Comprehensive Introduction to Chinese Traditional Music

'Comprehensive Introduction to Chinese Traditional Music' offers a detailed survey of Chinese traditional music in five chapters, each dealing with a different genre. The five genres are folk songs, dance music, narrative singing, music from Chinese opera, and instrumental music. The book begins with an introduction providing an overview of Chinese traditional music history, its connotations and main musical features, an indispensable context for readers unfamiliar with the subject. Within the main text, the authors discuss not only the local music genres, focusing on instruments, music analysis, and tonal theories, but also the historical evolution, performance, and social contexts associated with the music. A glossary of Chinese musical terms is listed in the appendix.

Yuan Jingfang was Professor and Head of the Musicology Department before she took up the Deanship of Distance Learning at Beijing Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM). A renowned ethnomusicologist, Yuan is a board member of the Chinese Musicians' Association. Founder of the Research Centre of Buddhist Music.