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1 min readBanhu fiddle performance Henan opera is a distinctive form of regional opera, popular in Henan Province.
The early Henan opera civil orchestra consisted of the erxian (two-string lute), small sanxian (three-stringlute), andyueqin (moon lute). During the 19 30s, the banhu fiddle and erhu (two-string fiddle) were added,with the banhu serving as the lead instrument. The banhu, a high-pitched bowed string instrument, is an improved version of the huqin fiddle. It was developed with the rise of regional Bangzi opera during the late Ming-early Qing period. It is popular in Shaanxi, Gansu, and Shanxi provinces. The banhu fiddle is ap-proximately 70 centimeters long, with a wood neck and two strings. The soundbox is usually made out of a coconut shell, covered with a wooden panel. There are two types of banhu, one used as a solo instrument and one used to accompany regional opera. The soprano banhu that is used in the Henan opera orchestra has many playing techniques. Among them, the glissando is extensively used, creating the characteristic style of this instrument. The banhu fiddle is well-suited for performing exciting and lively melodies, and often serves as the lead instrument in string ensembles.
The Henan opera martial orchestra is composed of percussion instruments, including the bangu (flatdrum), paigu drum, large luo (gong), small luo (gong), and bo (cymbals), with the bangzi (wooden clappers) marking the rhythm.
