What is light music?

"Light music" is a kind of music category. Figuratively speaking, it is a light weapon in music, which is roughly the same as essays, jokes and lyric poems in literature. It is light, popular, small and exquisite, easy to understand and easily accepted by people. It is in sharp contrast with large-scale art forms such as symphony, concerto, chorus and orchestra. In the folk, light music is very popular and has a wide range of social significance and spiritual functions. There are many kinds of light music, including ordinary life songs, lyric songs, humorous songs and satirical songs, as well as some operettas, waltzes, small orchestral overtures and serenades, as well as some orchestral sketches, movie songs and dance music.

Characteristics of light music style

Compared with other music forms, the style and characteristics of light music are more vivid and interesting, especially its melodies are particularly beautiful. Some symphonies, orchestras, choruses and other works often rely on harmony, orchestration, polyphony and other technical means, while light music relies on the beauty of melody. Therefore, light music requires more beautiful and brisk tunes than other music forms. A lyric song should be elegant and euphemistic; A waltz should have a clear rhythm and melodious tone, a humorous song should give people a happy infection, and a satirical song should be spicy and sharp. The unique performance characteristics of these light music have formed their own style.

Talking about light music (1)

The "Third Power" in Music

The so-called light music is relative to classical music, that is, it is a kind of casual pop music, which is adapted and interpreted by popular pop techniques and played by small bands, with the aim of creating a warm and romantic atmosphere and a relaxed and beautiful atmosphere. As we all know, classical music has a heavy texture, a huge structure and scale, a dignified musical thought, a profound ideological connotation, and the most important feature is seriousness and solemnity. Light music, on the other hand, is light in texture, compact and simple in structure, lively and stretching in rhythm and beautiful in melody. It has no profound ideological connotation, and it doesn't want to have this connotation. It just wants to bring people relaxed and beautiful enjoyment. Its main feature is lightness and liveliness. Therefore, it is very appropriate to name this kind of music light music.

But light music is not the same as pop music with pop songs as its core. It is different from pop music, not because of its distinctive characteristics of the times and its critical awareness of society, nor because of its high aesthetic interest and relatively little commercial atmosphere. Popular pop songs will soon be out of date, but beautiful light music will last forever. Generally speaking, light music is between classical music and pop music, which is a compromise of sharp opposition between the two, and can be described as the "third force" in music. It has both classical and modern flavor, gorgeous but not gaudy, romantic but not frivolous, lyrical but not lingering, easy to understand and approachable, elegant style and extraordinary demeanor. Classical music lovers don't think it is vulgar, but pop music lovers can accept it, which can be described as appealing to both refined and popular tastes.

This feature of light music makes it widely welcomed as soon as it appears. Founded in the late 1930s, mantovani Band is a symbol of the birth of light music. The band's extremely soft, beautiful and intoxicating performance made light music quickly establish its own unique image and temperament and established its position in the field of pop music. The 1960s and 1970s were the heyday of light music, and a large number of distinctive light music bands were established one after another, such as James Hong Lin, paul mauriat, Henry Mancini, Percy Faith, Stanley Black, Bert Ken Pforte, Werner Miao Lei, Alfie Reed Hauser and Frank purcell. These bands held light music concerts in Europe and America, and recorded a large number of beautiful records, which sold well all over the world. This small and exquisite music makes classical fans feel brand-new and different, just like wearing a formal suit for a long time and putting on a casual and natural casual dress. Light music is like a cool drink after pop music lovers have experienced the shock of screaming.

Talking about Light Music (2)

Old wine in new bottles ―― Old wine with new labels

Most of the tracks of light music are adapted. Among them, European and American pop songs account for a large proportion, and many of them are popular songs on British and American charts, such as Yesterday, The Rhythm of Rain, I Love Paris, Love is Blue, Lily Marlene and so on. After these songs were adapted into light music, they played down the popular factors in the original music, highlighted the beautiful melody, and changed the artistic conception of music, making it more beautiful and pleasant. Today, many popular songs have been forgotten by people, but the arrangement of light music has remained in people's minds.

European and American movies, especially Hollywood movies, musicals and stage plays, are another important source of light music adaptation. Music such as Moon River, Time Passes, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, Three Coins in Spring, Say You, Say Me, Love Story, Godfather, doctor zhivago, Argentina, Don't cry for me, Memories, etc. , has become a classic of light music.

The interpretation of classical songs in popular music language is very popular in many light music bands. Good adaptation and performance not only retains the classical spirit of the original music, but also incorporates a distinctive modern atmosphere, so that classical music lovers will not be too shallow and feel unique; People who are far away from classical music find that their distance from classical music has been shortened and their interest in appreciation has increased. Bach's Ode to Notre Dame, Schubert's Serenade, Mozart's Piano Concerto No.21, Adagio in Beethoven's Sonata Moonlight and Sorrow, Liszt's Dream of Love, Bedrich Smetana's vltava river, Masnier's Meditation, Chopin's Van Tessie-Impromptu, etc.

Folk music all over the world is also the object of light music adaptation. For example, The Last Rose in Summer in Britain, Return to sorrento and Saint Lucia in Italy, Hora Dance in Romania, red river valley in Canada, Home on the Ranch in the United States, Pigeon in Cuba, Song of the Wanderer by Gypsies and Latin music. Besides, some popular romantic tunes, such as "A Girl's Prayer", "Romance of Love" and "greensleeves", are often played by light music bands.

Talking about Light Music (3)

Unique charm and beauty

The charm and aesthetic feeling of light music are different from classical music and pop music. Moving melody, beautiful harmony, novel orchestration, rich timbre and rich romantic mood all give people a brand-new feeling and produce a unique aesthetic feeling of light music. The music "Charm" played by mantovani Band embodies this aesthetic feeling. Extremely pleasant sound, like intoxicating aromatic liquid, flows into people's hearts, making people cry in their hearts: "It's so beautiful!" The beauty brought by the band's music, such as Over Time, Autumn Leaves and Yesterday, is also difficult to express in words.

Listening to Paul Moria's band makes people feel that every note is filled with the unique romantic sentiment of the French nation, reminding you of the fragrance of wine, roses and tulips. Mediterranean sunshine, lovers' laughter and tears. He showed all kinds of romantic feelings and poems in life, which caused a strong voice. His famous work "Love is Blue" has been a sensation in Europe and America since the 1960s, and it has been enduring for a long time, and it has become a track played by light music bands.

The beauty of james last's "Night on the outskirts of Moscow" is irreplaceable by the original music: with the guitar plucking several broken strings, the grand piano gently pops out the main theme of the song against the bright rhythm of percussion instruments. Then the beautiful mixed chorus sounded gently with the extension of the strings, sometimes strong and sometimes weak, sometimes far and sometimes near, bringing people into a distant and romantic night in Russia. The whole music is dreamlike and beautiful. If listening to a symphony is like watching a drama, then listening to light music is like reading a beautiful poem and watching a landscape with elegant colors, which is pleasing to the eye and refreshing.

Talking about light music (4)

Novel and unique adaptive technology

Most conductors of light music bands are proficient in classical music and can play a variety of musical instruments. They are both the conductor of the band and the arranger of music. The unique charm of light music is largely attributed to their creative arrangement of the original music. Among them, the most commonly used technique is to reprocess the rhythm, speed, strength, beat and other musical elements of the original music. It is more common to endow classical music with the rhythm of Latin dance and jazz, rock and disco music, and to strengthen the rhythm characteristics and beat stress of the original music with percussion instruments, so that the form and content of music have a strong contrast. For example, Mozart's serenade is played in disco rhythm, Brahms' Hungarian dance music is played in tango rhythm, dvorak's Slavic dance music and offenbach's boat song are played in samba, cha-cha and rumba rhythm, which sounds passionate and infectious. Some popular songs with intense rhythm are "softened" with slow rhythm, thus generating new hearing.

Colorful and unique orchestration is another main method of light music adaptation. First, I like to use some unpretentious folk musical instruments, such as mandolin, Spanish guitar, harmonica and accordion. And often let them play the main theme, thus creating a special artistic conception and atmosphere of music, which forms a tone contrast with traditional orchestral instruments and makes the sound colorful. Secondly, I like to use various percussion instruments, such as xylophone, snare drum Jr., jazz drum, tambourine, triangle, bell and sand hammer. Some distinctive folk percussion instruments are also used to make the sound vivid and emotional. Third, by adding electro-acoustic instruments to enrich the timbre of the band and increase the modern flavor of the sound. Electronic musical instruments are perfectly integrated with percussion instruments and traditional stringed instruments to create bright, light and vivid sound effects. Fourthly, the beautiful musical atmosphere is set off by the humming of people without words. In this respect, Zhan Mu Tu Hong Lin is a pioneer, and his band has a mixed chorus. During the performance, with the rhythm of modern atmosphere, moving humming without words and the beautiful melody played by the band appear alternately, one after another, which is extremely beautiful and beautiful. For example, Beethoven's "To Alice" and offenbach's "Song of the Boat" played by the band all added mixed voices of men and women without words, which sounded unique and beautiful.

Talking about Light Music (5)

Light music recording products

Since the 1980s, the performance of light music has gradually developed to individualization. The core of the band is not the conductor, but the playing star of a certain instrument. The band has also changed from the original lead singer to a supporting role. Some light music bands are eclectic, blending symphony, pop music, jazz, rock music and new age music, which is very different from traditional light music bands. There are many such records that can be called "new light music", but most of them have a strong "salon flavor" except those of Richard Clayderman (piano), Kenneth (saxophone), Bill (clarinet), Modia and Odin (Tao Di and cello), Zanfir (flute playing), Yani and others and bands, which cannot give people high-level aesthetic enjoyment.

To listen to authentic light music, the first choice is the three major light music bands. In fact, the records of these three bands have occupied the mainstream position in China. Most of mantovani's records were made by Decca, mainly in the 1950s and 1960s. Last year, Dika released a two-part collection of mantovani's golden songs, which included 29 of the most wonderful golden songs played by mantovani. It is a treasure in the collection. Some small European and American record companies and Japanese record companies have also released many bands' records. James Hong Lin is the exclusive band of Universal Pictures (formerly Polaroid). For decades, he has recorded a large number of exquisite records, and only 30 kinds can be seen in China, making him the light music band with the most recorded products. Paul Moria's records are all recorded by Philips, and there are many newly recorded records in recent years, with high recording level and excellent sound effects. Many records of other famous light music bands, such as Henry Mancini, Alfred Hauser, Stanley Black, Kurt Edeler Hagen and Hesse, have also entered China, but they are not easy to see at present.

Talking about Light Music (6)

Light music band

Speaking of which, I believe many people who like light music are familiar with the following name. They are Bandelli. Some people say that Bandry is a spotless note from Switzerland; It is also said that Bandari's music has the effect of welcoming the soul and lighting the lights for the dark night. That kind of energy is transformed into diamond-shaped Swiss sunshine, accompanied by a series of exquisite overlapping music sentences, which constantly impacts the long-lost spirituality. Bandari from Switzerland is an orchestra composed of young composers, performers and sound sampling engineers. It became popular in Europe from 65438 to 0990. Bandari never wanted to be exposed by the media. Once he started composing music, he lived in the Alps forest until the master tape was completed. Being in nature, Shan Ye has given the Bandari Orchestra endless creative inspiration and the most natural and exquisite musical style. Every sound of insects and running water was recorded by going deep into Swiss mountains and lakes and visiting Swiss Alps, Luochun Lake and the foothills of Rose Peak. In order to collect natural sound effects, "Bandari" people often go to the mountains and even sleep in the mountains. I like Bandry's music, not only the so-called sounds of nature, but also the cover of each of their albums. Or water or mountains, or blue or green; Very relaxed, kind and happy.

Another master of light music-Paul? Moliere, 165438+2006 10 died in perpignan, France, at the age of 8 1 year. His hue is blue, as blue as Mediterranean sea water, refreshing and poetic. There is a little melancholy in this blue. This kind of melancholy may be the melancholy of lovers, the melancholy of rainy season in France, or the melancholy of human beings. Is that Paul? Moliere style, you can only feel it with your heart. His music may be difficult to remain immortal, but it stands like ordinary people. You don't have to sit still while listening to his music. What he expresses is the joys and sorrows of ordinary people, and it is a variety of feelings that are difficult to detect and capture in everyone's heart. He is great, that is, he shows the poetry in life through his own music and makes you feel the beautiful artistic conception.

Mantovani, known as the greatest light musician in the world, 1905 was born in a musical family in Venice. His father is the principal violinist of the toscanini Orchestra. Mantovani studied violin under the guidance of his father since childhood. When he was young, he was admitted to the London Conservatory of Music. /kloc-publicly performed bruch and St.? Sang violin concerto. /kloc-When he was 0/8 years old, he organized a six-member band in Birmingham and gave professional performances in hotels and theaters. 1933, mantovani became a British citizen. 1935, he established a huge orchestra mainly composed of strings, which became the mantovani Philharmonic Orchestra. Mantovani himself has multiple identities as a violinist, composer, arranger and conductor. He died in 1980. Mantovani's success mainly lies in his full understanding of the expressive force of the violin and his proper manipulation of the orchestra, so that the whole orchestra can express the unique performance style of the violinist very accurately, with smooth stretching, beautiful melody and gorgeous timbre, which fascinates the audience.

Mystery Garden is a famous new-age music band, composed of Norwegian composer and keyboard player (Rolf Laufran) and Irish violinist (Fionnuala Sherry). 1994, they met for the first time in the European singing contest. At that time, Laufran was already a well-known songwriter, and they came together because of their unimaginable understanding of music. 1995, their pathfinding work "Nocturne" won the European singing contest in one fell swoop. 1996, the first album "Songs from Mysterious Garden" was a great success, and its influence spread all over the world. The band combines Irish ethereal music style, Norwegian folk music and classical music. Music is quiet and distant, natural and smooth, which makes people unconsciously blend in.

Light music refers to music with a relaxed and lively style, which can give people a pleasant and lyrical feeling, beautiful and easy to understand. The so-called "light" refers to the comparison with solemn and serious music. Dance music, March and serenade are lighter than sonatas and symphonies; Light songs, lyric songs and humorous songs are lighter than chorus and oratorio; Opera is lighter than drama.

Light music works have beautiful melody, clear and smooth rhythm and rich and colorful timbre, which are deeply loved by people. To sum up, light music is characterized by short structure, pleasant melody and eclectic form. The band is well organized, with novel instruments and distinct rhythm. It can express people's thoughts and feelings more delicately.

Light music includes instrumental songs, which are divided into the following categories:

Light instrumental music. Such as: "Three Tans Printing on the Moon" and "Golden Snake Dance". Most of them have no strong sense of rhythm and can give people artistic beauty.

Dance music, such as foxtrot, waltz, tango, etc., has distinct rhythm, relaxed and pleasant melody, and is beautiful and pleasant.

Pop music covers a wide range, mainly including pop songs, jazz music, Latin American dance music, American country music, western music, China Cantonese music, some popular folk dance music and lyric songs, as well as some rock music, disco and swing music created in line with the trend of the times. Like the Beatles and Lennon.

A selection of operetta and film music, including light music and instrumental music.

Three world-famous light music groups

1. Voice of mantovani-Italian mantovani Band

Mantovani Orchestra has a large audience in the pop music world. The band's playing style is smooth and smooth, with beautiful melody and gorgeous timbre.

2. The God of French Music-French Paul Moria Band

Whenever you hear the unique, fresh and romantic string sound, clear and lively rhythm and timbre of brass instruments and percussion instruments, it is easy to recognize that this is the light music played by Paul Moria.

3. King of Dance Music-The Last Band of German James

James last Band's performances around the world have won the welcome and appreciation of millions of listeners with its warm melody and unique harmony. James last is good at changing orchestras in various ways, performing classical music, folk music, opera or ballet music, film interludes, dance music, pop music and interludes in stage plays and TV plays in various forms. In addition, the band has a well-trained backup singer and chorus with beautiful harmony.

Light music plays an important role in people's music life at present. Beautiful and healthy light music can not only be used for entertainment, but also cultivate sentiment and improve the music level of the audience.