Kalligraphie und Tinte in der zeitgenössischen chinesischen Musik Der Fall Wen Deqing.

Calligraphy is appreciated as an art form in many cultures, yet the stature of calligraphy in Chinese culture is unmatched. From the early period, it has been considered a supreme visual art form, a mean of self expression and cultivation. For centuries, calligraphy has profound meaning in Chinese society. Hardly surprising then that it is one of the most important sources of inspiration for contemporary Chinese composers. Yet, unlike folk tunes, pipa melodies, or Peking opera percussion patterns, as materials or elements for composition, Chinese calligraphy is elusive and almost too abstract to be rendered into aural experience. Still many composers tried. Wen Deqing has engaged extensively with calligraphy in his musical compositions and developed unique approaches based on the art form for nearly two decades. To explore the potential and expressivity in such an artistic endeavor, this essay provides a brief survey of the art form, and traces the usage of calligraphy in recent Chinese new music by composers such as Chou Wen-chung, Chen Yim, Qu Xiaosong and others. Then the essay examines closely Wen Deqing's compositional approaches based on calligraphy in two large series of works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]