Newsletter No. 307

中大通訊 CUHK Newsletter 中國音樂資料館館長余少華教授 Prof Yu Siu-wah, director of the Chinese Music Archive The Early Years The CMA was set up in 1972 to support the teaching and research of the CUHK Music Department. Prof. Yu Siu-wah, director of the CMA and associate professor at the Music Department, remembers when Chinese music courses were first being organized, there was an enormous need for materials such as books, audio- visual equipment and musical instruments. ‘But back in the 1960s and 70s, China's doors were closed to the world. That posed obstacles for our search. Fortunately, the founding director of the CMA, Mr. Cheung Sai- bun, took the lead in donating materials. Later when Rediffusion Hong Kong went out of business, it also donated a large number of records and open-reel tapes to us.’ Scholars from the UK, US, and Taiwan, who were not able to enter China, took their research to Hong Kong. ‘Today, scholars from the world over still come here and interact with us,’ Prof. Yu observes. The CMA has strengths that make it world-class. Its bilingual staff can communicate with overseas scholars. And, though its collection is not as large as some on the mainland, it has more focus and its collection of Cantonese music is definitely superior. A Unique and Inclusive Collection The CMA’s diverse collection houses vinyl records, musical instruments, audio tapes, manuscripts, scores, libretti, house programmes, photos, journals and books. Prof. Yu explains, ‘Ageing prima donnas, musicians and other virtuosi donate artefacts they accumulated over the years to us. We also purchase materials if they are within our budget.’ The archive has a vast collection of different regional music. Most come from Guangdong Province in the South, with Cantonese opera being the predominant genre. Music from Fujian, Xi'an an Suzhou also has its place. Prof. Yu points out that the most valuable items in the collection are vintage 78 rpm records, open- reel tapes, and replicas of ancient instruments. There are also special collections such as the Yum Kim-fai (the late Cantonese diva famous for male impersonation) and Bak Suet-sin (Yum’s partner) collection, and the Choi Fook Kee musical instruments collection. Prof. Yu is proud of the archive and rightfully so. ‘It has the most comprehensive Chinese music collection in Hong Kong.’ Digital Rebirth The CMA has fostered an interdisciplinary approach to Chinese music teaching at CUHK. 'Embedded in music are history, politics and art. Many departments besides the Music Department come to us for reference materials.’ The archive plans to publish multi- media teaching materials for secondary school teachers and the public in the coming three to four years. Currently, the archive is going digital. Vintage records and recordings are being digitized and will be posted on the web for use by scholars, teachers and the public. ‘We hope to achieve full digitization by leveraging on the capabilities of RTHK and the University Library,’ Prof. Yu remarks. Efforts at Promotion In recent years, the CMA has contributed greatly towards the promotion of Chinese music. Last year, jointly with the Hong Kong Jockey Club, it mounted the exhibition ‘Gems of Chinese Music Heritage for the Future’. In May this year, four talks on Naamyam (‘South music’) were held. Public participation is welcome for all events. Prof. Yu hopes the archive can attract more financial support for expansion. 藏品完備 彌足珍貴 資料館的藏品林林總總，舉凡黑膠唱片、 樂器、錄音帶、手稿、樂譜、劇本、場刋、 照片、期刋及書籍等，幾無不包。這些資料的 來源，余教授說︰「一為捐贈。很多戲劇紅伶和演奏 家等，年事漸長，便會把多年的個人珍藏捐贈給我們 妥善處理；一為購買──只要價錢在預算之內。」 資料館的藏品遍及不同地區的樂種，如福建南音、西 安古樂及蘇州彈詞，當中以廣東為主，粵劇最多。余 教授認為最珍貴的是一些七十八轉的古董唱片、古老 錄音帶，以及古樂器複製品，如曾侯乙編鐘、日本正 倉院的唐代曲項琵琶和五弦琵琶等；另外就是如「國 語時代曲」、「任劍輝白雪仙」和「蔡福記樂器」等 特藏系列。余教授不無自豪地說：「本館的中國音樂 收藏品，是全香港最完備的。」 傳世遺音 數碼重生 中國音樂資料館在中大促進了跨系的中國音樂教學。 「音樂包含着歷史、政治及藝術等，所以不單音 樂系，很多其他學系的員生也會來借閱書籍、樂器 或錄音帶。」資料館更計劃在未來三至四年出版多種 多媒體教材，供中學教師及大眾使用。 A Feast for the Ears: The Chinese Music Archive 科技日新月異，把古老 唱片及錄音數碼化，上載 互聯網，供學者、教師及市民取用，是該館一項重要 的工作。余教授補充︰「我們盼能結合香港電台及中 大圖書館的實力，逐步走向全面數碼化。」 推廣中樂 不遺餘力 中國音樂資料館近年亦積極推廣中國音樂，去年即與 香港賽馬會合辦了一個名為「中樂珍萃─漢韻薪傳」 的藏品展，配合十多場演出及講座，介紹粵劇及樂器 的資料。今年五月則舉辦過四次南音專題講座。這些 在公眾地方舉行的免費活動，可提高市民對中國音樂 的認識。 位於許讓成樓的中國音樂資料館麻雀雖小，五臟俱 全。余教授盼望能獲得更多捐助，擴充資料館面積， 以容納更多捐贈，並能增加人手，整理資料。 耳 朵 的 盛 宴 探 索 草創維艱 規模初成 為配合中大音樂系的中國音樂教學與 研究，「中國音樂資料室」於1972年 成立，同年易名為「中國音樂資料 館」。該系副教授兼資料館館長余少 華教授憶述，中樂課程籌辦初期，需要 尋找大量書籍、影音檔案及樂器等， 「但內地在六七十年代受到文化大革 命衝擊，門戶封閉，對資料蒐集構成障 礙，幸得首任館長張世彬老師率先捐 贈中樂資料。及後，麗的呼聲結業，送 來大量唱片及錄音帶，令我們的藏品大 增。」 余教授說，在中國還未對外開放的年代，來自英、美 和台灣的海外學者紛紛轉向香港搜尋資料，資料館遂 成為全球矚目的寶庫。「時至今日，全世界的學者仍 紛至沓來，與我們交流。」 與國內同類的資料館相比，中國音樂資料館有相當的 優勢。首先，該館員工能操流利雙語，易與世界各 地學者溝通；其二，儘管館藏不比國內多，但種類卻 比較集中，且有獨一無二的珍藏，在廣東音樂的蒐集 上，肯定更勝一籌。 Chinese music, with its long and colourful heritage, has a multitude of genres ranging from opera, instrumental music, storytelling and ballad-singing, to folk songs and pop music. Together they present a sumptuous feast for the auditory sense. Those interested in exploring this rich body of music should make a trip to the Chinese University’s Chinese Music Archive (CMA). You will be pleasantly surprised. 中國音樂源遠流長，品目繁多，由戲曲、器樂、說唱、 民歌以至現代流行音樂等，恍似為耳朵擺下百味紛陳的盛宴。 喜歡探索中國音樂的朋友，不妨到中大的「中國音樂資料館」 一遊，必會得到無限驚喜。