Search - Li Xiangting (Qin) :: China: The Art of the Qin - Li Xiangting

Pandering to the lowest denominator

John | San Diego, CA | 10/25/2002

(1 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Highly recommended

Guan Haitao | Xian, China | 09/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a guqin fan for 15 years and play guqin for 10 years.
I have a large guqin CD collection.
Amount my 70 guqin CDs which produced China and oversea china, this CD is one of my favoriate CD.
Li Xiangting is one of my favoriate guqin masters.
All the pieces are tranditional pieces. From his playing, you can find he mastered the tranditional styles of Guan Pinghu school, Wu Jinglue and Zha Fuxi and also have his difinetion on it.
It is not he try to reach wide audiance. The reason he becomes one of the best living qin players, people moved by his music. I attended his serveral concerts, many people were crying while listening his music in person. Are those people all stupid? Don't unerstand qin music?
I think it is add, some people who know a little guqin and want to keep guqin in a small circle to show how they are special. That is very stupid.
Masters are masters, the history will tell.
I belive that not just one or two people who assum they really understand qin music."

Great work and touch my soul

Linda Lau | Hong Kong | 10/19/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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"