Classical Chinese Folk Music

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 12, 2002)
• Original Release Date: April 18, 2000
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Arc Music
• ASIN: B00004S2W1
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,911 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #3 in Music > Indie Music > World Music > Far East & Asia
  • #8 in Music > World Music > Far East & Asia > China
  • #63 in Music > World Music > Far East & Asia > General AAS

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Zi Zhu Diao (Purple Bamboo Melody)

2. Yu Ge (Yu Tian You) (Song of the Fisherman)

3. Jiang He Shui (Rivers and Streams)

4. Wu Bang Zi (Fen Zi Cuen)

5. Sai Ma (Horse Races)

6. Springtime on the Tianshan Mountains

7. Gu Xiang (My Home Town)

8. Huan le Ge (Happy Song)

9. Liang Xiao (Beautiful Evening)

10. Chun Dou Xiang Jiang (Ning Bao Sheng) (Spring Comes to Xiang River)

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Mu Min Xin Ge

2. Ping Hu Qiu Yue (Still Lake Under the Autumn Moon)

3. Guo Sou Xing (Tiang Xian Wei) (A Trip to Guo Sou)

4. San Liu (Three and Six)

5. In the Evening of the Torch Festival

6. E Ma Yao Ling (Hungry Horses Ringing Bells)

7. XI Xiang Fen (Fen Zi Cuen) (Happy Reunion)

8. Han Gong Qiu Yue (Autumn Moon at the "Han" Palace)

9. Three Ancient Tunes from Yenzhou

10. Zo XI Kou (Li Zhen)

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars what Chinese restaurants should play, December 1, 2000

By 

"semperveritas" (Overland Park, KS USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classical Chinese Folk Music (Audio CD)

Being Chinese, I have been to many Chinese restaurants. Many have elaborate Chinese decor: traditional paintings, fish tanks, statues, and furniture- but *no Chinese music*. I am always dismayed when I hear them play showtunes or worse, pop radio. It just doesn't fit. Hong Kong karaoke doesn't fare much better. Traditional Chinese music such as this CD set is essential for the proper atmosphere.

This music makes good background music. It can be soothing without being boring, having the complexity and direction that New Age music lacks. Most important, it's authentic music, played with authentic instruments. It doesn't pretend to be Chinese, it *is* Chinese. (I was appalled when I heard what passed as Chinese music in the "Chinese" shops at Worlds of Fun.)

Recommend traditional Chinese music like this CD set to the Chinese restaurants near you. (There might be a little confusion about what "classical" means in the title. A better word would be "traditional.")

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite, Elegant, Mystical Oriental Music, November 6, 2002

By 

Erika Borsos "pepper flower" (Gulf Coast of FL, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Classical Chinese Folk Music (Audio CD)

Close your eyes and imagine the music that would accompany Chinese landscapes with cultivated and tiered mountainsides, winding rivers through lush, green valleys ... music played on instruments such as, a 7 stringed Chinese dulcimer (huquin), a one-stringed instrument played with a bow (erhu), a bamboo wind instrument (bawoo), a Chinese violin, plus the xiao (Chinese cymbals). This 2 CD set is filled with musical landscapes of exceptional beauty, grace, and oriental elegance. The paradox is 'it has extraordinary simplicity wrapped in subtle complexity.' Think of, a child chasing a butterfly, a rainbow that comes forth after a brief rainshower, wispy clouds that float across the sky, creating paisley patterns ... "simplicity wrapped in subtle complexity"! This unique music has a lyrical poetical quality, which includes harmony, balance, and artistic refinement ... similar to delicate Chinese porcelain, with intricate hand-painted designs.

The titles to some of the pieces suggest the "simplicity and subtle complexity" of the music:
"Purple Bamboo Melody", "Song of the Fisherman", "Rivers and Streams", "Spring Comes to Xiang River", "Spring Water Reflects the Moon", "Lake over the Autumn Moon", and "Hungry Horses Ringing Bells". If calm, soothing, ambient meditative oriental music is what you desire: this double CD set will exceed your expectations! Indeed, I have heard similar music played at Chinese Restaurants & was enormously pleased when I discovered these CDs! Erika Borsos (erikab93)

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of Heart, January 25, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Classical Chinese Folk Music (Audio CD)

This unusual collection of traditional Chinese instrumental music is full of heart and spirit. The melodies are particularly accessible to westerners (although I don't believe that this was intentional). For many people it would not only be a good introduction to the "other side of the globe," but to the "other side" of the self. Highly recommended!