Yangqin is a worldwide struck string instrument filled with the variety of different terms and intrinsic values of music. Modern Yangqin pieces are closely interrelated to modern music, and are not only rooted in the history of traditional Yangqin, but also confronted with the impact of modern music. Due to the inheritance of traditional perception, the practice of modern music, full of considerable variability, has the intense contrast of musical attributes.
Modern Yangqin pieces employ the western compositional techniques as well as preserving the trait of eastern music; as a result, the fusion of Chinese music and western music causes the new phase of Yangqin. Aside from the breakthrough of performance skills of Yangqin, it presents the different perspective of intrinsic values of music and the enhancement of the art of Yangqin music.
Two works, “Inner Voice V” composed by Yii Kah-Hoe and “Osmosis” composed by Wang Ya-Ping were products under the influence of modern culture. Both music were new pieces of modern Yangqin, possessed with the avant-garde and creative mutability of modern music.
In order to have the understanding of the relationship between modern music and modern Yangqin pieces, this study aims to analyze and interpret the modern Yangqin composition by means of investigations of the musical structure, musical materials, the compositional background and the performance technique of Yangqin through two musical pieces, “Inner Voice V” and “Osmosis”.
