Yuanban (Primary Metre)
The moderate 2/4 metre that serves as the basic form of xipi and erhuang arias
Related
Yuanban is the basic metre of pihuang arias: one ban and one yan, usually barred in 2/4, at a moderate speed, with matching upper and lower lines and a fairly even balance of words and melody. Erhuang has yuanban, xipi has yuanban; manban stretches its durations and liushui presses them tight.
It suits narration and dialogue — not yet lyrical, not yet hurried. Yuanban does not mean "the original version" but the reference point against which other metres are heard: slow it and add ornaments and it nears manban; pack it densely and it heads toward liushui and kuaiban.
Read deeper → erhuang
Sources
- 原板一板一眼的中速形态、作为皮黄基本板式及与慢板、流水的关系，参《中国音乐词典》与 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "China" 相关条目；本文为原创表述
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