Meaning and structure ‐ the case of Chinese qin (zither) music

Abstract

In Chinese traditional culture, primary importance is attached to the programmatic and aesthetical purport of musical pieces. In practice, however, one is confronted with an abundance of different (often contrasting) musical meanings. This is true for contemporary Chinese compositions, but also for traditional repertoires such as folk songs and qin (zither) music. This article discusses some contrasting interpretative views in the realm of qin music, on the basis of statements made by qin players and written documentation accompanying their commercial recordings. The article argues that the idea of musical structure as a major guide to the musical meaning of a piece can be safely discarded, if only because the structure of a piece does not exist ‐ as little as the meaning.