Some Precious Pearls

New guqin recordings are very scarce and usually they do not get enough press coverage. This month we have searched for qin related items at CDUniverse, an US based Internet CD and DVD retailer. Those are the items we found, precious pearls of a marvellous treasure.

Wu Wenguang Sunny Spring (2008) A few weeks ago we found an early video recording by Wu Wenguang (early 80s) playing Guangling san (see Cotton Mill Shanghai Blues). Now we have found this item, released last month, which is a double CD containing recordings by Wu Wenguang and also recordings by his father, Wu Jinglue. Available from CDUniverse

Chinese Masterpieces Of The Pipa & Qin (2007) The recording contains a varied selection of solo pipa and qin pieces from the traditional instrumental repertoire. Some pieces are accompanied on the xiao by Li Xiangting and Wang Ciheng. Available from CDUniverse

Chen Leiji. Album Of The Prunus Hermitage (2005) This album features all the Meian qin pu music (except Moon over the wutong). Played by Chen Leiji on the qin and François Picard on the xiao. Available from CDUniverse

Sleeping Lotus (2005) Improvisations on guqin and xiao by the great master Li Xiangting. Available from CDUniverse

Hymn To Confucius (2004) The ensemble 'Fleur du Prunus', directed by François Picard, plays music that the Jesuits might have brought to or heard in 18th century China. This album includes one qin solo by Yang Lining. Available from CDUniverse

Lin Youren Music For The Qin Zither (2001) This is one of the few - maybe the only one - commercial recordings including a sung piece (Qiu feng ci). Lin Youren's guqin playing is so fine. Available from CDUniverse

Old recordings

Anthology Of World Music: China (1998) A must have for anyone who enjoys Chinese music. It includes a duet by Fu Xuezhai (qin) and Zha Yiping (xiao), two solos by Guan Pinghu and Guangling san by Wu Wenguang. Available from CDUniverse

Eleven Centuries Of Traditional Music Of China (1992) A must have for anyone who enjoys Chinese music. It includes guqin pieces by: Tsar Teh-yun (2), Wu Chao-han (1) and Yang Sze-chak(1). Available from CDUniverse