"I've had the vinyl version of this for years. Unlike most of the recordings of Chinese music that I have heard this shows no Western influence whatsoever. At times the music approaches the sparse textures more commonly associated with Japanese art music. Features excellent recordings made by John Levy in the sixties, and the sleeve notes (with the lp version at least) explain all the tracks.
Beautiful sounds, and probably an important ethnomusicalogical document."
Excellent real Chinese music
Adam Bigham | Michigan, USA | 10/11/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Traditional instruments, historical recordings. "Some Ways of Touching the Ch'in" is a demonstration of zither technique. The brief liner notes mention that the final track is a piece for orchestra with solo for small oboe; well, "orchestra" in this sense is the Chinese version with percussion and stringed intruments -- I think of the accompaniment to the puppet show in the movie "To Live". The pipa is featured on several tracks, such as "Ambush". Soloists and the name of each instrument featured are listed for each track. This great CD is an hour in length."
ANCIENT MUSIC OF CHINA
F. I. Khattab | 08/23/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"FOR ANYONE WHO IS A MUSIC LOVR OF ALL CULTURES, THIS IS ANOTHER WONDERFUL CD. THE EXPLANTIONS OF THE DIFFERENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THE HISTORY BEHIND THE MUSIC IS JUST WONDERFUL AND ENLIGHTENING."
I ws expecting more
Patricia Robertson | Georgetown KY | 11/18/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I am not fully familiar with traditional music from China other then what you hear on movies. This album to me was more of a learning about the various instruments and their sounds than music to relax too. It has a beauty of its own - just not what I was expecting."
Poetry
Lori A. Brubaker | Dickson, TN, USA | 10/13/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Stark. Discordant. Primitive. Traditional Chinese. Beautiful poetry of sound. The history of the Chinese culture and the sounds of ancient instruments are on display here."