A Study On The Process Of Tune Innovation Of Cheng Yanqiu

As one of the most important element in Chinese operas,Peking Opera plays an important role in Chinese operas.In the long history of more than one hundred years of Peking Opera,there have been abundant art genres.Most of the genres are signified by the artist's style of performance and singing rather than the tune.However,Cheng Yanqiu is the one of the few artists who is famous for the tune.Since Peking Opera has been inherited since ancient times,there are few changes on the tune.However,Cheng Yanqiu made some innovation in the tune.He changed the way from “changing the word to cater for the tune” to “changing the tune to cater for the word”.His reform solves the problem of "thousands of operas with the same tune" and realizes “a drama with a type of tune".The reason why the genre of Cheng Yanqiu is unique among the major Beijing opera genres is because of not only its tragic characteristics,but also its founder Cheng Yanqiu's tune innovation in the Peking Opera.Cheng Yanqiu has an important influence in Peking Opera performance and makes a great contribution to the reform of Peking Opera through the innovation of “changing the tune to cater for the word”.Therefore,it has important value to study Cheng Yanqiu's tune innovation.Based on the theory of opera,this thesis analyzes the historical background,the development process,and the achievements of Cheng Yanqiu's tune innovation to explore the value and the contribution of Cheng Yanqiu's reform on the tune to the Chinese Peking Opera through the method of literature,historical research and induction.This article is divided into four chapters.Chapter One clarifies the research purpose,research significance,and research status of this topic.Chapter Two sorts out the history of the Cheng Yanqiu's tune innovation.He made the reform of the tune because of not only his own development but also his leaning experience,the historical and cultural background at that time.Chapter Three analyzes the development of the principle of Cheng Yanqiu's tune innovation.Through the study of phonology,Cheng Yanqiu proposed the principle of “changing the tune to cater for the word”,and then put forward four principles including suiting for the plot,understanding the pronunciation of words,the appropriate application of absorbing,and proper controlling.By studying the western music system in Europe,Cheng Yanqiu finally put forward nineteen suggestions on the stage and music of the Peking Opera.Chapter Four analyzes the achievements of Cheng Yanqiu' tune innovation.This part not only interprets the typical dramas of Cheng Yanqiu after the reform of the tune including “Wen-chi's captivity and returning”,“Tears of Wasted Mountain”,and “Zhu Ying tai's protest against marriage”,but also discusses the contribution of Cheng Yanqiu's tune innovation to the Chinese Peking Opera.