China - From Peking to Shanghai (CD)

This is the basic silk-and-bamboo music that's stereotypically known as Chinese music at large. However, here the focus is on solo instrumentalists rather than the larger ensembles of Southern China. There are a couple of tracks of ti-tse from one of the better flautists in Lu Peiyuen's orchestra in Hong Kong. A few tracks from Lu Peiyuen himself on pi-pa follow with little fanfare (not even a hint of Hero's Defeat, it would seem), and the album closes with a series of pieces for the cheng, courtesy of Liang Tsai-Ping. There is one track on silk strings with a glorious sound, and a few more on metallic strings, which still let him show off his prowess, but with a harsher timbre to the instrument. The playing is excellent throughout, particularly on the cheng pieces. More in-depth liner notes would be appreciated,for the ti-tse and pi-pa pieces but nonetheless, the album isn't a bad one. It's a decent starter set for new, curious listeners. ~ Adam Greenberg