Xiao Baiyong plays the erhu. Photos: Courtesy of Yu Delin

By Hu Bei

Playing the erhu is like practicing Taoism. That is according to Xiao Baiyong, one of China's leading erhu performers. "It is something you feel with your heart, and not just a technical skill," he said.

The 70-year-old man looks like a Taoist. Quiet, reserved, serious but friendly, and walks gracefully. His big, heavily callused fingers with thick calluses are the only outward signs of a man who has been playing the erhu for more than 60 years.

Xiao is Shanghainese, but he left the city in 1989 to live in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Twenty-one years later, Xiao returns to his hometown for a solo concert at the Shanghai Concert Hall.

Before he goes on stage tomorrow night to perform 13 classic pieces created by the two master composers of the erhu, Liu Tianhua (1895–1932) and Abing (Hua Yanjun) (1893–1950), Xiao talked to the Global Times about his life with the erhu and how he approaches this unique ancient folk instrument.

Xiao adopts principles of Taoism in his playing - flexibility, naturalness, spontaneity, vitality, peace, refinement and receptiveness.

Xiao said the erhu is an instrument that looks simple, with only two strings, small sound box and thin neck. Everyone who sees it for the first time thinks it should be easy to play. "It might be compared to weiqi (the game of Go) which has only two colors, black and white. But people who know weiqi know also that is a far-from-easy game.

"It is true that simplicity always contains complexity. The more simple something looks, the more complicated it actually is," Xiao said.

As a teenager Xiao studied the violin for four years. He told the Global Times that people called erhu the "Chinese violin" only because the two string instruments can make similar sounds. "In fact, they are totally different, because the materials used to make them and create the vibrations which make the music are so different. The sound box of erhu is made from python skin, while the violin is made from wood.

"The density of the snake's skin is less than wood, so the shifts in intonation for an erhu are less distinct and cover a wider range."

For Xiao the difficulties involved in playing the erhu are part of the charm of this instrument. "Once when I was in Suzhou, I saw someone sewing a piece of Suzhou embroidery. The colors of the work were extremely rich and variegated, and I asked the embroiderer, 'how many shades do you usually have for one color?' and he replied, 'For one color, we can have 500 shades.' I was surprised at the time."

"But I think the same applies to erhu playing. Although it only has two strings, it can create a huge range of shades of sound," Xiao said.

"I choose traditional pieces for most of my performances. Most of the music was created more than 70 years ago, but still has a vitality, just like Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. The works are natural and spontaneous. The composers experienced their feelings deeply and expressed this in the music," Xiao said.

He told the Global Times that Liang Xiao (Beautiful Night), created by Liu Tianhua is the shortest piece the composer wrote.

"But it has always been a classic work. On New Year's Eve in 1927, some of Liu's friends came to his home for a party. Liu was happy because of the atmosphere and wrote this piece as fast as he could. Another work, Bing Zhong Yin (A Description of Unhappiness), was created when Liu was depressed about the lack of opportunities for himself and his music."

Xiao said he is disappointed about the modern development of erhu music. "Most composers receive commissions and produce works with little creativity or vitality. The players pay more attention to practicing their skills day after day and thinking about how to add new and modern elements into traditional performances. They are too eager for instant success and quick profits.

"Taoism talks about 'effortless effort.' When I was young, I used to practice six or seven hours without stopping every day. Now I still practice but not that often. You must have the time to get tired, and when you are tired, go to stop and relax. Then, once you start playing, you let yourself enjoy the music and play from the bottom of your heart - it takes time to understand this," Xiao said.

Date: Tomorrow, 7:30 pm

Venue: Shanghai Concert Hall

上海音乐厅

Address: 523 Yan'an Road East

延安东路523号

Tickets: 100 to 580 yuan

Call 6217-2426 for details