National and Western Characteristics of Composition in the Concerto for the Bamboo Flute “Four Songs of Northern Shaanxi” (“陕北四章”) by Cheng Dazhao

Shaanxi, as one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilisation, has an ancient history and culture, and the music of the province is imbued with a distinct local fl avour. The bamboo fl ute concerto “Four Songs of Northern Shaanxi” was created by Cheng Dazhao based on the intonations of the folk songs of Shanbei, and therefore the work has pronounced local characteristics. Within the framework of the article, the artistic characteristics and technique of performing the concert are analysed and considered. In the process of analysis, it was established that the composition technique of the “Four Songs of Northern Shaanxi” and the methods of performing the work differ from those accepted in traditional music. The characteristic features of the concert are fully refl ected in the innovation and breakthrough in performance technology, as well as the integration of Western techniques and national musical material. The composition of the work incorporates Western compositional techniques without destroying the traditional cultural characteristics and beauty of the national music contained in the work. Thanks to stylisation and the national musical language, the work conveys the characteristics of the music culture of Northern Shaanxi.