Throughout a rich five thousand year history, China has developed a highly sophisticated musical culture. The classics of ancient Chinese music not only call for instrumental virtuosity but also rely upon the musician’s skill in bringing to life the rich extra-musical representations and imagery. Ancient Chinese music is in fact, poetry in sound; or similarly, a landscape painting in musical tones, drawing inspiration from and even competing with the subtle and allusive language of classical Chinese poetry, for the ideas and the emotions of the composers or the players. The abstract musical forms of the Western classical tradition, as the sonata or symphony is alien to Chinese musical thinking, rather the focus was always to provide a mental image in sound of a place, or time or person.

    On this album, we present ten of the most famous works of Chinese instrumental music interpreted by six top instrumentalists.

    The rich variety of Chinese instrumental music founds its inspiration in natural beauty, military heroics and human sorrow. “Ambush on All Sides” is a musical depiction of an ancient battle between Chu and Han tribes during the Warring States period of China’s history.

“Waterfall from An Overhanging Cliff” is performed on the Zheng (Chinese zither) and Xiao (bamboo vertical flute) and vividly depicts the natural beauty of a waterfall on a high cliff. “Three Variations on Yangguan” is a piece about the sadness of separation of two good friends. In the piece “Deep Night” you can hear the sounds of a variety of traditional percussion instruments that were used in traditional Jing Ju (Beijing opera) to evoke the excitement of the noisy audience. “Folk Tune” is performed on the bangdi (a high-pitched horizontal flute, made of bamboo) accompanied by a marimba and xylophone, depicting a noisy marketplace.

“Flamboyant Dress of Jade and Velvet” is a piece for the Pipa (Chinese lute), Guzheng (zither) and Arabic drum, inspired by the exotic sounds of caravans from the Ancient Silk Road. “General’s Command” is another piece depicting a battle scene. This melody may be familiar to many westerners as the theme from Jet Li’s “Once Upon A Time in China.” While “Reflected Moonlight on Er-quan Spring” tells of the frustrations and sadness of an impoverished street musician. And “Remembrance of Xiaoxiang” is a musical tale of nostalgia and loss of one’s hometown.