China: The Art of the Qin

1. Meihua San Nong

2. Youlan

3. Ainai

4. Qiu Sai Yin

5. Liushui

6. Yi Gu Ren

7. Xiao Xiang Shui Yun

8. Changmen Yan

9. Guangling San

Tracks:

Meihua San Nong
Youlan
Ainai
Qiu Sai Yin
Liushui
Yi Gu Ren
Xiao Xiang Shui Yun
Changmen Yan
Guangling San

Customer Reviews:

Early production of Li Xiangting?.......2007-06-20

I am a guqin player myself and I am a bit disappointed with this CD. It appeared to me that it might be one of Mr. Li's early productions. The finger techniques, the excessive heavy touch on the strings, the unwanted metallic string echos, and the qin sound quality. None of it is up to his current level. Some of his other CDs are much better than this one. I enjoy Mr. Li's concert - his left hand movement is very mature,smooth, and impeccable. His right hand (finger flickings) is still a bit FORTE. The majority of guqin songs/music are for express yearning and to convey emotion and inspiration. If guqin music is delivered forte, it might not be able to convey and express the balance of ancient Chinese Philosophy - everything in balance and median, not too Yin (soft) or too Yang (hard). There is another well known profound guqin player in US, Mr. Wu Ziying. I have one of his CDs - I enjoy it very much.

I am going to request Amazon.com to carry Mr. Wu ZiYing's CD.

the real master never appears.......2003-04-20

i think it's more important to understand the Chinese' music with their proprieties and psychical things than only listenning the music.

for people who play the Gu Qin in acient times, fame is not even a word for them. and you should know the story of "Gao Shan Liu Shui". Yu Bo Ya has broken the guqin for his best understanding friend...and the Guqin is not only broken for friendship, is also broken for the sinking world.

so, do not argue anymore, as the real master never appears in front of us who are infectant by the Commercial thought...

they are in the moutains, only play for sky and birds.to refine our hearts,and then we are able to hear the real music ...no other ways...

Pandering to the lowest denominator.......2002-10-26

I grant that Li Xiangting's playing is extremely accessible to those who are unfamiliar to qin music and often find qin music by other players such as the old masters boring and uninteresting. Certainly, Li has a substantial following of students and listeners, but his playing caters to the external ignoring the deeply internal aspect of the qin music of the old masters. Chinese classical music is not based merely on melodic and rhythmic patterns, but on the deep dynamic structure. The resonance of each note and the subtle contours and convolutions of sound and harmonics are what gives this music its character, but this non-obvious characteristic of the music does not appeal to most people. In the style of the old masters, the emotion exists not on the surface but at a deeper level of the music, and the latter is indescribably more genuine than the former. Li Xiangting may sound passionate, but if one tries to take in the music deeply and fully, one will discover that his playing is void of genuine emotion. Li Xiangting, like many other qin players of the twentieth century, has subordinated traditional aesthetics to drive and vigor. There are a few masters today whose playing still has that profound emotional quality, but Li Xiangting is not one of them. His music is little more than a fireworks display that catches the ear, and may even quicken the heart, but fails to penetrate any deeper.

Great work and touch my soul.......2002-10-19

First, I like Li Xiangting and all his guqin CDs including this Chine: L'Art du Qin however, this is not the best CDs of Li Xiangting I think.
I agree with Guan Haitao's review. I think Li Xiangting's guqin music touchs people's soul.
I totally disagree with stephen c. walker's review. I think this person doesn't understand guqin music and just see some translated guqin books in English and had a bad influce from some non-qin scholars or players but posted some stupid thougts on their web sites and I guess this guy never seen real guqin before. Especially misunderstood the qin string.
Moden qin string is not made by steel. It is made by nylon and metal. hope he can find a guqin and play a while they write a responsible review.
Linda Lau

Great work and touch my soul.......2002-10-19

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