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Autumn Moon
This exquisite album consists of a collection of 13 pieces performed
by The Chinese Virtuosi. The pieces included on the album have
been drawn from Chinas many different regions and their ancient
classical and folk music traditions.
The Chinese Virtuosi
The Chinese Virtuosi is a chamber ensemble bringing together some
of the most outstanding Chinese classical musicians of the present
generation. Founded in 1994 by Josef Fung, the Virtuosi are devoted
to preserving the best of Chinese classical and folk music as
well as bringing Chinese music into the 21st century. The players
are all winners of major international and national music competitions
and have performed in many countries throughout Asia, Europe and
North and South America.
The Music
The pieces are performed by the group on eleven of Chinas traditional
instruments. For those who know little about Chinas musical instruments
this album is accompanied by a booklet containing beautiful photos
and text which clearly details the history and characteristics
of each instrument.
The album consists of ancient melodies that have been passed down
through the centuries by aural and written traditions. Many pieces
on the album are highly descriptive, such as Plum Blossom Variations,
which uses the harmonics of the qin to depict delicate plum blossoms.
Others are programmatic, such as Guang Ling San which tells the
story of the assassination of a despotic Han King by the heroic
Nieh Chen.
Many of the pieces are performed by solo instruments, and much
of the music on the album forms an important part of the instruments
repertoire today. The music is therefore often of a highly virtuoso
nature and showcases the many different and often startlingly
beautiful idiosyncrasies of each instrument. |