short lyric tune; standalone aria
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
short lyric tune (in Ci poetry)
literaryIn traditional Chinese Ci poetry, refers to tunes with relatively few characters (typically under 58 characters), as opposed to medium (中调) and long tunes (长调).
Li Qingzhao excelled at writing short lyric tunes, with fresh and graceful language.
This short lyric tune has only fifty-six characters, yet conveys a profound artistic conception.
noun
standalone aria in Sanqu (not part of a suite)
literaryIn Yuan dynasty Sanqu (散曲), refers to individual songs that are not grouped into suites (套数 or 散套). These are the opposite of 'suites' in the genre.
Ma Zhiyuan's 'Autumn Thoughts' to the tune of 'Sky-clear Sand' is a masterpiece among standalone arias in Yuan drama.
Unlike suites, standalone arias are individual pieces that exist on their own.
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He excelled at writing standalone arias, using popular and vivid language.