Chinese music

[sriracha]

My searches for similar topics turned up nothing so:

I'd like suggestions on Chinese traditional music, like a lot of what's played in the background on gong fu instructions videos and the like on youtube. I'm not familiar with the names of the styles of music or intruments, I just have found a lot of what I've heard very peaceful and beautiful and I'd like to hear more.

I'd really appreciate if anyone knows of a compilation to check out or an artist to listen to...the only Chinese music I'm currently familiar with is Cold Fairyland and the odd pop song like Piao Xue.

Thank you. =)

[gingkoseto]

I love Chinese traditional music too. I don't have much idea where to get CD's of it. But there are a lot of pieces on youtube. I recently love this one very much
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U23GIOEzL4c

[Herb_Master]

I had the same idea as you 15 months ago and did not know where to start

I went on Amazon (.co.uk) and searched for Chinese Traditional - under Music - there were dozens of pages with different syles of music. I took the plunge and bought 3 different ones.

The first had a singer Wei Li

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Classical-Chine ... m_h__img_a

Classical Chinese Folk Songs & Opera

She has a beautiful voice, the background is plaintive and wandering

quote from a buyer

I must admit I don''t like western opera as the stylistic distortion of the human voice to my ears renders it devoid of true human meaning.
However I am very pleased with this music, beautifully sung with full human intonation. And to my ears Wei Li's singing speaks volumes to human feeling and amusement.
I spent ages looking for a CD of this nature, and it seems another age will have to pass before I find another.

The 2nd was no opera more Folk - various artists

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Classical-Chine ... m_h__img_a

This is a review on Amazon from someone else who bought it

Close your eyes and imagine the music that would accompany Chinese landscapes with cultivated and tiered mountainsides, winding rivers through lush, green valleys ... music played on instruments such as, a 7 stringed Chinese dulcimer (huquin), a one-stringed instrument played with a bow (erhu), a bamboo wind instrument (bawoo), a Chinese violin, plus the xiao (Chinese cymbals). This 2 CD set is filled with musical landscapes of exceptional beauty, grace, and oriental elegance. The paradox is 'it has extraordinary simplicity wrapped in subtle complexity.' Think of, a child chasing a butterfly, a rainbow that comes forth after a brief rainshower, wispy clouds that float across the sky, creating paisley patterns ... "simplicity wrapped in subtle complexity"! This unique music has a lyrical poetical quality, which includes harmony, balance, and artistic refinement ... similar to delicate Chinese porcelain, with intricate hand-painted designs.

The 3rd I chose a musician specializing in Old Chinese Intruments

Liu Fang

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Emerging-Lotus- ... m_h__img_a

Album Description
Liu Fang is a world renowned virtuoso of the Chinese pipa
(four stringed lute) and guzheng (zither). She is a regular visitor to the
UK where she has performed at WOMAD, a BBC Aids Awareness concert and has
been championed by the UK media including Charlie Gillett, fRoots magazine
and even Sir Ian McKellen.
This, along with three other releases coming out simultaneously, are the
first of her solo CDs to be released in the UK.

Liu Fang's only album of guzheng music, the Chinese zither. She plays both
classical and folkloric pieces which she imbues with her exquisite personal
expression, original yet well grounded in an ancient tradition.

I suspect Liu Fang may be the nearest to what you have in mind but still not exactly so!

[Herb_Master]

Note that since I bought my Cd's Amazon has started doing MP3 downloads, and you can listen to a preview of the song first

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chinese-Traditi ... 0&sr=301-4

here on this album for instance is 1 called Tea Harvest and you can download them for $1

The Ballad of Blue Flower
The Flickering of the Candle Flame
and Jasmine
sound nice

[chamekke]

This was my first-ever album of Chinese classical music, and I'm still quite fond of it:

Phases of the Moon

Favourite pieces: "The Moon Mirrored in a Pool" (sooooo lovely, gorgeous erhu) and "Purple Bamboo Melody" (which always puts me in mind of an Irish reel). Not sure now how truly traditional it is, but it bursts with colour!

[sriracha]

Thank you, all! =)


It doesn't necessarily have to be super traditional, but preferably played on traditional Chinese instruments. =)

*delves into tips received*

[TIM]

My favorite is Korean traditional Kyagum Sanjo. It's almost like Jazz from 2000 yrs ago:

https://eee.uci.edu/programs/rgarfias/s ... sanjo.html

enjoy. T

[Aphroditea]

I got to see these girls in concert a few years back and really liked them. Getting to SEE them play the traditional Chinese instruments was amazing. They play popular Western songs, traditional and modern Chinese songs and songs they compose themselves.

http://www.12girls.org/english/gywm-yfjj.asp