“You Know Nothing Except How to Read Musical Notation!”: Rethinking the Use of Notation in Jinghu Accompaniment

Abstract

Abstract: In the Peking opera ensemble, qinshi is the lead accompanist who plays the instrument jinghu . Traditional qinshi before the 1950s did not use notation in their performances. Few could read gongche notation. In training, they emulated melodies, memorized music, and improvised. Before the 1950s, published jinghu scores were notated in different systems. Since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, however, the institutionalization of traditional Peking opera training has accelerated the use of scores in cipher notation. This article examines the history of different notational systems in jinghu accompaniment, the problems of notating Peking opera rhythms, and qinshi attitudes toward notation. I argue that the pursuit of standard and fixed notation not only ignores the musical characteristics of Peking opera but also stifles performance creativity. I also argue that the mismatch between reading jinghu notation and performing jinghu accompaniment calls for a restoration of aural pedagogy in addition to notation in present-day training of qinshi . 摘要: 在京剧中，京胡是其主奏乐器，琴师是指拉京胡的乐师。二十世纪上半叶，尽 管有的传统琴师能识读工尺谱（传统中国乐谱的一种），但是他们中的大多数人并不 识字，并且，在日常训练和伴奏中，他们也不会使用乐谱。口传心授是传统琴师的训 练特点，包括了大量的模仿、记忆，和即兴伴奏。五十年代之前，几乎所有的京胡乐谱 都是由票友、京剧爱好者、以及音乐专业人士记谱并出版。然而，中华人民共和国成 立之后（1949），传统琴师的训练逐渐被纳入到戏曲学校的专业教育之下，这一体系 加快了由简谱翻译的京胡乐谱的使用。在这篇文章中，作者将追溯京胡伴奏使用乐谱 （由不同记谱法记谱）的历史，分析简谱在记录京剧音乐节奏中的局限性，以及琴师 对使用乐谱伴奏的不同观点。作者提出，京胡伴奏中把伴奏乐谱当作固定的乐谱不 仅忽视了京剧音乐的特点，也扼杀了伴奏者的创作力。对京胡伴奏中使用乐谱的争议 反映出琴师在看谱伴奏和无谱伴奏之间出现的错位现象。这一错位现象也呼吁在当 代琴师的训练中应该重视口传心授和看谱伴奏的两相结合的培养模式。