Festive songs deep into the hearts of Chinese people
Overview
Chinese Name: 步步高
English Name: Rising Higher Step by Step, Bu Bu Gao
Composer: Lv WenCheng吕文成
“Rising Higher Step by Step” is the representative work of Guangdong’s（Cantonese） famous musician LV Wencheng. It is a distinctive Guangdong folk music.
Composition Story Of Rising Higher Step by Step
Born in 1898 in Xiangshan, Guangdong province, Composer Lyu Wencheng later moved to Hong Kong and devoted all his life to performing and composing Cantonese music. Compared with the previous two pieces, this one dates back much earlier and its music sheets were published in 1938 in the book Music sheets of string instruments, reaching its popularity peak. The lead part is played by an instrument called the gaohu, which Lyu Wencheng excelled at, and the accompaniment a dulcimer. These two instruments both sound clear and melodic, and complement each other.
The development of the song is just as its name suggests. It often uses five- and eight-degree interval jumps, accumulates strength, and advances progressively, creating a feeling of rising higher step by step.
The naming of “Bu Bu Gao（步步高）” has dual meanings. First, the melody of this music is rising layer by layer. The music name of “step by step” vividly conveys the auditory characteristics of the melody. Second, “Bu Bu Gao” has the auspicious meaning of “getting better and rising step by step” in Chinese traditional culture. As a song name, it also caters to people’s expectations for better and better work, study and life. Therefore, playing this music during the new year is in line with the Chinese people’s expectations for the new year and the future, and their wishes for the increasingly prosperous days.
