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Sound are longitudinal waves that propagate through air. For those who are fortunate enough to have a sense of hearing and sight, we instinctively correlate the size and weight of an object to its sound. We can feel the vibrations of the instrument as it moves through our bodies.
Some music in Chinese history was used for ritual and ornate state ceremony. In this case, the bells in the picture above are black, heavy looking, and regular it its pattern and adornments. Everything about this piece is deliberate and controlled. They don't appear to be household objects, too heavy to be practical. They appear to serve a grand purpose. The size of the bells imply the sound carries over a large distance. The picture above isn't from The Chinese Art Book, but there are also long wooden rods used to strike the bell.
The figures on the bottom are curvaceous and asymmetric, suggesting imbalance and movement. I will assume for now that the figures are female. The dance figure on the left has these long sleeves that accentuate her arms. The movements are meant to take space with the purpose of attracting attention. The figure looks as if she's mourning over a tomb, but it's a 25-stringed instrument that sits on the ground. The position of her heads shows her direction of focus, and the hands are poised, ready to use the fine motor skills of her fingers to pluck complex chords and melodies.
The instrumentalists in the following video look dorky, but this is an accurate historical recreation of music from the Warring States period. Ancient music sheets survived along with someone having the foresight to label each bell with its respective note. The dance sequence is based on small models and historical painting:
I'm not sure what to make of these pieces. I can only imagine myself an emperor of my court. As all of my ministers are wining and dining in front of me, I am sitting on my throne, listening with my eyes closed as I consider the present moment of my empire. I'm hoping no one assassinates me.
Some music in Chinese history was used for ritual and ornate state ceremony. In this case, the bells in the picture above are black, heavy looking, and regular it its pattern and adornments. Everything about this piece is deliberate and controlled. They don't appear to be household objects, too heavy to be practical. They appear to serve a grand purpose. The size of the bells imply the sound carries over a large distance. The picture above isn't from The Chinese Art Book, but there are also long wooden rods used to strike the bell.
The figures on the bottom are curvaceous and asymmetric, suggesting imbalance and movement. I will assume for now that the figures are female. The dance figure on the left has these long sleeves that accentuate her arms. The movements are meant to take space with the purpose of attracting attention. The figure looks as if she's mourning over a tomb, but it's a 25-stringed instrument that sits on the ground. The position of her heads shows her direction of focus, and the hands are poised, ready to use the fine motor skills of her fingers to pluck complex chords and melodies.
The instrumentalists in the following video look dorky, but this is an accurate historical recreation of music from the Warring States period. Ancient music sheets survived along with someone having the foresight to label each bell with its respective note. The dance sequence is based on small models and historical painting:
I'm not sure what to make of these pieces. I can only imagine myself an emperor of my court. As all of my ministers are wining and dining in front of me, I am sitting on my throne, listening with my eyes closed as I consider the present moment of my empire. I'm hoping no one assassinates me.
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