Background of 高山流水(High Mountain and Running River, Gao Shan Liu Shui, Guzheng, 古筝曲)

高山流水(High Mountain and Running River, Gao Shan Liu Shui, Guzheng, 古筝曲 ), Guzheng (古筝, Zither) Solo, was composed by Bo Ya (伯牙) before 221 BC. Listed as one of ten best ancient Chinese music pieces.

There are two variants: Guzheng (古筝) and Guqin (古琴). Guqin (古琴) version of 高山流水(High Mountain and Running River, Gao Shan Liu Shui) is usually considered as the original one. Guzheng (古筝曲) version is significantly different from Guqin version and was composed by later musicians based on the same story.

“High Mountains Flowing Water” has lyre and zither versions, both inspired by the classical allusion: Boya encountering a person who understands his zither performance.

Bo Ya was good at playing the qin. Zhong Ziqi was good at to listening to the qin.  When Bo Ya’s will was towards high mountains in his playing, Zhong Ziqi would say,

‘How towering like Mount Tai!’

When Bo Ya’s will was towards flowing water in his playing, Zhong Ziqi would say,

‘How vast are the rivers and oceans!’

Whatever Bo Ya thought of Ziqi would never fail to understand.

Bo Ya said, ‘Amazing! Your heart and mines are the same!’  When Ziqi died, Bo Ya broke the strings of his zither and vowed never to play the zither again.

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The length of 高山流水(High Mountain and Running River, Gao Shan Liu Shui, Guzheng, 古筝曲, zither) is 5’58”.

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高山流水(High Mountain and Running River, Gao Shan Liu Shui, Guzheng, 古筝曲) 赏析

《高山流水》，为中国十大古曲之一。有琴曲和筝曲两种，两者同名异曲，风格完全不同。传说先秦的琴师伯牙一次在荒山野地弹琴，樵夫钟子期竟能领会这是描绘“巍巍乎志在高山”和“洋洋乎志在流水”。伯牙惊道：“善哉，子之心与吾心同。”子期死后，伯牙痛失知音，摔琴绝弦，终生不操，故有高山流水之曲。这段故事,这段琴曲流芳百世,被人传颂着,给人以深深的启迪。

乐曲赏析：
《高山流水》充分运用“泛音、滚、拂、绰、注、上、下”等指法，描绘了流水的各种动态，抒发了志在流水，智者乐水之意。
第一段：引子部分。旋律在宽广音域内不断跳跃和变换音区，虚微的移指换音与实音相间，旋律时隐时现。犹见高山之巅，云雾缭绕，飘忽无定。

第二、三段：清澈的泛音，活泼的节奏，犹如“淙淙铮铮，幽间之寒流；清清冷冷，松根之细流。”息心静听，愉悦之情油然而生。第三段是二段的移高八度重复，它省略了二段的尾部。

第四、五段：如歌的旋律，”其韵扬扬悠悠，俨若行云流水。”

第六段：先是跌岩起伏的旋律，大幅度的上、下滑音。接着连续的“猛滚、慢拂”作流水声，并在其上方又奏出一个递升递降的音调，两者巧妙的结合，真似“极腾沸澎湃之观，具蛟龙怒吼之象。息心静听，宛然坐危舟过巫峡，目眩神移，惊心动魄，几疑此身已在群山奔赴，万壑争流之际矣。”

第七段：在高音区连珠式的泛音群，先降后升，音势大减，恰如“轻舟已过，势就倘佯，时而余波激石，时而旋洑微沤。”

第八段：变化再现了前面如歌的旋律，并加入了新音乐材料。稍快而有力的琴声，音乐充满着热情。段末流水之声复起，令人回味。

第九段：颂歌般的旋律由低向上引发，富于激情。段末再次出现第四段中的种子材料，最后结束在宫音上。八、九两段属古琴曲结构中的“复起”部分。尾声情越的泛音，使人们沉浸于“洋洋乎，诚古调之希声者乎”之思绪中。

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高山流水(High Mountain and Running River, Gao Shan Liu Shui, Guzheng, 古筝曲, zither)乐曲长度为 5’58”.

免费下载高山流水(High Mountain and Running River, Gao Shan Liu Shui, Guzheng, 古筝曲)  MP3

免费下载高山流水mp3 (右键 “另存为”): 高山流水(High Mountain and Running River, Gao Shan Liu Shui, Guzheng, 古筝曲)

You may buy more Guzheng and Guqin music CDs or MP3s from Amazon. Here is the list of recommended Guzheng (古筝) music CDs and MP3s.

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