What is ErHu
The
erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a
spike fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and
sometimes known in the Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a
"Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as a solo instrument as well
as in small ensembles and large orchestras. It is the most popular of
the huqin family of traditional bowed string instruments used by various
ethnic groups of China. A very versatile instrument, the erhu is used in
both traditional and contemporary music arrangements, such as in pop,
rock, jazz, etc.
二胡始于唐朝，已有一千多年的历史。它最早发源于我国古代北部地区的一个少数民族，那时叫“奚琴”。宋朝学者陈蜴在《乐书》中记载“奚琴本胡乐也……”唐代诗人岑参所载“中军置酒饮归客，胡琴琵琶与羌笛”的诗句，说明胡琴在唐代已开始流传，而且是中西方拉弦乐器和弹拔乐器的总称。二胡，过去主要流行于长江中下游一带，所以又称为南胡。集中于中高音域的表现，音色接近人声，情感表现力极高，广为大众接受。1920年代，二胡始作为独奏乐器出现在舞台上。在这之前，二胡多用于民间丝竹音乐演奏或民歌、戏曲的伴奏。