Bawu
Encyclopedia
The bawu is a Chinese
wind instrument. Although shaped like a flute
, it is actually a free reed
instrument, with a single metal reed. It is played in a transverse (horizontal) manner. It has a pure, clarinet
-like timbre
and its playing technique incorporates the use of much ornamentation, particularly bending tones.
Although the bawu likely originated in the Yunnan
province of southwest China
, it has become a standard instrument throughout China, used in modern Chinese compositions for traditional instrument ensembles. It is typically used as a solo instrument, and is often featured in film scores; it is sometimes also heard in popular music recordings.
Although the bawu is still predominantly performed in China, it has in recent years been adopted by European composers and performers. Rohan Leach from England; Raphael De Cock from Belgium and Herman Witkam from the Netherlands have all taken the instrument in new directions.
Guo Yue
, who now resides in England, has long advocated the instrument, playing it on all of his recordings.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
wind instrument. Although shaped like a flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, it is actually a free reed
Free reed aerophone
A free reed aerophone is a musical instrument where sound is produced as air flows past a vibrating reed in a frame. Air pressure is typically generated by breath or with a bellows.- Operation :...
instrument, with a single metal reed. It is played in a transverse (horizontal) manner. It has a pure, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
-like timbre
Timbre
In music, timbre is the quality of a musical note or sound or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices and musical instruments, such as string instruments, wind instruments, and percussion instruments. The physical characteristics of sound that determine the...
and its playing technique incorporates the use of much ornamentation, particularly bending tones.
Although the bawu likely originated in the Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
province of southwest China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, it has become a standard instrument throughout China, used in modern Chinese compositions for traditional instrument ensembles. It is typically used as a solo instrument, and is often featured in film scores; it is sometimes also heard in popular music recordings.
Although the bawu is still predominantly performed in China, it has in recent years been adopted by European composers and performers. Rohan Leach from England; Raphael De Cock from Belgium and Herman Witkam from the Netherlands have all taken the instrument in new directions.
Guo Yue
Guo Yue (musician)
Guo Yue is a renowned virtuoso of the dizi and bawu . He was born in Beijing, China and as a young boy experienced the Cultural Revolution. In 1982 Yue left China and, with the help of his third sister Yan who was living in England, he studied the silver flute at the Guildhall School of Music...
, who now resides in England, has long advocated the instrument, playing it on all of his recordings.
See also
- HulusiHulusiThe hulusi or cucurbit flute is a free reed wind instrument from China. It is held vertically and has three bamboo pipes which pass through a gourd wind chest; the center pipe has finger holes and the outer two are typically drone pipes...
, a related instrument with three pipes - Traditional Chinese musical instrumentsTraditional Chinese musical instruments-The Eight Sounds or Eight Tones :The eight categories are: silk, bamboo, wood, stone, metal, clay, gourd and hide. There are other instruments which may not fit these classifications. This is one of the first musical classifications ever.-Silk :...
External links
- Bawu page from ASZA.com site
- Bawu from Pat Missin's Home Page
- Bawu photos