Free Electone sheet music and registrations for a Symphonic Chinese New Year Medley (農曆新年組曲).
This is a continuation of what I began last year. Not as in I started work on this Electone arrangement last January, but as in the theme.
A Lunar New Year medley specially arranged for the Stagea ELS-02C, in classic Electone symphonic style! There are just too few CNY songs arranged for the Electone, despite there being so many Chinese players worldwide.
Now, a disclosure. If you’ve been listening to Electone Christmas medleys online, you’d know where I got my “ideas” from. I hereby declare that one of my base rhythms is based on a User Pattern from the Stagea Christmas Medley Collection (Vol. 51). The same for one of my base registrations too.
Additionally, I’m going the classic fast-slow-fast route here, a decision that I suspect might draw (strong) disagreement from some circles. On that, well, I have an explanation of sorts, which I’d leave for the last part of this post.
For the moment, Happy Year of the Ox 2021 to all! Even if you’re not Chinese, may you have much happiness, health, and WEALTH in the new moo-moo year.
MOO!
Yamaha Electone Sheet Music and ELS-02C Registration Data for Symphonic Chinese New Year Medley
Warning! The registration and Finale PrintMusic files are zip files! You might need to disable your virus/malware protection before downloading.
As I have disabled the function, do not right-click to save as. On PCs, simply click on the links and the file should auto download in a separate window.
Electone Sheet Music Free Download
Electone Sheet Music Free Download (A5)
Electone Registration Data for Stagea ELS-02C
Arrangement Notes
- This is a Grade 7-6 at worst. A Grade 7 for most parts.
- If you’re unfamiliar, the three classic Lunar New Year songs in this medley are: 賀新年 (He Xin Nian), 恭喜恭喜(Gongxi Gongxi), and the Cantopop classic, 財神到 (Choi San Dou in Cantonese). The first two are widely considered classic CNY tunes.
- There’s a no rhythm, free-time section right after the intro. Remember to manually activate Memory 5 for this segment. Remember NOT to activate rhythm sequences 2 – 3 beforehand too!
- A performance tip. Minims for Sections A to C will benefit from slight Aftertouch. This creates a gentle sweeping/swelling effect.
- The Choir voices of Section D will benefit from slightly heavier Legato playing. (I admit I didn’t do it enough in my recording)
- If you just want to play the first song i.e. He Xin Nian, use only Sequence 2. But remember to remove all User 3 patterns beforehand.
- If you just want to play the last song, use only Sequence 4.
The Solemn, Gongxi Gongxi “Middle Section”
It is a perennial joke among modern Chinese that Chinese New Year songs are loud, boisterous, and extremely in your face.
大羅大鼓 (Da Luo Da Gu), as we say. Big cymbals and big drums. Very “dong-dong-chiang,” to use a Singlish jest.
But I avoided this so to give my medley a more modern and westernized flavour. But more so, I wanted the middle section i.e. Gongxi Gongxi to be solemn. This decision, to many Chinese, probably appalling.
My reason is as follows. Gongxi Gongxi is one of the rare Lunar New Year songs composed in a minor key. In a music genre where being as spirited as much as you can is a must, almost a superstition, this classic tune stands out as an absolute oddity.
And yet, it wasn’t odd when it was first performed, because the song wasn’t even intended to be festive. Gongxi Gongxi was composed in Shanghai in 1945 to celebrate the liberation of China from Imperial Japanese occupation, with the title literally meaning “Congratulations!”
In subsequent years, because the title contains words frequently used in traditional CNY greetings, the song took on a new identity as a festive evergreen. Its original message, all but forgotten.
I chose this melancholic tune and arranged it that way because we are currently also hoping to see the end of another war. Aren’t we?
Without going into any racial or political discussions, the COVID-19 Pandemic began in “earnest” after CNY 2020. As a Chinese, this pains me. This shames me. Whenever I look at the updated death tolls, my heart weeps too.
But things are looking up. Whether the vaccines would work, or not, I believe we are one step closer to winning this global war.
Undoubtedly, there will be more tragedies before the final victory. But we are moving forward.
Musically, I hope the world would also be as my arrangement. After the solemn middle section, trumpets declare victory. What then follows is a bright season. Hopefully, this’d be a season that’s full of prosperity and wealth too.
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
Full List of Downloadable Electone Sheet Music and Stagea ELS-02C Registration Data. ( English / 中文 / 日本語 )
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