A Floating City

1. South of Cloud

2. Awakening

3. Corners of the City

4. Dove Dance

5. Sidewalk Trees

6. Lemon Sky

7. Entrance to the Lane

8. A Floating City

9. Glamour

10. River of Light

11. Mother of the Night

12. Morning Stars

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist
Born in 1969, Lin Hai learned to play the piano at age four. 1988 he majored in piano at the China Central Music College and the next year he became the only and unprecedented Chinese nominee for the 8th Van Cliburn Musical Contest held in the U.S. In 1992 he began giving concerts in Taiwan and China and composed movie scores and TV drama scores. Now one of the most promising and successful Chinese pianists, he focuses on composing jazz and eastern new age music. As critics term it, Lin Hai is a genius whose has "an easternized right hand and a westernized left hand" and he plays improvisational jazz out of a disciplined classical background.

Product Description
Like a sleepless wanderer, Lin Hai captures the beauty of Beijing during the night.

From midnight to dawn, the piano solo magically describes a floating city with such abundant images and colorful lines that it resembles an orchestra.

Tracks:

And The World Goes 'Round: Theme From New York, New York - Karen Mason
Jerome Robbins' Broadway: Times Square - New York, New York - Paul Gemignani
Follies In Concert: Broadway Baby - New York Philharmonic
Guys And Dolls: The Oldest, Established, Permanent Floating Crap Game In New York - Edward Strauss
42nd Street: Lullaby Of Broadway - Company
42nd Street: 42nd Street - Lee Roy Reams
The Garrick Gaieties: Manhattan - William Bolcom
Ain't Misbehavin': Lounging At The Waldorf - Luther Henderson
Thoroughly Modern Millie: Only In New York - Sheryl Lee Ralph
Strayhorn: Take The 'A' Train - Morgana King
Porgy And Bess: There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York - Skitch Henderson
Stompin' At The Savoy - The New Glenn Miller Orchestra
Spanish Harlem - Tommy Leonetti
Autumn In New York - Bobby Short
Native New Yorker - Odyssey
I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City - Harry Nilsson

Average customer rating:

Very, very entertaining. Much more than horns!

Castello / Picchi: The Floating City

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Dario Castello: Sonate Concertate in Stil Moderno

ASIN: B00000DLY0
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Tracks:

Canzon No.19 a 8
Sonata No.14 a 4
Canzon No.15 a 6
Canzon No.17 a 8
Toccata
Sonata No.10 a 3
Sonata No.11 a 3
Sonata No.5 a 2
Ballo Ungaro
Padoana ditta la Ongara
Sonata No.8 a 2
Sonata No.17 in ecco
Canzon No.18 a 8
Canzon No.14 a 6
Sonata No.13 a 4

Customer Reviews:

Very, very entertaining. Much more than horns!.......2005-12-21

'The Floating City' is a performance by His Majestys Sagbutts (trombones) And Cornetts of 15 short pieces by two Venetian contemporaries of the Italian composer, Monteverdi.

The two most important things to point out about this collection is that unlike some of this group's other recordings for Hyperion, this is definitely NOT 'old music'. While these 17th century composers still exhibit some Renaissance 'tinniness' to their style, this stuff is much closer to Mozart than it is to Reformation Moravian brass choirs.

The second important aspect of these tracks is that most include performers on organ, harpsicord, violin and harp. Some are even organ and harp solos, so the overall sound of the performances is much richer than a bunch of trumpet and trombone players.

What I take from the high refinement of this music is that early 17th century Venice was a very civilized place indeed, almost as refined as the Vienna of Mozart.

Entirely worthy of the typically pricy Hyperion issue.

Average customer rating:

Make your city come alive

A Floating City

Manufacturer: Wind Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000AKMXP
Release Date: 2002-12-04

Tracks:

South of Cloud
Awakening
Corners of the City
Dove Dance
Sidewalk Trees
Lemon Sky
Entrance to the Lane
A Floating City
Glamour
River of Light
Mother of the Night
Morning Stars

Album Description

Like a sleepless wanderer, Lin Hai captures the beauty of Beijing during the night.

From midnight to dawn, the piano solo magically describes a floating city with such abundant images and colorful lines that it resembles an orchestra.

Customer Reviews:

Make your city come alive.......2006-04-27

I remember riding on a bus a summer evening, arriving at my home town from a visit abroad, listening to this album. Street lights beginning to dance in the river of light. The city is floating by silently.

Although I must admit I am not very much acquainted with the world of piano solo music I have never heard anything like Lin Hai. (Please tell me if you have heard anything as wonderful!) I believe it is his deep sense of touch combined with original technical creations. In this album the emphasis is on the latter but without leaving out the former. It is not as personal as other albums and won't as easily play with your emotions like for example "Cat". This is not to say there is a lack of feelings and he is just trying to show off. But listening to this album I think will rather mesmerize you and leave you in a state of wonder about the creational possibilities of a grand piano.

I love this album. But, if I really really have to say something bad...in most Chinese music I have heard, there is a tendency to childishness, contrasting the western realism, painting fantasy words rather than finding the essence of reality. You cannot compare this music to the western intellectual masterpieces because there are no such ambitions. On the other hand, I strongly feel Lin Hai is truly honest with his music. This is not mass production, not at all! And if you do not like the new age piano style this could be his least "new agy" album.

By the way, if you would like to listen to audio samples of this album go visit wind records homepage at http://www.wind-records.com.tw/shop/english/product/p_show.asp?key=TCD-5249. (It may take a while to load the audio.)