Erxian


The erxian is a Chinese bowed string instrument in the family of instruments. It has two strings and is used primarily in Cantonese music, most often in "hard string" chamber ensembles. In the 1920s, following the development of the, the experienced a decline and since the late 20th century has been little used outside the tradition of Cantonese opera.
Similar instruments also referred to as are used in Chaozhou music and in the nanguan music of the Southern Fujian people.
The is often referred to as the amongst older Cantonese opera musicians. The neck of most is made of hardwood. Other instruments used in conjunction with the are the /, , , and /. Together, this grouping of instruments is called the "hard bow ensemble". The name "hard bow" comes from the fact that both the and are/should be played with a bow made of a thick, hard piece of bamboo rather than a thinner and softer reed like modern bows.
The of earlier times came in two forms: one for playing / , and a slightly larger one for playing /.
  • A is tuned to 士-工/la-mi/A-e
  • An is tuned to 合-尺/so-re/G-d
Today, the is more commonly used to play both and melodies. The heavy silk strings of the earlier have largely been replaced with wound steel strings and some modern players have begun to use bows instead of the heavier "hard bows."
While the has experienced a decline in usage since the 1920s, it remains a staple instrument in any Cantonese opera orchestra and recently composed Cantonese operas like "新霸王別姬" and "林沖之魂會山神廟" are calling for its regular usage.

Video

  • by Chu Yung
Category:Chinese musical instruments
Category:Huqin family instruments
Category:Necked bowl lutes
Category:Cantonese music