diameter are determined, the distance between sound holes is the key to correct calibration. There is a certain mathematical law between the distance of the sound hole and the pronunciation level, which is called rhythm system. If you don't master this rule, the musical instruments will be chaotic and unsound. The legal system of Jia Hu Bone Flute belongs to the three-point profit and loss method.
The three-point profit and loss law was first seen in Yuan Di. (7th century BC) After experts' research, according to this algorithm, we get a pentatonic scale with symbols as the lowest tone. We don't know whether Jia Hu's ancestors used this algorithm. However, they must get the proportional relationship between the pentatonic scale and the heptatonic scale through some algorithm, otherwise they will not be able to make instruments that meet the pentatonic scale and the heptatonic scale. There are small holes next to some sound holes of Jia Hu Bone Flute, which are traces of tuning, indicating that the ancient people in Jia Hu have a very high level of music and culture. They can distinguish subtle mistakes in scales and know how to correct them.
1978 Zeng Yi's chime was discovered in Suixian County, Hubei Province in the 5th century BC. The inscription on the bell records the pronunciation of the chime and the corresponding relationship between the twelve laws of Zeng State and the twelve laws of Chu State. Sound measurement shows that the pronunciation of each bell is consistent with the inscription. 1979, Wang Sun's patented clock was discovered in Xichuan, Henan Province in the 6th century BC. After sound measurement, most of the scales of the clock have semitones, which proves with irrefutable facts that the Twelve Laws have been formed in China in the 5th and 6th centuries BC. Today, the discovery of Jia Hu bone flute proves that China's pentatonic scale and heptatonic scale were formed as far back as 8,000 years ago. This is another major breakthrough in the study of music history after Zeng Houyi chimed the bell, which occupies an extremely important position in the music history of China and even the world. On August 23rd, 2006, a group of middle school students visited the China National Musical Instrument Exhibition Hall in Xinba Town, Yangzhong, Zhenjiang. When Chang Dunming, a master of national musical instruments, took out a thin bone flute made by himself from the cupboard and played crisp and pleasant music, they never expected that this bone was the leg bone of a red-crowned crane saved by a female college student 19 years ago. ...
"Walking through that reed slope, have you ever heard that a girl left a song? Why do white clouds cry quietly? Why did the wind tell her ... a flock of red-crowned cranes were flying gently ... "In the 1980s and 1990s, the singer Zhu Zheqin sang A True Story, which was popular all over the country. This song tells a true story: Xu Xiujuan, a Zhalong girl who loved red-crowned cranes since childhood, devoted herself to protecting Long Dan after graduating from college. 1987 September 16, 23-year-old crane trainer Xu Xiujuan slipped into a swamp in Yancheng in search of a lost swan, thus giving his precious life. When Chang Dunming, a master of musical instruments, explained this song to this group of middle school students in detail, these children who had never heard this song were deeply moved.
Speaking of this bone flute, it is really full of twists and turns. From 65438 to 0999, Yan Fuxing, known as the "King of Birds in China", came to Zhalong Nature Reserve in Qiqihar to perform, during which he specially went to Xu Xiujuan's home to visit Xu Xiujuan's old father who had retired at home. In the process of getting along with the old man, Yan Fuxing was deeply moved by the old man and the dead Xu Xiujuan. After observing and pondering cranes for many days, he created a crane song. When he played this song on his flute, he attracted more than 10 red-crowned cranes to dance around him. The managers of the nature reserve were very surprised. Out of admiration for Yan Fuxing's playing skills, they specially presented the remains of the red-crowned crane rescued by Xu Xiujuan to Yan Fuxing. Yan Fuxing was ecstatic. Looking at these two tall and slender bones, he immediately thought of Chang Dunming, a master of national musical instruments in Zhenjiang Yangzhong. An idea popped out of his mind: make it into a flute and let the story of Xu Xiujuan be passed down forever!
Chang Dunming was puzzled when he received two long legs. After all, this is not an ordinary crane bone, but a leg bone related to the fate and honor of a female college student, which embodies the sincere heart of the "King of Chinese Birds" and is also the best education for future generations. Holding two bones, Chang Dunming looked and thought in his hand. How can we make such a thin bone make a sound and make all kinds of notes? How big is the hole spacing, how big is the sound hole, and how many sound holes are needed? Because no one in China has used crane bones to make flutes, there is no ready-made information to refer to. For this reason, Chang Dunming had to experiment with other similar bones. Finally, after more than a month and hundreds of experiments, Master Chang Dunming finally designed two "crane bone flutes" carefully. Yan Fuxing took one and Chang Dunming took one. In Tashkurgan, where Tajiks live in concentrated communities, whether you stroll in a mountain village or a grassy pasture, you will hear the charming eagle flute, accompanied by people's vigorous singing and bodybuilding dance, which makes Tajik cultural life full of rich Pamirs. Eagle flute is mostly used in grand festivals, weddings, welcoming and farewell, and it is also an indispensable accompaniment instrument in singing and dancing, sheep picking or horse racing. In recent years, professional literary groups have also used eagle flute as props in Tajik dance. Eagle flute often plays folk music. The most famous one is "Tower wants my alley".