Some of the most astonishing and important music being composed today comes from a group of Chinese in their forties. These composers embody a critical moment for synthesising Western musical techniques and forms with Chinese folk materials. Compared to the orchestral and chamber music of this Chinese "Bartok generation", most earlier Chinese concert music blending East an West seems superficial. On this CD, Cala presents Zhou Long, who's music assimilates folk sources while preserving their pungency and raw emotive power
 | 1 | Zhou Long | The Ineffable
David Fedele flute/piccolo, William Trigg percussion, Min Xiao-Fen pipa, Ann Yao zheng, Laura Park violin, Chris Finckel cello, Clair Heldrich conductor | 15:29 | | 2 | | Wild Grass
Fred Sherry cello | 7:45 | | 3 | | Five Maskers
Manhattan Brass Quintet | 9:26 | | 4 | | Ding
Allen Blustine clarinet, Ann Yao zheng, Donald Palma double bass | 9:23 | | | | | Metal, Stone, Silk, Bamboo
David Fedele flute/piccolo, William Trigg percussion, Jean Kopperud clarinet/bass clarinet, Chen Tao dizi/xun, Thomas Chiu violin, Joshua Gorden cello, Clair Heldrich conductor | | | 5 | | | 9:52 | | 6 | | | 6:08 | | 7 | | | 5:11 | TT: 63:44 |
Review: "Born in Bejing and currently residing in Brooklyn, Zhou Long (b.1953) has already won many musical plaudits for his highly imaginative music. Full of incident and ear-tickling textural variety, Long's 1994 sextet, The Ineffable, enshrines a fascinating and rewarding synthesis of Chinese and Western compositional and instrumental elements. Indeed, every piece here reveals a composer of refined sensibility and explanatory daring. Performances and sound throughout are beyond reproach." Gramophone |
