Changing Styles: A Study of Shiguang Cui’s Shandong Folk Suite and Pianofoster

Shiguang Cui, a Chinese composer, ingeniously combined western musical compositional techniques with Chinese traditional compositions. The purpose of this research is to uncover how his style changed from his earlier pieces, specifically the Shandong Folk Suite, to his later piece Pianofoster. There is no research or recordings of either works in the United States. In fact, the only research of Shiguang Cui’s piano works that can be found in the United States is his Piano Concerto No. 2. Most recorded research remains in China. Chunying Fu and Yanli Li contributed master’s dissertations on Shandong Folk Suite, but both of them lack a detailed analysis of Western compositional techniques. There are only a few research materials for Pianofoster, even in China. This paper will offer an in-depth study of both works with detailed analysis for both Chinese and Western compositional techniques, as well as how Cui’s style of composition changes between these two works. This research paper explores the musical elements, cultural influences, and evolving style in both Shandong Folk Suite and Pianofoster. Cui incorporates elements from both Western and Chinese traditional music, including imitations of Chinese traditional instruments, narrative and musical connections to Shandong folk songs and dance. This detailed discussion, along with provided examples of these two works from different periods of Cui’s compositional careers clearly demonstrates the path of his compositional development and his progressive incorporation of Chinese and Western elements. The paper presents detailed information about Shandong Folk Suite and Pianofoster in four chapters, in order for performers to have a more nuanced interpretation of the pieces. Chapter I introduces Cui’s career, including representative works from each period. Chapter II presents a stylistic analysis of Shandong Folk Suite with music examples. Chapter III gives a stylistic analysis of Pianofoster, exploring how the composer blends Eastern and Western compositional techniques. Chapter IV compares Shandong Folk Suite and Pianofoster to show how Cui’s compositional technique developed and changed. This project promotes the study of Cui’s works for pianists. His creative blend of Eastern and Western techniques for pianists should not be overlooked in the standard canon of contemporary repertoire.