Performing Piano Works Inspired by Folk Dances: “Wu Kui” and “My Spirit Is Dancing”

Ren Keyi; Chong Yew Yoong

doi:10.21834/e-bpj.v8i26.5207

Authors

Ren Keyi Faculty of Music, Hunan Nomal University, China
Chong Yew Yoong Faculty of Creative Arts, University Technology MARA, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v8i26.5207

Keywords:

Piano Works, Folk Dances, Ethnic Cultural Identity

Abstract

The piano work "Wu Kui" (1983) was composed by Chinese composer Zhou Long, inspired by the Manchu folk dance "Da Wu Kui," and "My Spirit is Dancing for Solo Piano" (2010) was composed by Malaysian composer Yii Kah Hoe, inspired by the Balinese baris dance. Both piano works are based on folk dances and use Western compositional techniques to innovate the language of folk music. The author takes these two piano works inspired by folk dances and analyses the performance difficulties of these two to enable the performer to better interpret the piano works and make the performance more convincing.

References

Bandem, I. M. (1975). The Baris Dance. Ethno-musicology, 19(2), 259. https://doi.org/10.2307/850359 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/850359

Covarrubias, M. (2018). Island of Bali. In Routledge eBooks. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315831763 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315831763

Cheng Wai Retrieved August 13, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag4VW6yAsmc&ab_channel=ChengWai.

Gan, P. J. (2017). Rojak: a study of cultural elements assimilated in selected works of Malaysian contemporary composers (2001-2014.(Doctoral dissertation).

Hoe, Y. K. (2017). Forest Threnody. EnviroLab Asia, 1(2), 1. https://doi.org/10.5642/envirolabasia.20170102.02 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5642/envirolabasia.20170102.02

Huang, W. (2020). Merging East with West: Zhou Long's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra-Postures (Doctoral dissertation, University of Miami).

Independent Composers Community Yogyakarta, retrieved August 17, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t3FY2syAA8&ab_channel=IndependentComposersCommunityYogyakarta

Khoo, K. S. (2014). Selected solo piano works by contemporary Malaysian composers: An analysis. West Virginia University.

Lee, W. H. (2023). A Study on the Musical Characteristics and Performance of Zhou Long's Piano Solo Work "Wukui" (Xi'an Conservatory of Music)

Miller, M. (2015). BBC Proms 2014: Weir, Zhou and Rands. Tempo, 69(271), 76–78. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0040298214000710 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0040298214000710

Ren Ke Yi. (2019). Analysis of the performance of Wukui for solo piano. Hunan Normal University

Yiikahhoe， retrieved August 13, 2023, from http://www.yiikahhoe.com

Yiikahhoe， retrieved August 13, 2023,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4qWAGD68tI&ab_channel=KahHoeYii

Wang, H. P. (1999). Dance-inspired music for piano. University of Maryland, College Park.

Zhao, Jin. (2011). Profile and Performance Analysis of Wukui for Piano. Music Composition, (3), 116-119.

Zhao, Q. (2013). The influence of Bartok’s approach to keyboard compositions on contemporary Chinese solo piano music: a portfolio of recorded performances and exegesis. https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/84426/9/01front.pdf

Oxford University Press, retrieved August 17, 2023, from https://global.oup.com/academic/product/wu-kui-9780193865068?lang=en&cc=my#.