The Royal Court of China Band
In addition to sports and board games, the Ming court enjoyed music, literature, calligraphy, and art and antiques collecting. Achieving excellence in these activities was considered a form of self-cultivation.
The Nashville band snatched the name “Royal Court of China” from LED ZEPPELIN guitarist JIMMY PAGE, who was planning to use it for his ponderous supergroup THE FIRM. They rechristened themselves and teamed up with Motorhead producer Vic Maille to record 1989’s Geared and Primed.
Yayue
Yayue, also known as gagaku in Japan and aak in Korea, is a traditional court music of China. It is an elegant form of music, used in rituals to venerate Heaven and Earth, the gods and ancestors, and for formal diplomatic interactions. It was often accompanied by lyrics.
Yayue originated from the ceremonial music system of West-Zhou Dynasty. It was transmitted to Korea by Song-huizong in the early 12th Century. Since then, the Korean stance to Chinese yayue had been willing and turned it into its own tradition. However, the essential of yayue hadn’t changed.
Unlike Western classical music, which consists of lengthy suites and complex musical structures, yayue has many different parts and rhythms. This makes it easier to understand and play than Western classical music. It also has a more relaxed feel. The members of the Royal Court of China band hail from Nashville, Tennessee. They snatched the name from LED ZEPPELIN’s Jimmy Page and made their debut with an EP in 1986 and a self-titled album in 1987.
Gagaku
Gagaku is the oldest surviving tradition of classical Japanese music. Its roots in China date back to the Tang dynasty and were brought to Japan with the arrival of Buddhism and the introduction of instruments such as the koto (13-stringed zither) and biwa (short-necked lute). Gagaku is unique among traditional Japanese music because it is not written down in notation, but passed on aurally by family members as a living musical tradition. Its melodies are based on the yo scale, a five-note pentatonic scale that is also used in Buddhist chant and many traditional Japanese folk songs.
The ensemble featured on this album, Gagaku Doyukai, was founded by Hironori Sono, whose family has been associated with gagaku for more than 1,000 years. He is a member of the hereditary guild of imperial gagaku musicians and has spent nine years at the Imperial Household Agency Music Department. He plays the hichiriki, a double-reed wind instrument that is often described as sounding like an oboe.
Ming court music
Ming Court Music is a book that explores the musical history of China during the Ming Dynasty. It is based on historical and ritual data preserved in authentic Ming documents that illustrate the significance of court sacrifices and music.
Nashville rockers Royal Court of China (named after a nickname for high-quality Chinese opium) hit the ground running on their independent-label debut with a vivacious seven-song mini-album that fills out Joe Blanton’s dramatic singing with swirling wild-eyed guitar. The album reveals the influence of fellow Southerners R.E.M and Jason & the Scorchers, but it also draws from the straight-ahead punk of Alice Cooper, the Sex Pistols and Guns N’ Roses.
Originally named The Enemy, the band stole their current name from LED ZEPPELIN man Jimmy Page after he discovered it in a magazine interview. They went on to release their self-titled debut album in 1987. They subsequently split up due to “musical differences” but still get together for occasional reunion gigs.
Qing court music
The Qing dynasty was an important era in the development of Chinese music. It reestablished the Temple of Heaven ritual/sacrificial music and is an important part of the traditional court music system that dates back to the Western Zhou Dynasty. The music of the emperors’ courts was very sophisticated, including many forms of improvisation.
Using the se, a lute-like instrument, Qing court musicians developed a tuning for the qin that enables unison duo performances of ancient melodies. They also composed songs, such as Dame Wang and others, which were sung by courtiers and other members of the public.
Nashville-based ROYAL COURT OF CHINA first appeared with a self-titled EP on A&M records in 1986. They’stole’ the band name from LED ZEPPELIN man JIMMY PAGE after reading an interview with him, but he failed to register it before it was taken by the Nashville group. The album was a vivacious seven-song collection that filled out Joe Blanton’s songs with swirls of wild-eyed guitar and dramatic singing.