Yueqin (moon lute) performance

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The yueqin (moon lute), the third of Beijing opera’s three main instruments, is a plucked string instrument similar in form to the ruan, with a round, moon-shaped soundbox and a relatively short neck. Theyueqin is approximately 62 centimeters long, and its soundbox is 3 6 centimeters in diameter. It has four tuning pegs and four strings. Each pair of strings is tuned to the same pitch, with the two pairs a fifth apart. The neck has eight or nine frets, producing a range of two octaves. The left hand is used to press the frets, while the right hand plucks the strings. The yueqin is used primarily to accompany Beijing opera and Chu opera.

During the 20th century, the yueqin was adapted to meet the needs of various styles of ensemble playing,resulting in variations with wider and longer necks.

Bo (cymbals)

The Beijing opera martial orchestra is composed of a wide variety of percussion instruments, including the bangu (flat drum), paiban (clappers), daluo (large gong),jingbo (cymbal), xiaoluo (small cymbal), tanggu (large and small kettle drums), naobo (cymbals), xiaocha (small cymbals), muyu (wooden fish), nanbangzi (southern clappers), and pengzhong (struck bell). The bangu (flat drum) and paiban (clappers) players serve as the orchestra’s conductors. The luo (gong) and bo (cymbals) are among the most distinctive instrurnents in the group. The bo is a brass percussion instrument that dates back at least to the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-5 89 AD). It came into widespread use among the general population around the beginning of the 6th century AD. The bo consists of a set of two round flat cymbals with large raised areas in the middle and holes at the center. A narrow strip of leather or yarn is threaded through the holes, connecting the two pieces together. The bo is played by holding one cymbal in each hand and crashing them together, producing a loud, ringing sound. The bo (cymbals) are often used in instrumental folk ensembles and to accompany regional opera and song and dance entertainments, as well as in specialized gong and drum.