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back row: Wang Yidong, Li Xian, Cao Dewei, Carol Rosenberger, Amelia Haygood, Tsung Yeh, Zhang Weiliang, Zhao Chengwei front row: Zhang Xia, Chen Yihan, Chang Jing DE 3299 0 13491 32992 5

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK D D E E L L O O S S D E D E # 3 2 9 3 2 9 J o b c o n t e m p r a y H U A X I : c o n t e m p r a y H U A X I : C h i n e s C h i n e s contemporary music for m u s i c m u s i c traditional Chinese instruments C h a m b e r C h a m b e r 1 Zhu Lin: Transcendence – for seven f o r f o r performers (11:47) t r a d i o n l t r a d i o n l 2 Tan Dun: Shuang Que erhu, yangqin (8:36) E n s e m b l E n s e m b l 3 Chen Yi: The Points pipa solo (8:55) 4 Qu Xiaosong: Ji II “Floating Clouds” chiba, zheng, yangqin, percussion (10:54) C h i n e s C h i n e s 5 Yang Liqing: Thinking qudi, erhu, zhonghu, percussion (12:07) 6 Gao Weijie: Shao I – for seven performers (8:36) i n s t r u m e i n s t r u m e 7 Chen Qigang: Three Laughs di, chiba, sanxian, pipa, zheng (9:56) Total Playing Time: 70:52

Huaxia Chamber Ensemble: Tsung Yeh, conductor • Zhang Weilang, di, chiba, qudi • Zhao Chengwei, sanxian • Chen Yihan, pipa • Chang Jing, zheng • Cao Dewei, erhu, zhonghu • Zhang Xia, yangqin • Wang Yidong, percussion O R I G N A L O R I G N A L D I G T D I G T Distributed by DELOS PRODUCTIONS, INC. A L DE 3299 A L P.O. Box 343, Sonoma, California 95476-9998 #13491-DCJJCf Made in the U.S.A. • www.delosmusic.com

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Sanxian Pipa Erhu HUAXIA – Chinese Chamber Ensemble contemporary music for traditional Chinese instruments

# 1 Zhu Lin: Transcendence – for seven performers (11:47)

J o b 2 Tan Dun: Shuang Que (8:36) erhu, yangqin 3 Chen Yi: The Points (8:55) pipa solo 4 Qu Xiaosong: Ji II “Floating Clouds” (10:54) chiba, zheng, yangqin, percussion 5 Yang Liqing: Thinking (12:07) qudi, erhu, zhonghu, percussion 6 Gao Weijie: Shao I – for seven performers (8:36) 7 Chen Qigang: Three Laughs (9:56) di, chiba, sanxian, pipa, zheng A plucked string instrument A plucked string instrument A bowed string instrument Total Playing Time: 70:52

Executive Producers: Amelia S. Haygood, Monitor Loudspeakers (recording): Genelec 1030A Huaxia Chamber Ensemble Carol Rosenberger (post-production): LSR 28 Tsung Yeh, conductor Recording Producer: Peter Myles Microphones: Sennheiser MKH-20, Sanken CU-41, Recording Engineers: John Eargle, Jeff Mee Neumann KM84 Zhang Weilang, di, chiba, qudi Editing: Andrés Villalta Console: Soundcraft K-1 Zhao Chengwei, sanxian Recorded First Congregational Church, Los Angeles, CA Photos: Harry Pack Chen Yihan, pipa 20-bit Processing: Prism AD-1 Creative Direction: Harry Pack, Tri Arts and Associates Chang Jing, zheng Digital Editing: Sonic Solutions Graphics: Mark Evans Cao Dewei, erhu, zhonghu Zhang Xia, yangqin 7 W 2004 Delos Productions, Inc., P.O. Box 343, Sonoma, California 95476-9998 DE 3299 (707) 996-3844 • Fax (707) 320-0600 • (800) 364-0645 Wang Yidong, percussion Made in USA www.delosmusic.com

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Chinese chamber music is old. It can be traced back to the Warring States (475 BC – 221 BC). It grew in diversity at the Imperial Court, among the literati and simpler folk. Some of Di Chinese chamber music is young. Since the 1980s, in the cultural clashes between # the traditional East and West, Chinese composers have experimented in writing modern chamber

J o b music for traditional Chinese instruments, lending a new dimension to Chinese Chinese music-making. A wind instrument To preserve and develop the tradition and to stay abreast with global trends, instruments Chinese musicians will continue to explore. Zheng Li Xi’an, Artistic Director featured in this recording Transcendence, Zhu Lin ditional folk culture. Tan Dun has urged that A plucked string instrument Inspired by Buddhist philosophy, it warns simplicity and sincerity should not be forgot- people to be kindhearted and sympathetic ten in our busy modern life. of Huaxia, and to do good things. Yangqin The Points, Chen Yi the Chinese Shuang Que, Tan Dun Chen Yi completed The Points during a four The main theme which is played thoughout week residence at Yaddo in July of 1991. The Chamber has a strong chant-like character. The piece structure of The Points comes from the eight was written in memory of the great folk brush stroke movements of the Chinese music composer Ah Bing. The purpose of character yong (eternal) in Zhengkai callig- Music using these few bars of melodic theme raphy. The melodic material comes from Shaanxi opera. A zither-like instrument throughout the entire piece is not only to try Ensemble to unify the two contrasting parts of the piece Though the title refers to the contact points and all kinds of diverse thematic material, between brush and paper that commence and but also to show the composer’s roots in tra- characterize the eight strokes, Points also aptly

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captures the nature of plucked string music — Ensemble in 1996. In it the plucked, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Taichung. In Taught by many of the best-known mae- the melody is created from the musical points stringed instrument sanxian imitates the Europe, he is a frequent guest conductor stros of traditional Chinese instruments, plucked forth by the fingers. sound of laughter three times. It is a with orchestras in Poland, Russia, and the each player is not only skilled at solo-play- humorous piece. Czech Republic. ing one or more traditional instruments, Ji II – “Floating Clouds”, Zu Xiaosong Tsung Yeh devotes much of his ener- but also excels at various combinations of # It is it. gy to the promotion of contemporary ensemble work. Most players are winners

J o b Is it is? As the Principal Conductor of the Huaxia music. In 1995, he and the South Bend of national and/or international Chinese It is it. Chamber Ensemble, Tsung Yeh has led the Symphony Orchestra were honored with traditional instruments competitions. The A cymbal, that’s all. group in a number of highly successful tours the ASCAP® Award. He has conducted in Ensemble has been well-received on tour in in Europe and the U.S.A., as well as in Asia. such prestigious contemporary music festi- countries in Europe, the Americas, Asia Thinking, Yang Liqing He has been the Music Director of the South vals as MUSICRAMA in Hong Kong and and Africa, and has been regarded as the Written for the ensemble to perform at Le Bend Symphony Orchestra since 1988. He Festival Presence de Radio France in Paris. most promising group of young players Festival Musique en Scene 97 held in Lyon, also holds the posts of Conductor Laureate of from China. The Ensemble has visited France, it is constructed in multi-period the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and Music Huaxia Chamber Ensemble is an ensemble France a number of times, including form and decorated with heterophony, Director of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. using traditional Chinese instruments. Presecan ‘96 Festival de Creation Musical both of which are often used in Chinese Tsung Yeh’s guest conducting engage- Consisting of the best young players in (Paris), Le Festival Musique en Scene 97 music. It consists of variations made up of ments in the U.S. have included the Chicago China, its aim is to preserve and introduce held in Lyon, and Festival Avignon ‘97. On simple musical cells to reveal deep Symphony Orchestra, with Alfred Brendel ancient Chinese music and China’s rich, col- its first American tour in 1998, the thoughts and feelings. as soloist; the San Francisco Symphony; the orful folk music. The Ensemble also closely Ensemble introduced American audiences Minnesota Orchestra; the Rochester cooperates with Chinese composers both at to centuries-old, traditional Chinese music Shao I, Gao Weijie Philharmonic; the Tucson Symphony and home and abroad and plays unconventional, and also modern works written recently by Shao I was composed for seven performers. the New Haven Symphony. Tsung Yeh has contemporary works, which is not only a eminent Chinese composers. This is not a simulation of the music, called been an Exxon/Arts Endowment great challenge, but also has a strong appeal by the same name, played during the time Conductor with the St. Louis Symphony for the composers and the players. It will no of Confucian era (6th – 5th centuries BC), Orchestra and the Principal Conductor of doubt lead to change and reform of the con- but since they share the same meaning this the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra. cept of Chinese traditional-instrument play- piece was so named. In this music, the com- He has served as Resident Conductor of the ing and help promote the creation of new poser expresses his wishes for and adora- Florida Orchestra in Tampa/St. Petersburg, Chinese music. tion of the enchanting beauty of springtime. and as Principal Guest Conductor of the Members of the Ensemble have Albany Symphony in New York. In China, received music education from institutions Three Laughs, Chen Qigang he is a frequent guest conductor with of higher learning and have an intuitive, Chen Qigang composed this piece for the orchestras in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, spontaneous understanding of music.

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BLACK 8pg BOOKLET captures the nature of plucked string music — Ensemble in 1996. In it the plucked, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Taichung. In Taught by many of the best-known mae- the melody is created from the musical points stringed instrument sanxian imitates the Europe, he is a frequent guest conductor stros of traditional Chinese instruments, plucked forth by the fingers. sound of laughter three times. It is a with orchestras in Poland, Russia, and the each player is not only skilled at solo-play- humorous piece. Czech Republic. ing one or more traditional instruments, Ji II – “Floating Clouds”, Zu Xiaosong Tsung Yeh devotes much of his ener- but also excels at various combinations of # It is it. gy to the promotion of contemporary ensemble work. Most players are winners

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recording Transcendence, Zhu Lin ditional folk culture. Tan Dun has urged that A plucked string instrument Inspired by Buddhist philosophy, it warns simplicity and sincerity should not be forgot- people to be kindhearted and sympathetic ten in our busy modern life. of Huaxia, and to do good things. Yangqin The Points, Chen Yi the Chinese Shuang Que, Tan Dun Chen Yi completed The Points during a four The main theme which is played thoughout week residence at Yaddo in July of 1991. The Chamber has a strong chant-like character. The piece structure of The Points comes from the eight was written in memory of the great folk brush stroke movements of the Chinese music composer Ah Bing. The purpose of character yong (eternal) in Zhengkai callig- Music using these few bars of melodic theme raphy. The melodic material comes from Shaanxi opera. A zither-like instrument throughout the entire piece is not only to try Ensemble to unify the two contrasting parts of the piece Though the title refers to the contact points and all kinds of diverse thematic material, between brush and paper that commence and but also to show the composer’s roots in tra- characterize the eight strokes, Points also aptly

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Sanxian Pipa Erhu HUAXIA – Chinese Chamber Ensemble contemporary music for traditional Chinese instruments

# 1 Zhu Lin: Transcendence – for seven performers (11:47)

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back row: Wang Yidong, Li Xian, Cao Dewei, Carol Rosenberger, Amelia Haygood, Tsung Yeh, Zhang Weiliang, Zhao Chengwei front row: Zhang Xia, Chen Yihan, Chang Jing

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