ORIGIN OF CHINESE MUSIC.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVI, Issue 1323, 28 August 1894, Page 6

ORIGIN OF CHINESE MUSIC.

In turning our attention first of all to the Chinese, we find that the origin of music with them, as with all other nations, is in close affinity with that of their religion. The Chinese builds his world upon the harmonious actions of the heavens and earth; regards the animation of all nature, the movement of the stars and the change of seasons, as a grand “ world-music,” in which everything keeps steadfastly in its appointed course, teaching mankind a wholesome lesson. One of the founders of their religion, Fo-HI, is believed to have been the inventor of the Kin, stringed instrument still in use in China. The close relationship that originally existed between the constitution of the State and music is clearly shown in Chinese history. All their music has from time immemorial been under State supervision, in order to guard against the stealthy introduction of any tone contrary to ordinance. Here we already meet with the pernicious influence of a bureaucratic pedantic State, as well as that of the prosaic character of the Chinese, upon their music. Both features are exemplified in the names of the notes of their oldest musical scale, which consisted only of five tones, from F to D, omitting the B.—Cassell’s History of Music.