Customer Reviews

Chinoiserie

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A review I read in the SF Examiner said that this was "a strong contender for fun piano record of the year", and indeed it is! The selections are in turn kitsch (Ketelbey's descriptive In A Chinese Temple Garden, complete with gong!), mildly avant-garde (John Adams' hypnotic China Gates), or more authentically flavored (Tcherepnin's highly colorful and virtuoso Chinese Concert Etudes). Jenny Lin's tongue in cheek approach and velvety tone fit this imaginative program perfectly, while her poetic insight reveals unsuspected treasures - just listen to Cyril Scott's smoky Lotus Land, or Martinu's dreamy Fifth Day of the Fifth Moon. More importantly, she always finds the appropriate mood for each piece. My favorite is perhaps A la Chinoise by Leo Ornstein, the oldest living composer (now 108!), a crazy work inspired by a walk in San Francisco's Chinatown! The CD lasts 80 minutes, and I enjoyed every second of it.

It will keep you interested even after hours of repeated listening. It's outstanding!

Jenny Lin brings her irrepressible soul to this recording. While the pieces assembled may be too recondite for average listeners, educated ears will be thrilled.

Fantastic mix of Classical music with a twist from the far east. Transforms every listener to a time and place beyond belief.