中华文明的艺术奇葩——民歌（上）

文/五花肉

民歌历史悠久绵长，早在原始社会的狩猎、祭祀活动中就出现了民歌的雏形。经过漫长的演变，民歌已经呈现出百花齐放态势，形成了具有鲜明地域风格的“标准”体系。

The Chinese folk songs have a long history. The embryonic form of Chinese folk songs can be traced back to hunting and ritual activities in primitive society. After evolution over the passage of time,Chinese folk songs became more mixed and diverse,which gradually formed the "standard" system with distinct regional styles.

鲜明的地域文化 Distinct Regional Culture

民歌的发展有3个重要的历史时期。春秋时期，我国最早的一部民歌歌词集《诗经》问世。汉魏时期，官方音乐机构“乐府”的设立，进一步促进了民歌的规范和发展，诞生了以《孔雀东南飞》、《木兰辞》为代表的优秀叙事民歌作品。到了明代，民歌迎来了又一个巅峰期，初步形成劳动号子、山歌、小调三种具有鲜明地域文化烙印的体系：北方号子粗犷刚劲，西域山歌风情浓烈，江南小调委婉悠长。

There are three important historical periods in the development of folk songs. In the Spring and Autumn Period,Book of Songs, the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry came out. In Han dynasty, the establishment of Music Bureau "Yuefu" further promoted the standardization and development of Chinese folk songs. In Han, Wei and Six dynasties, it generated lots of great narrative folk songs represented asA Peacock Southeast FlewandBallad of Mulan.In Ming Dynasty, folk songs ushered in another peak, it formed haozi, mountain song and folk ditty,which features distinct culture characteristic. Haozi in northern China are vigorous and forceful; Mountain songs in western China are full of local customs; The folk ditties in northern China are subtle and lingering.

结构的韵律之美 The Beauty of the Rhythm in Structure

在数千年的演化过程中，民歌的声乐结构也逐渐形成了一套特定的“标准”，包括呼应体、三部体和循环体三种结构。

During the thousands of years' evolution, Chinese folk songs has formed a specific set of standards in musical forms including call and response form,ternary form and cyclical form.

呼应体以信天游为代表，“呼”为上句、“应”为下句，上下呼应，造就平衡的韵律之美；三部体，又称“起平落”体，由舒缓轻快的“起”部、节奏鲜明的“平”部以及舒缓婉转的“落”部组成，多用于山歌创作；循环体，多在一段主体音乐中插入其他曲调，形成“回旋曲”式结构，增强歌曲的表现力，代表作唢呐曲《百鸟朝凤》耳熟能详，常见于民间舞乐。

Call and response form is represented by "Xintianyou".The "call" part is the first sentence while the"response" part is the corresponding sentence, which creates the beauty of balanced rhythm. The ternary form, also known as rise-flat-fall form, consists of three parts, namely rise part; fl at part and fall part. The rise part is soothing and lighthearted. The fl at part is rhythmic. The fall part is delicate. The ternary form is usually applied to mountain songs. The cyclical form,namely the form where some melody is inserted into the main body to strengthen the performance of music.The familiar magnum opus,the Hundreds of Birds Worshipping The phoenixaccompanied by suona, is common in folk dancing and music.

独特的同宗民歌 Distinctive folk songs with consanguinity

民歌在异地传播过程中，会根据不同地区的审美情趣进行二次创作，形成“同宗民歌”这种独特的文化现象。把词曲、结构、衬词的异同作为划分标准，同宗民歌可分为词曲大同小异、词同曲异、曲同词异等六种类型。享誉世界的《茉莉花》，就是词曲大同小异型同宗民歌的代表：江苏版本的《茉莉花》旋律委婉；山西版本的《茉莉花》采用民族七声清乐调式，加入了4、7二音；宁夏版本的《茉莉花》则选择民族六声调式，将4音微微升高，形成一个上滑的游移音，表现歌曲感情色彩的变化。

During the transmission in other places, it led variations and developments in folk songs over the passage of time according to the aesthetic taste of the different places, which become a very distinct cultural phenomenon called folk songs with consanguinity.The consanguinity songs fall into six types in accordance with lyrics and melodies; structures and lining words, including same lyrics but different melodies; and same melodies but different lyrics. The world-renowned songThe Jasmine Floweris a typical folk songs with consanguinity, which is form of same lyrics but different melodies.The Jasmine Flowerin Jiangsu version is euphemistic;The Jasmine Flowerin Shanxi version uses the seven notes of China's ancient heptatonic scale, adding Fa and Ti;The Jasmine Flowerin Ningxia version uses six notes of China's ancient hexatone scale. The wavering tone caused by slightly raising Fa expresses the emotional change in the song.

结 语 Conclusion

充分汲取地域文化的民歌，用自成体系的“标准化”声乐结构和演绎方法，诠释了中华民族独特的审美情趣，成为世界音乐艺术宝库中一颗熠熠生辉的明珠。

Fully absorbing the regional cultures, Chinese folk songs establish its own standard musical forms and performances to interpret distinct aesthetic appeal of the Chinese nation, and become one of bright pearl in the world art treasure.