論南管曲門頭(mng-thâu)的概念及其系統

Abstract

南管「曲」是臺灣現存的古樂種，目前仍保存了大量曲目。本研究以探討南管「曲」重要術語「門頭」( mng-thâu, tune family )的概念及其系統為基礎，再透過樂曲的實際分析，深入理解南管曲曲調的系統。

「門頭」代表南管「曲」的曲調門類，為一集合性質的名詞，相關的要素包含「管門」( scale, key, mode)、「撩拍」和「牌調」 ( tune )等等，這些術語的習慣性用法與問題，都在筆者進行樂曲分析前先逐一深入討論，並根據南管曲的特色，嘗試為「管門」重新下定義，且將「門頭」的音樂學概念與波斯之dastgāh、阿拉伯maqām、印度之rāga比較討論。

本研究結果顯示，南管「曲」的曲調系統以「滾門類」及「曲牌類」兩大系統為最重要，其中，「滾門類」更通過樂曲節拍的變化處理形成龐大的曲調家族。易言之，「門頭」是具有實際意義的曲調系統，而其實體則為類似「主題」（theme）的特性旋律，一般稱為「韻調」或「大韻」；它是南管「曲」中最小、最有意義的樂思，也是南管「曲」曲調門類辨識的符碼。Nanguan qu ( nanguan songs ) is a living Chinese ancient music in Taiwan which still preserves a great volume of repertoire. This thesis proposes an analytical methodology to study the concept of mng-thâu ( tune family ), an important terminology of nanguan qu, and its system as the basis to deeply comprehend the tune system of nanguan qu by analyzing practically the composition of nanguan qu.

Mng-thâu a collective noun represents tune family of nanguan qu, and the related elements such as guanmen ( scale, key, mode ), liaopai ( meter, rhythm ), qupai ( tune ), and etc., are discussed one by one prior to the analysis of the music. This thesis tries to re-define guanmen based on the characteristics of nanguan qu, and compares the musicological concept of mng-thau with Persian dastgāh, Arabic maqām, and Indian rāga.

The study concludes that “gunmen series” and “qupai series” are the two most important systems of the tune system of nanguan qu. In particular, the “gunmen series” has become a great family through the rhythmic variation. This means that mng-thâu in practice is the tune system. Its core is similar to a theme, commonly called yunn tiao or ta yunn, which is the smallest but most meaningful music idea of nanguan qu, and is used as code to identify the tune system of nanguan qu.