Search - Min Xiao-Fen :: Spring River Flower Moon Night

Min Xiao-Fen
Spring River Flower Moon Night
Genres: Folk, International Music, Pop

Track Listings (7) - Disc #1
1. Jackdaws Playing In The Water
2. King Chu Sheds His Armor
3. Sounds From The Chen And Sui Dynasties
4. Han Palace Autumn Moon
5. Song Of The Northern Frontier (Nostagia For...)
6. Zhao Jun Crosses The Frontier Pass
7. Spring, River, Flower, Moon, Night

CD Details

All Artists: Min Xiao-Fen
Title: Spring River Flower Moon Night
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Asphodel Records
Original Release Date: 7/1/1997
Release Date: 7/1/1997
Genres: Folk, International Music, Pop
Styles: Traditional Folk, Far East & Asia
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 753027097422

Synopsis

Amazon.com

The 12,000 year-old pipa is an exhilarating instrument to hear in the solo context, and Nanjing, China-born Min Xiao Fen is one of the instrument's finest artists. Her debut CD features music from both the Wen and Wu schools, the former a lyrical, sublime tradition, and the latter more flairing and intense in scope and nature. Like the progression of natural phenomena of Min's CD title, the music here contracts and expands, moving from large, lush runs across the pipa to slow, methodically minute plucks and single notes. Min mesmerizes both with the grand gesture and the telescoped precision of her every note, giving this CD a crystalline clarity that retains powerful warmth. There aren't many playing the difficult pipa with Min's dexterity and intellectual energy, and she makes these aged repertory classics shine with new life. --Andrew Bartlett

CD Reviews

Just buy it. You'll love it =)

Pharoah S. Wail | Inner Space | 11/19/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I should be flogged for not reviewing this disc years earlier. Hearing Min on this disc was one reason I bought (and reviewed 3 or 4 years ago) her great Viper disc with Derek Bailey. I don't know why I didn't get around to this one, as it is a treasure chest of fantastic playing and tone, as well as engaging melodies.

I personally tend to favor the WEN style over the WU. The WEN style stuff is just flat-out gorgeous more often than not. The WU has more of an explosive, in-your-faceness to it that I enjoy, but it doesn't move me as deeply as the WEN.

If you have heard the Viper disc, these are 2 very different discs. Viper being all free-improvisation, while here you get a mini, sonic history of China. Sometimes gorgeous and gentle, sometimes violent and overwhelming... it's all here.

Then again, if you've never heard the pipa, or Min in particular, this is the perfect place to begin."

Powerful

Chelsea M. Zahn | East coast, USA | 05/07/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The instrument of pipa is very effective in telling stories. Scenes and emotion in the music are so vivid that it makes you feel that you are part of the story. Listen to "King Chu sheds his armor" and you will understand. I would provide some Chinese translation of the song titles but apparently amazon doesn't support Chinese character input. "Zhao Ju crosses the frontier" and "spring, river, flower, moon, night" are well known Chinese classics.

Personally I felt that she over stressed the powerfulness of the instrument at times. As a result, the melody of some of the pieces are not as smooth as it was written to be. If you are looking for "easy-listening" this is not the album you want to buy."