Two-stringed Erhu Captivates All Who Hear It

One of the most popular traditional Chinese instruments, the erhu, is capable of conveying great tragedy. Whether the musical tempo is fast or slow, the erhu produces a melancholic sound that is hauntingly beautiful but ultimately sad.

Music in China, as old as the 5,000-year civilization itself, was intended not for entertainment but to purify one's thoughts. Traditional belief held that sound can influence and harmonize the universe. The sons of the nobility were required to study music as one of four compulsory subjects. Thus, anyone who performed music just for entertainment was held in very low esteem.

As traditional Chinese instruments go, the erhu is relatively young with a history of only 1,000 years. It was introduced to China by non-Han tribes along the northern border of China. The name literally means "two-stringed barbarian instrument," because of its ethnic minority beginnings. Peasants used it to play folk songs describing daily life such as fishing and herding.

 With the passage of time, it became common for the erhu to be used in an ensemble or in the orchestra of a Beijing opera, but it wasn't respected enough to be played as a solo instrument.

The erhu has become one of the most popular and recognizable Chinese instruments, and many westerners became exposed to its charm with the first global tour of New Tang Dynasty Television's (NTDTV) Chinese New Year Spectacular in 2004.

In lavish performances, the Spectacular showcases authentic traditional Chinese culture through music and dance. The show played in 32 major cities around the world last year, and in 2008 will play in 50 cities, expecting to reach a total live audience of half a million.

The Spectacular shows have seen the popularity of the erhu grow widely, enchanting audiences with its mellow and expressive sound. Ms. Qi Xiaochun, a highly acclaimed erhu musician who performs solo erhu in the show, learned to play the instrument from her father while growing up in southern China.

"When I was six years old, my father began teaching me how to play the erhu, and he practiced with me every day. Living space was extremely limited, so to avoid bothering our neighbors, he took me to a nearby park to practice," she said.

The early days of Qi Xiaochun's training were rigorous. Her father instructed her outside throughout the year, during all weather. She says she used to think he was "the cruelest father in the world" until she began to understand his deep love for music and the "subdued passion" behind it.

"While practicing, we were often surrounded by crowds of people, watching, listening attentively to us for hours, nodding their heads, and tapping their feet to the beat. I now understand why my father took such great pains to train me as an erhu artist—he wanted me to inherit the heart and soul of Chinese arts and to use music to create hope, joy and inner strength for those aspiring to light and beauty despite adverse conditions. He was a great father."

Although the erhu is sometimes called the two-string violin, it is held vertically, not horizontally, on the lap of a seated player. It is made of dense wood, such as rosewood or ebony, and consists of a small sound box covered with snakeskin—traditionally python—and a long slim neck slightly curved at the end. Two steel strings have replaced the traditional silk strings. The bamboo and white horsehair bow is permanently placed between the two strings.

This little box has many unique qualities that make it a difficult instrument to master. There is no fingerboard for finding the right key, and the strings are pressed but shouldn't touch the neck. The sound is produced when the bow, rosined to increase friction, is passed between the strings causing the snakeskin to vibrate; both sides of the bow are used to produce the sound. The strings are so close that they are played as if one.

Originally used only for ensemble performances or in a traditional Chinese orchestra, it was elevated to a solo instrument by Liu Tianhua (1895-1932). Liu introduced new bowing and fingering methods as he had also mastered the techniques of Western violin playing. This, at a time when the erhu was still considered a folk instrument and not played by "serious" musicians. His most famous and now classic tune is entitled "The Second Spring Reflects the Moon."

Qi Xiaochun says ancient Chinese culture promoted harmony between heaven and earth and respect for life and nature—values that are reflected in the Spectacular. She says her work is a tribute to people in China who share similar passions as her father, and performing in the Spectacular helps fulfill her father's dream. "I am on the stage today because of my father's dedication to what he considered his mission in life: preserving the essence and beauty of traditional Chinese culture for the generations to come."

The Chinese New Year Spectacular will play at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on January 13-14; in Montreal at the Place des Arts – Theatre Maisonneuve on January 15-17; in Toronto at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on January 18-20. The show will play in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver in the spring. For more information and to book tickets online: http://www.shows.ntdtv.com