Jingyun dagu is popular to this day in the Chinese capital. It is divided into three schools, headed by Liu Baoquan, Bai Yunpeng, and Zhang Xiaoxuan, respectively. Liu attained the highest artistic achievement by earning the title King of Dagu. He has made the greatest contributions to dagu and won esteem as the leading artist in his field. In the wake of the emergence of the three schools, another appeared, known as the junior Bai School and headed by the brothers Bai Fengyan and Bai Fengming.
After the founding of the PRC, Jingyun dagu made greater strides in development. The singers were regarded as people's artists or actors. While they continued to sing and tell traditional stories, themes reflecting contemporary life emerged, such as Glorious Journey, Red Flag Over Mount Everest, Patriotism and Roaring Waves, Han Ying Meets Her Mother, and Bai Niu Tells a Story.
At the same time, a number of young artist were trained. Today, Zhao Xueyi (Bai school), Yang Fengiie (Liu school), Liu Chun'ai (Luo school), and Zhong Yujie (Liu school) rank as successful young artists.
Meihua Dagu
Meihua dagu, also called as Meihua tune, is a category of dagu that flourished in Beijing and Tianjin towards the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the ROC. It originated from Qingkou dagu, becoming popular in northern Beijing at the end of the Qing Dynasty.
Meihua dagu underwent reform and adaptation in the 1920s by Jin Wanchang, a Beiing dagu artist who made the said dagu sweet and lovely in melody.
Lu Chengke, the famous Tianjin stringed instrument player, learned a number of popular tunes and enriched as well as improved the dagu melody and musical effect in accompaniment. He trained a number of girls to sing Meihua dagu, including Hua Sibao, Hua Wubao, and Hua Xiaobao (Shi Wenxiu). The reformation by Lu led to the development of a woman's voice in singing high pitch. This resulted in the soft and sweet style of the school of Meihua dagu with high pitch tunes for female voices. It became known as the Lu or Hua school and differs from the Jin Wanchang school, which is known for its delicate, minute, refined, elegant, bold, vigorous, and beautiful rendition.
The songs of Meihua dagu are presented as short pieces, and use Beijing dialect in singing. The more famous works include Thoughts of Husband Surging Over the Mind of Wang Er Jie and Daiyu Buries Flowers.
After the 1960s, Meihua dagu again went through a period of formation in vocal music. The routine opening words in the slow movement were dropped. This changed the style of using few words that dragged on and on in singing. Fine music filled the air instead. The melody of Meihua dagu became more elegant and pleasing to the ear.
Two Springs Reflect the Moon performed by the young artist, Ji Wei, leaves a deep impression on the audience. Ji Wei, born in 1956, sings with a beautiful, mellow, and sweet voice and acts naturally with a poised manner. She is credited with having made many innovations to Meihua dagu. She studied Jingyun dagu at first. Later she changed her course and studied Meihua dagu under Shi Wenxiu and Hua Wubao.
Email to Friends
Print
Save