器樂合奏和用器樂伴奏聲樂，在中國很早就有，而且曾長期繼續，直到現在，若將更古的傳說除外不計，則西元前五世紀以前，我們已確有相當盛大的合奏，也有用器樂伴奏的聲樂，也有聲樂與器樂相間而作的一種表達形式①，在西元前五世紀孔子所編的詩經中曾描寫到「哥哥吹塤，弟弟吹箎」②。「琴和瑟合奏」③等事，孔子自己也曾一面彈瑟，一面唱歌④。關於獨奏，我們知道，在西元前六世紀時，曾有一位衛國的樂師，在古琴上奏出一個他所新學到的古代曲調⑤；春秋時期（前七七○至前四○三）伯牙曾在古琴上奏出描寫「高山」和「流水」的曲調；在西元前三至十世紀一段期間，出現了不少笛、琵琶、羯鼓、箏、箜篌、古琴以及其他樂器的獨奏家及獨奏曲調，在此以後，仍繼續有所發展。對樂器，對演奏者，對演奏情況，對曲調內容，在我們的歷史記載裏面，詩歌及其他文學作品裏面，都有著無數傑出的特寫篇章。對器樂的合奏、獨奏、伴舞、伴唱，在我們很多的石刻和繪畫中間，有著不少生動的畫面。這些文獻，從器樂方面，也足以喚起我們對繼承和發揚民族優秀傳統的自信心和責任感。
我們的器樂，並不是孤立產生的；各種器樂形式相互之間，和它們與器樂以外的音樂形式之間，都有著相當密切的關係。大部分器樂曲調之與聲樂曲調有著聯繫，已是一個明顯的事實。除了有些專門的器樂的創作之外，有些器樂曲調本身就是民歌的器樂加工，有些器樂曲調，則是從戲曲或其他音樂的母體上所引伸出來的器樂的發展。我們目前有些已成為獨立形式的敲擊樂器的曲牌是由過去敲擊樂器對於聲樂的伴奏中產生出來；反之，我們也有些管弦樂的樂段則是由於過去管弦樂器對敲擊聲樂器部分的襯托穿插面產生出來的。在欠豐富多樣的器樂中，非但可以看出聲樂與器樂的關係，而且也可以看出多種器樂樂種間相互的關係。
經濟環境與生產情況不同，也影響了器樂演奏形式和樂隊所用樂器的種類。遼闊的地區，人口較分散的農村中，在戶外演奏的器樂所用樂器，如嗩呐、管以及敲擊樂等，其所發往往是偏于高亢、響亮，很多人從遠處都能聽到的聲音；人口較集中的都市中，在戶內演奏的器樂，較多用絃樂器，其所奏曲調，常偏於柔和優美。我國各地無數都市和農村的勞動人民，結合了他們長期的生活，為我們創造並流傳下了非常多樣的難以數計的曲調，以及各色各種樂器的各色各種高妙的表達方法。這是我們器樂的取之不竭的源泉，也就是我們今天繼承和發揚的物件。
但這些豐富的遺產，在過去長期封建王朝時代中，曾長期被輕視，它們的發展被阻礙，它們之間交流的關係也部分被隔絕。它們沒有被人收集、錄音，也沒有被人記寫、整理，它們仍舊保存在藝人們的口頭中、樂器上，還並沒有可聽的唱片、書面的樂譜可藉以作普遍公開的介紹。在幾千年歷史中，它們第一次得到應有的注意，可以說，只是在今天人民政權建立之後。當然，面臨著無邊的大海，對於各個樂種及各個樂種中的各個曲調，即使選擇了重點，也不能不從所選擇的一點一滴做起；在人民政權建立之後，雖然經不少的同志們盡過極大的努力，但把所已掌握的部分來與實際存在的器樂的全部遺產相比，則仍不過「九牛一毛」而已。但是這與過去已成顯著的對比。勞動人民所長期創造、保存和發展的器樂，過去被輕視，今天被重視了。在政府號召之下，空前的、大範圍的綜合性的會演，把各地優秀藝人所奏的優秀節目，屢次的向著廣大的聽眾推薦；精通音樂業務的幹部，經常成批地下鄉採訪，向藝人們學習，得到藝人的合作，然後進行整理。雖然不夠全面，也不夠深入，但已足以說明優秀的社會制度確立後的短短期間，在民族器樂方面已經獲得的初步收穫。我們相信，我們的遺產是豐富的，我們集體的力量是無限的。我們繼續的努力，將一天一天地引向更高的成績，我們將逐漸能瞭解更多的樂種，選出更好、更多的曲調來和群眾見面。
① 周代典禮音樂中的「間歌」，是一曲唱，一曲用笙奏，相間進行的。
② 「伯氏吹塤，仲氏吹箎」。
③ 「琴瑟友之」。
④ 論語孔子「取瑟而歌」。
⑤ 見韓非子《十過》篇。
作者單位：
中國音樂史家、民族音樂學家
前中央音樂學院研究部教授
前中國音樂研究所所長
前中國音樂家協會常務理事
前中國藝術研究院顧問
前中國文學藝術界聯合會全國委員會委員
Development of Chinese Instrumental Music
Yang Yinliu
The instrumental music ensemble and with as accompaniment of vocal music, very already has in China, moreover once for a long time continued, until now, if a more ancient fable will be an exception does not count, then before B.C.E.5 centuries, we really had the quite grand instrumental ensemble, also useful instrumental music accompaniment vocal music, also had one kind of expression form which the vocal music and the instrumental music alternated with does (1), arranged in B.C.E. 5 centuries Kong Zi in poetry once described “two friends play the instrument together” (2). “The qin and the Chinese zither instrumental ensemble” (3) and so on the matter, Kong Zi also once at the same time played the Chinese zither, at the same time sang (4).About the solo, we knew, when B.C.E. 6 centuries, once some Wei Guo’s musicians, reported the ancient times melody in the guqin which a his institute newly learned (5); The Spring and Autumn Period time (first770 – first 403) Yu Boya once reported the description in the guqin “the mountain” and “the running water” the melody; In B.C.E. 3 to 10centuries section of period, appeared many flutes, the pipa, the jie drum, the zheng, the harp, the guqin and all that musical instruments solos and the solo melody, after this, still continued to have the development. To the musical instrument, to the performer, to plays the situation, to the melody content, inside ours historical record, inside the poetry and other literary works, all has the innumerable outstanding feature articles chapter. For the instrumental music instrumental ensemble, the solo, the dancing partner, the vocal accompaniment, these pictures are mentioned among our many carved stone and the drawing. The literature, from instrumental music aspect, also sufficiently arouses us to inherit and to carry forward the national outstanding tradition self-confidence and the sense of responsibility.
Our instrumental music, certainly is not the isolation produces; Each kind of instrumental music form mutually between, with them with between the instrumental music outside music form, all has quite close relationship. The majority of instrumental music melody has the relation with the vocal music melody, already was an obvious fact. Besides some special instrumental music creation, some instrumental music melody itself is the folk song instrumental music processing, some instrumental music melody, then is the instrumental music development which extends from the drama or on other music parent substances. We some have at present become the independent form therapy musical instrument names of the tunes to which descant are composed are rap the musical instrument by the past to produce regarding in the vocal music accompaniment; Otherwise, our also some orchestral music period is because the past wind and stringed musical instruments musical instrument to partially rapped the sound musical instrument to serve as contrast the alternation surface to produce. In owes in the bountiful instrumental music, not only may see the vocal music and the instrumental music relations, moreover also may see the many kinds of instrumental music happy inter-species mutual relations.
The economic environment and the production situation is different, also has affected the instrumental music performance form and the orchestra uses musical instrument the type. The vast area, in a population more dispersible countryside, uses the musical instrumental the outdoors performance instrumental music, like the Suona, the tube as well as rap and so on happy, its sends out toward is tore sounding, is resounding, very many people the sound which all can hear from the distant place; In a population more centralized metropolis, at the indoors performance instrumental music, multipurpose stringed musical instrument, its plays the melody gently, Chang Pianyu 1s exquisite. The our country each place innumerable metropolises and the countryside working people, unified their long-term life, created for us and spreads has gotten down the melody which was extremely diverse calculates with difficulty, as well as assorted each musical instrument assorted each clever expression method. This is a fountainhead which our instrumental music takes doesn’t use up, also is the object which we inherits today and develops.
But these rich inheritances, in the past long-term feudalism dynasty time, for a long time are once despised, their development is hindered, between them exchanges the relations partially are also isolated. They have not been collected by the person, the sound recording, also has not been recorded by the person writes, there organization, they still preserved in the entertainers oral center, on musical instrument, but also certainly has not been possible to listen the phonograph record, the written music might in order to make the universal public introduction. In several millennitums history, they first time obtain the attention which should have, may say, is only after today people regime establishment. Certainly, faced with boundless sea, regarding each Le Zhong and each Le Zhongzhong each melody, even if has chosen the key point, also has no alternative but from to choose starts bit by bit; After people’s regime establishment, although crosses the enormous endeavor after many comrades, but the part which grasps has come with the actual existence instrumental music complete inheritance to compare, then still only “a drop in the bucket”. But this has had the remarkable contrast with the past. The working people long-term creation, preserved and the development instrumental music, is despised in the past, today is taken. Summon sunder the government, is unprecedented, the wide range comprehensive joint performance, plays each place outstanding entertainer the outstanding program, repeatedly 1s approaching the general audience recommendation; Is skilled in the music service the cadre, frequently in groups goes to the country the interview, studies to the entertainers, obtains entertainer’s cooperation, then carries on there organization. Although insufficiently comprehensive, also insufficiently is thorough, after but the foot explained outstanding social system establishment short period, already obtained the preliminary harvest in the national instrumental music aspect. We believed that, our inheritance 1s rich, our collective strength is infinite. We continue to endeavor, day by day will course a higher result, we gradually will be able to understand more happy kinds, will select better, more melody come and the populace meet.
