Revisiting the Practices and Aesthetics of Cantonese Music of a Bygone Era─
The Artistry of Mui-E (in Cantonese)
追尋昔日粤樂的運作及美學─梅姨的藝術

Description
As a performing musician, my personal experience has been limited to what I have seen and taken part in since the 1960’s and 70’s. Due to the lack of documentation and recordings, Chinese music of the past has been constructed / reconstructed or imagined according to our understanding of the present, errors are hence inevitable.  While historical documents are essential, they must not be taken as the only reliable source of information.  Even for works with musical scores, there are considerable differences among the different versions. While the history and culture of Cantonese music of the early part of the 20th century is traceable, personal experiences of the performing musicians are nonetheless essential for understanding how the music actually works.

In 1996, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with Ms Ng Wing-mui, whom we dearly known as Mui-E, for the first time.  It was till then that I came to realize her tremendous musical experience of over half a century and her artistry in Nanyin and Cantonese music performance.  In 2008, upon numerous requests, Mui-E finally agreed to perform publicly at the Hong Kong Central Library.  Later on, Mui-E was invited to sing at the Hong Kong Arts Festival, and was formally recognized as the bearer and successor of Cantonese Nanyin by the Macau government.

I have been learning from Mui-E, who is now in her last eighties, for the last several years.   It is from Mui-E that I came to truly understand the unique mode of practices and aesthetics of Cantonese Nanyin music. What was commonly understood and practiced by those in the Cantonese music profession is now rarely known.  It is my great pleasure to share my musical experience with Mui-E and certainly to have the opportunity to enjoy the touching vocal music and artistic interpretation of this wonderful performing artist.  The objective of this event is three-fold: firstly to revisit the culture of the Cantonese music of a bygone era; secondly to strive for the performance space for the wonderful music from the last century; and thirdly, to emphasize again the importance of participation and observation in the true understanding of music.  Last but not least, it is my conviction that a historical perspective of Cantonese music is indispensable for the understanding of the culture of Hong Kong music.

About YU Siu-wah
Renowned musicologist and seasoned performer of Chinese music, is Associate Professor of Music Dept at the Chinese University of Hong Kong

簡介
過去樂手生涯所接觸過的「中國音樂」僅限於六、七十年代至今的見聞及參與。由於文獻及影音材料缺乏，故一直以今日的理解去建構、重構及想像中國音樂的往昔，其謬可知。歷史文獻不可不用，亦不能盡信。就是有樂譜的曲，與唱奏出來的版本亦大有距離。二十世紀上半葉粵樂的歷史文化尚有跡可尋。但音樂上的操作，非具切身經驗者，說不出其所以然。

余少華
余少華中學時代隨王光正老師學習樂理，並於馮元植老師的啟蒙下學習二胡，後隨 永康老師及徐華南老師進修，中學畢業後加入琵琶名家呂培原先生領導的「香港中 國樂團」，參與錄音及演奏工作。曾任「香港中樂團」全職二胡演奏員，後轉職香 電台及香港管弦樂團。八三年赴美國馬利蘭大學，一年後轉北愛女皇大學，以「三 江南二胡曲」一文獲碩士學位; 再入哈佛大學習音樂學，以論文「清代宮廷中滿蒙音樂之文化功能」獲博士學位。

九三年返中大音樂系工作，現職副教授。曾任該系「中國音樂資料館」館長 (2005.6－2012.5)，任內主持出版一系列中國音樂及本港音樂研究書籍 (八種)，中國音樂CD (六種)，並多次於香港市中及校內主辦中國樂器及中國音樂展覽。2010 年暑期參與「送戲到校園」計劃，組織樂隊伴奏九場崑粵折子戲。2011年為崇基學院六十週年校慶籌演粵劇〈紫釵記〉，並參與全劇之拍和。亦曾主辦上海崑劇團到嶺南大學及中大演出崑劇《牡丹亭》與《玉簪記》(2012) 及蘇州評彈團來中大演出 (2012)。

余氏曾為香港電台主持的音樂節目有〈美樂集〉〈絲竹管弦知多D〉〈世界音樂〉〈沉香雅韻〉(第四台)；〈樂韻傳奇〉〈名家名曲〉〈中樂妙賞〉(第五台)；〈民間樂土：草原的呼喚〉(電視部) 等。曾為康文署主講粵劇音樂系列 (2010) 及戲曲電影講座「說夢」與「說蝶」(2012)，並參與康文署中國戲曲節之研討會策劃工作。近年投入推廣粵南音活動，並隨吳詠梅女士研習其拍和。

著有《樂在顛錯中：香港雅俗音樂文化》(2001) 及《樂猶如此》(2005) 二書。主編之論文集有《中國民族管弦樂發展的方向與展望: 中樂發展國際研討會論文集》(1997) 、《粵曲創作心路: 作品八首》(1997)、《中國傳統戲曲的國際認同與自我求存》(2010)及《波叔點好法》 (2011)。近年發表論文圍繞中港電影中之中國音樂運用。余氏現為康文署非物質文化遺產諮詢委員會主席及《中國戲曲志》及《中國戲曲集成》之 (香港卷) 主編之一。

何耿明
生於香港，少時自學琵琶。1976至1980年任職香港中樂團，為創團成員之一。1981年於香港、新加坡等地舉行琵琶獨奏會，首演了不少本地作曲家的琵琶新作品，是始於上世紀七十年代的中國器樂新音樂作品的拓荒者。1983年從商，1998年重拾琵琶，以票友身份與樂友組成「古風雅集」，推廣消失中的中國傳統絲絃音色及曲目。

陳子晉
香港演藝學院畢業，隨孫永志教授主修笛子及譚寶碩老師副修洞簫；其後於香港中文大學隨余少華教授攻讀民族音樂學，專研香港殯儀音樂及廣東吹打，獲哲學碩士，並在中國及美國發表有關論文。曾為香港中樂團特約樂師，2011年應香港藝術節邀與胞弟舉行笛子獨奏會。近年涉足南音拍和，也曾參與崑曲折子戲包足本粵劇《紫釵記》伴奏。

梁凱莉
香港土生土長南音演唱家。自2009年隨區均祥師傅習地水南音至今，被區師傅視為傳人；亦有幸獲吳詠梅女士及各方前輩指導提點，獲不少鍛煉機會。曾多次於澳門參加南音演唱會，自2001年參加由康文署主辦的《嘆詠前塵南音演唱會》，漸為港人熟悉，備受讚賞。此外亦習南音拍和及編曲等，為南音推廣及傳承盡一分力。

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