Jumping Sound

for Zhongruan and Orchestra

Yanhe Dance，literally Cigarette Case Dance，is a folk dance popular among Nisu people，a subgroup of the ethnic group Yi people who live in the Southern part of Yunnan province. Yanhe Dance matured during the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty and reached its peak during the Qing Dynasty and the Minguo Era. The dance earned its name because the dancers hold one wooden or bamboo cigarette case in each hand. The dancing music is often played on Yueqin，a traditional Chinese plucked lute with four strings. The Yi people also call the dance“Jumping Strings”，“Jumping Sound”and“Jumping Three-step Strings”. Yi people of all ages，both men and women，enjoy dancing the Yanhe Dance. As a traditional saying goes，“You are ready to dance when the instrument with four strings is played.”

When the composer went there to collect folk tunes，he was inspired by the extraordinary and sensational Yanhe Dance that has many variations，especially by its rhythmic and graceful movements that create a festive atmosphere. To accommodate to contemporary aesthetics，instead of Yueqing，he chose Zhongruan，another Chinese plucked string instrument with four strings，to describe vivid folk musical images through its rich performance technique. The Zhongruan is accompanied by an orchestra that produces a wide range of tone colors and textures in a broad expanse， presenting a vivid description of traditional customs of Yi people who dance with burning passion.