Chinese Guqin playing and Notation

Gu Qin Yin
(Song of Gu Qin)
古琴吟(相思曲)

Gu Qin Yin 古琴吟 (Song of Gu Qin) also called Xiang Si Qu 相思曲 (Melody of Longing). This piece has a lyric. The earliest version of Gu Qin Yin, (Xiang Si Qu), was composed by Yang Biao-zheng 楊表正 from the Ming dynasty (1585). His “Xiang Si Qu” has the same lyrics as “Gu Qin Yin” from the Qinxue Rumen [琴學入門] by Zhang-he 張鶴 from the Qin dynasty (1864), as preserved in the Guqin Quji [古琴曲集] -- published by Bejing Renmin Yinyue Publisher, 1962. However, these two pieces have different melodies. In order to distinguish them, I call the piece “Gu Qin Yin” which I play from Guqin Quji and the piece “Xiang Si Qu” which I play from Yang's version. They both are clean and profound.

The translation of the lyrics:

Songs, So many songs, Such heartless, Truly heartless.
Disappoint me, Disappoint me, Until now.
Remembering the old time when we were singing softly and pouring the wine gently.
Each of my sounds worth thousands in gold.
Now abandon me at the shady side of this old wall.
Autumn winds blow the weeds. White clouds cover deeply.
Flowing water, high mountains, where to find my friend.
Bitter sorrow, cheerless cold, tell me how to bear it.

The lyrics come from a ghost story. Song dynasty poet Su Dongpo (1037-1101) once traveled to Qiong-zho's Hong-fo temple with a skilled woman who could sing and play guqin. Later she died of an illness and was buried with her qin behind the temple, beside a wall. Years later, when there was a provincial governor staying at the temple, he often heard a woman's crying and singing in the night. He questioned the monks and had them dig out the ground where he heard the sound and found a coffin. When they opened it they saw the women with a qin and a piece of music lyrics, called Xiang Si Qu, which was same as the song he had heard during the night.

古琴吟又稱相思曲是有歌詞之琴曲現存最早的相思曲是存於明楊表正的【新刊正文對音捷要琴譜】(1585) 與現今流傳的古琴吟雖解題與歌詞都同然曲調旋律卻不盡相同因而在此將兩曲分別以'古琴吟'和'相思曲'之稱以示區別

吾所彈之古琴吟是跟據清張鶴的【琴學入門】(1864) [收錄於北京人民音樂出版社出版的【古琴曲集】(1962)] 所彈而相思曲則是打譜於【新刊正文對音捷要琴譜】兩曲均為簡約柔麗之小曲

歌詞:
音音音恁負心真負心辜負俺辜負俺到如今
記得當初低低唱淺淺斟一曲值千金
如今撇我在古墻陰秋風衰草白雲深流水高山何處尋
悲悲切切冷冷清清叫人怎禁

解題:(據新刊正文對音捷要琴譜)
昔蘇子攜妓抱琴常遊瓊州紅拂寺而後妓忽染疾亡即以琴殉葬之寺後粉牆西後州守夜宿茲寺忽聞女子哽咽悲歌更次不去曉乃究僧隱淫之罪眾莫知其由老僧稟曰聞前朝蘇學士攜葬一妓於寺後想此妓之魂歟遂命發棺見女抱琴誌詞一闋名曰相思曲與夜歌同寺僧方釋其曲雖小寓意亦妙而微也

Xiang Si Qu from the Xinkan Zhengwen Dueyin Jieyao Qinpu [新刊正文對音捷要琴譜]
Composed by Yang Biao-zheng.

performed by Peiyou Chang

Click picture to see the Xiang Si Qu notation.

Gu Qin Yin from the Qinxue Rumen [琴學入門]

performed by Peiyou Chang

Click picture to see the Gu Qin Yin notation and video of Peiyou's playing.

Gŭ Qín Yín (Song of Gŭ Qín) Finger Technique Explanation

This finger technique explanation is using some of the notes from Gu Qin Yin (Qinxue Rumen). By studying this notation, one should be able to figure out the rest of the notes of this piece.

Please notice that "pluck" means pull the string toward you (or away from you if using the thumb) with the tip of your finger and nail. "Strum" means push the string away from you (or toward you if using the thumb) with the back of your nail.

Fàn-Qĭ: start using Fàn Yīn (Harmonics)(Lightly touch).

Dà-zhĭ Jiŭ Huī, Tiăo Qī Xián:
Left thumb presses down the 7th string on the 9th Hui (dot) and right index finger strums the 7th string.

Mŭo Tiăo Liò Xián:
Right index finger plucks the 6th string then strums the 6th string. The left hand still keeps the same technique as with the previous note.(The left hand notation is not represented in this symbol).

Gōu Sì Xián:
Right middle finger plucks the 4th string. The left hand still keeps the same technique as with the previous note. (The left hand notation is not represented in this symbol).

Míng-zhĭ Shí Huī, Gōu Sì Xián:
Left ring finger presses down the 4th string on the 10th Hui (dot) and right middle finger plucks the 4th string.

Shí-zhĭ Jiŭ Huī, Gōu Sì Xián:
Left index finger presses down the 4th string on the 9th Hui and right middle finger plucks the 4th string.

Fàn-Zhĭ: stop using Fan Yin.

Dà-zhĭ Qī Liò, Mŭo Tiăo Qī Xián:
Left thumb presses down the 6th section of the 7th Hui, right index finger plucks the 7th string then strums the 7th string.

Fēn Kāi :When the left hand presses down a string and after the right hand has played the string, the left hand glides up to the next Hui position to the right; and then while the right hand plays the string again, the left hand glides back to where it started. Usually this symbol needs to be read together with its previous note.

Shàng Qī: Move up to the 7th Hui.

Xià Jiŭ: Move down to the 9th Hui.

Yín: A vibrato movement.
See “Yin”at http://peiyouqin.com/notation3b.html

Zhuàng: to strike against.
See “Zhuang” at http://peiyouqin.com/notation3c.html

Săn Tiăo Liò Xián:
Right index finger plucks the 6th open string. See "San Yin" at http://peiyouqin.com/notation1.html

Zhōng-zhĭ Jiŭ Huī, Gōu Sì Xián:
Left Middle finger presses down the 4th String on 9th Hui, Right middle finger plucks the 4th string.

Tuì: Move backward.
See Tui Fu at http://peiyouqin.com/notation3d.html

Fù: Move forward.
See Tui Fu at http://peiyouqin.com/notation3d.html

Jù Tì Èr Xián:
See "Jiu" at http://peiyouqin.com/notation4.html
and "Ti" at http://peiyouqin.com/notation2.html
The left hand keeps at the same position as the previous note indicated. The right middle finger strums the 2nd string.

Míng-zhĭ Shí Huī, Dà-zhĭ Qiā Qĭ:
Left ring finger presses down on the 10th Hui, Left thumb pulls up the same string on the 9th Hui. (Which string depends on the previous note indicated). See "Qia Qi" http://peiyouqin.com/notation3d.html

Zhōng-zhĭ Huī-wài, Zhù Tì Yī Xián:
Left middle finger glides the 1st string from its previous position indicated down to outside of 13 Hui and right middle finger strums the 1st string.
See “卜” (Hui-wai) at http://peiyouqin.com/notation1.html and “Zhu” at http://peiyouqin.com/notation3b.html

Tuē Chū:
see “Tue Chu” on http://peiyouqin.com/notation3d.html
Left middle finger pushes the 1^st string outward.(Which Hui position depends on its previous note indicated).

Dà-zhĭ Jiŭ Huī, Gōu Tì Sì Xián:
Left thumb presses down the 4^th string on 9^th Hui, Right middle finger plucks in then strums out the 4^th string.

Dà-zhĭ Jiŭ Huī, Zhōng-zhĭ Shí Huī, Zuō Yī Sān Xián:
Left thumb presses down the 3^rd string on the 9^th Hui, Left middle finger presses down the 1^st string on the 10^th Hui. Right index finger strums the 3^rd string and the right middle finger plucks the 1^st string at the same time. See “Zuo” at http://peiyouqin.com/notation2d.html

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