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The Soul of the Orient - Tranquil Japanese Music An album which features famous Japanese composers and music from the Heian period to modern times, in a programme designed for relaxation as the lovely, elegant music describes simple and beautiful things from nature, such as cherry blossoms, a stream, or the wind in the pine trees. This album provides an introduction to the fascinating world of Japanese music. It doesn't aim to be comprehensive, since this would be impossible within only an hour long programme. But we have attempted to cover several schools of playing and several types of instruments and compositions, ranging across many centuries of music-making. Japanese music has roots deep in the past and the album includes some very ancient music. These roots have continued to flourish over the centuries, and there is still very much a living tradition associated with this music. The album reflects this with works from more recent periods as well as music composed by a contemporary musician. The pieces are all played by some of the greatest Japanese musicians of our times, in recordings made often in live conditions, which gives a tremendous spontaneity to the performances.