Various Artists - Phases Of The Moon: Traditional Chinese Music

Great Starter CD for Traditional Chinese Music

I was invited by my son's school to give a presentation on Chinese culture this past Chinese New Year (Feb 08). For music, I chose this CD and "Classical Chinese Folk Music".
This is a great starter CD if you want to learn traditional Chinese music. The pieces are performed in the 60s & 70s by a Chinese Orchestra using traditional instruments. The modernized music structures made it much more enjoyable (ambient) than the traditional way of playing - using fewer instruments, heavily ladden with emotional edge, due to Chinese music's moral or historical contents. That would have been much harder to swallow.
Check out "Classical Chinese Folk Music" next, which follows closer to traditions, but still very enjoyable. September 4, 2008

Tradition Chinese Music

Another great album of Chinese themed music. Relaxing and reminicent of the oldest civilization on earth. September 4, 2008

very very good

My first Chinese music cd, I think this is excellant and I'm very glad I bought it, no disappontment at all. January 10, 2008

Modern Scores of Traditional Themes

I've been searching for a CD of uncompromising traditional/classical Chinese music. This is not it. Most of the tracks are 1950s and 1960s performances by The Chinese Broadcasting Traditional Instruments Orchestra, with up to 70 members indeed playing traditional instruments but not in traditional ensembles. Instead these are "orchestral" compositions of early Communist China, with obviously westernized musical structures. Still they are not all bad. In fact, a couple of tracks are quite enjoyable, equal to and rather comparable to the ballet suites of Aaron Copeland. On the other hand, a couple of tracks are pure Hollywood epic music, and for those misbegotten moons I'm deducted a star. But notice the price! If you have any taste for muiscal travel, go ahead, buy it! It's surely worth the chance. October 30, 2007

Quite enjoyable and varied

I wanted some music to accompany a slide show I was making of China trip photos. I am happy with this purchase. Many of the songs are very old and take an educated palate to appreciate (not a palate weaned on American pop tunes) but I also found some snappy ditties that work fine for any audience, and work well with my slides. August 4, 2007

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