Development of the Instrumental Group of the Peking Opera from the 19th to the Early 21st Century in the Context of the Academisation of Chinese Musical Art
Abstract
This article explores the century-long process of synthesis of the traditional instrumental group of Peking opera with Western academic symphonic instrumentation. The main focus is on the “mixed academisation” model, which views development as a dynamic equilibrium between artificial intervention and natural evolution. The article traces the key stages: the penetration of Western music into Chinese culture and the modernisation of Chinese traditional instruments in the late 19th — early 21st centuries; early experiments in incorporating Western instruments; the formation of a stable mixed model with the dominance of the “three great instruments” of Peking opera during the “cultural revolution”; modern trends of “symphonisation,” leading to the risk of losing traditional identity. The authors conclude that successful modernisation requires preservation of the traditional instrumental composition and aesthetic foundations of the nation while enriching expressiveness with borrowed elements. It is additionally proposed that the principles of mixed academisation be applied more broadly to vocals, composition, and the holistic artistic system of Peking opera.
Keywords: Peking opera, instrumental group of Peking opera, academisation, mixed academisation, post-academic syndrome, symphonisation
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.56620/RM.2025.4.087-099
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