Music 128 2024 Transcription assignment 4

Writing out a full melody in staff or TUBS notation

This song is listed as “La Plantation du The” (The Tea Plantation) on the CD Chants des Enfants du Monde: Chine (Children’s Songs of the World: China.). It is sung in Mandarin with a Hmong “accent.” My friend Gloria Wong (who directs the UBC Chinese Music Ensemble) kindly translated it at my request and I include this on pages 3-4. Please don't write the words in your transcription; I just thought you’d be curious to see them.

There are 20 measures (as I notate it) in the song; each is worth .5 points. Transcribe only the first cycle of the song, even if you hear small variations in what follows. Use the 2/4 time signature. I provide the first two notes so you can continue from there using them as a guide to the rhythm values. The 20th measure is empty; the final notes of the song come in measure 19 and the singer rests for one measure.

If you have no experience with standard staff notation you can use the TUBS (Time Unit Box System) grids on the next page. The number of rows in the grids (8) equals the number of different pitches the singer uses. The double vertical lines are equal to the measure lines in the staff notation. Note that the two notes given on the staff are shown as x’s on the first grid, and otherwise the grids and the staff are really the same thing. Ask questions if you have them.

You may write it out on this sheet or use your own software, but keep it with 4 measures per line, and five lines. Don’t upload files directly from music notation software, make sure it is a pdf, jpeg or similar.  If you write by hand be clear. If you submit a photo of something you wrote out, make sure it is easy to read.

1.山下    溪水  哟  荡   涟漪

 shanxia qishui yo  dang lianyi

The stream that flows down the mountain ripples with rings,

云海   那个  茫茫     哟  漫面峰  

yunhai nage  mangmang yo  manmianfeng

The sea of clouds billow without end, (yo!) they hang over the mountain peaks.

山是    男儿  的  骄   健   美

shanshi naner de  jiaojian mei

The mountain is the man's pride and vigour,

水   是  女儿 多  情  柔

shui shi nüer duo qingrou

The water is the woman's tender gentleness.

笑  语  欢歌   哟 采茶   忙

xiaoyu  huange yo caicha mang

The sounds of laughter and singing are heard (yo!) while we busy ourselves with tealeaf-picking,

百鸟     声声        长     新春

bainiao  shengsheng  chang xinchun

A hundred birds sing to welcome the new spring.

2. 清晨      旭日 哟 露 笑 颜

   qingcheng xuri yo luxiaoyan

 The brilliant morning sun (yo!) reveals a smiling countenance,

茶园     那个 处处   哟  歌 声扬

chayuan  nage chuchu yo ge shengyang

Throughout the tea plantation (yo!) there is the sound of songs.

风   送   鲜花     飘万里

feng song xianhua  piaowanli

The wind sends the fresh sent of blooms a thousand miles,

云里  笑声       应    山川

yunli xiaosheng  yingshanchuan

In the clouds, the sounds of the mountain and water echo with cheer.

若不   是  苗岭     哟   人风流

ruobuo shi miaoling yo   renfengliu

Without the unrestrained poetry of the Miao (Hmongh) (yo!) (there would be much loss)

那有  茶艺  满   全球

nayou chayi man quanqiu

From there, the art of tea fills the whole earth

哎。。。苗岭秀

ai      miaolingxiu

Ai!     the refined poetry of the Miao (Hmongh)

我为  妙岭      献    青春     哟

wowei miaoling  xian qingchun  yo

I offer the amazing poetry of this fresh spring day (yo!)