Ambush from Ten Sides
Encyclopedia
Ambush from Ten Sides is a classical piece written for the pipa
. Ambush is written in the "Wu" or martial style, and is about the circumstances of which General Xiang Yu
in 202 BC was defeated by Liu Bang. This is the same subject matter as "The King Doffs His Armor", but is written from a completely different perspective.
Ambush from Ten Sides is considered a master piece, much in the same way that Flight of the Bumblebee
is in western society. The difficulty of the piece ensures that it can be played almost exclusively by virtuoso
s.
It is famous Chinese classical lute music, which was composed on the basis of the decisive battle in 202 B.C. at Gaixia (southeast of today's Linbi County, Anhui Province) between the two armies of Chu and Han. The whole music gives an incisive and vivid depiction, in the form of musical narrative, of the fierce, desolate, solemn and stirring scenes of the battle. The unique techniques of lute performance have been brought into full play in this music. The whole music is majestic and passionate, sharp in artistic image, exalting in melody, and extremely thrilling.
This music first appeared in 1818 in the 13-section Lute Music Score composed by Hua Qiuping in Wuxi. Later there were a variety of different versions in circulation, varying in section divisions but consistent basically in musical content.
Ambush from All Sides adopts the form of large-scale traditional Chinese formula-based music. The currently popular music piece consists of 13 short sections, each topped with a highly generalized title. The beginning sections of the music focus on the description of the mighty and grand battle array of the Han Army. The music in these sections is high-spirited and powerful, accompanied by the sounds of drums and horns. The beat of drums quickened gradually to create a tense explosive atmosphere before the breakout of the full-scale battles. Then comes the main body of the music, which is changeable and rapid. The techniques of flipping, sweeping, circular fingering, wringing, rolling, and halting are employed to represent the furious battle between the armies of Chu and Han. The last sections of the music depict Xiang Yu's suicide at Wujiang River after his defeat. The low and deep music contrasts sharply with the preceding climax. The melodies are mournful, solemn and stirring, bring out a strong and vehement artistic image of Xiang Yu.
Today Ambush from All Sides still remains one of the most popular lute music pieces in all kinds of concerts in China.
Pipa
The pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments . Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12–26...
. Ambush is written in the "Wu" or martial style, and is about the circumstances of which General Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu was a prominent military leader and political figure during the late Qin Dynasty. His given name was Ji while his style name was Yu ....
in 202 BC was defeated by Liu Bang. This is the same subject matter as "The King Doffs His Armor", but is written from a completely different perspective.
Ambush from Ten Sides is considered a master piece, much in the same way that Flight of the Bumblebee
Flight of the Bumblebee
"Flight of the Bumblebee" is an orchestral interlude written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, composed in 1899–1900. The piece closes Act III, Tableau 1, during which the magic Swan-Bird changes Prince Gvidon Saltanovich into an insect so that he can fly away to...
is in western society. The difficulty of the piece ensures that it can be played almost exclusively by virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
s.
It is famous Chinese classical lute music, which was composed on the basis of the decisive battle in 202 B.C. at Gaixia (southeast of today's Linbi County, Anhui Province) between the two armies of Chu and Han. The whole music gives an incisive and vivid depiction, in the form of musical narrative, of the fierce, desolate, solemn and stirring scenes of the battle. The unique techniques of lute performance have been brought into full play in this music. The whole music is majestic and passionate, sharp in artistic image, exalting in melody, and extremely thrilling.
This music first appeared in 1818 in the 13-section Lute Music Score composed by Hua Qiuping in Wuxi. Later there were a variety of different versions in circulation, varying in section divisions but consistent basically in musical content.
Ambush from All Sides adopts the form of large-scale traditional Chinese formula-based music. The currently popular music piece consists of 13 short sections, each topped with a highly generalized title. The beginning sections of the music focus on the description of the mighty and grand battle array of the Han Army. The music in these sections is high-spirited and powerful, accompanied by the sounds of drums and horns. The beat of drums quickened gradually to create a tense explosive atmosphere before the breakout of the full-scale battles. Then comes the main body of the music, which is changeable and rapid. The techniques of flipping, sweeping, circular fingering, wringing, rolling, and halting are employed to represent the furious battle between the armies of Chu and Han. The last sections of the music depict Xiang Yu's suicide at Wujiang River after his defeat. The low and deep music contrasts sharply with the preceding climax. The melodies are mournful, solemn and stirring, bring out a strong and vehement artistic image of Xiang Yu.
Today Ambush from All Sides still remains one of the most popular lute music pieces in all kinds of concerts in China.
External links
- Performance of Ambush from Ten Sides by Liu FangLiu FangLiu Fang is one of the most prominent pipa players in the world. Born in Kunming in the Chinese province of Yunnan, she began playing the pipa at the age of 6. Her first solo public performance was at the age of 9. In 1986, at age 11, she played for Queen Elizabeth II...