The primary focus of this website is the
guqin,
a Chinese silk-string zither
(see the
Guqin Picture Gallery; download a
40 second
.mp3 soundfile).
There are also details of my work with Hong Kong's
Festival of Asian Arts
(which did not survive the post-1997 Hong Kong government
reorganization).
These activities have had two common goals: to help dispell the notion
that
Asian arts are intrinsically more ethnic or folkloric than Western
arts; and pleasure.
The impetus for this home page was a grant given me in January 1996 by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council to assist in publishing a digital recording, with accompanying commentary and transcriptions, of one of my guqin music reconstruction projects. (For difficulties recording qin see Recording Details.) This led to my CD, Music Beyond Sound, the Silk String Zither, where I play music from the 15th century Handbook of the Beyond Sounds Immortal, using a Song dynasty qin; and to the related book of transcriptions. This site includes a small sample of one transcription and a short sound clip; many illustrations, such as the scenes illustrating guqin melodies); and articles starting with a Brief Introduction to the Silk-String Zither. Of special note is Historically Informed Qin Performance).
In June 2001 we moved to Weehawken, a short ferry ride from New York City. I am continuing to work on my main project since 1976, music of the earliest surviving qin handbook, the Shen Qi Mi Pu (1425 CE). My recordings are now available as a set of 6 CDs, and the transcriptions in three ring-bound photocopied volumes; most of the program notes are online. I have also put my reconstructions of the 38 qin songs from Taigu Yiyin (1511) into Encore staff notation, but the lyrics still await translation.
January 2003 update: Performances
Personal note: My father: novelist?
|
You are visitor number since 10 October 1996 |
Address (directions):
John Thompson 30 King Ave. Weehawken NJ 07086 - silkqin@aol.com |