HUQIN BLOG

Chen Jiebing - Erhu Recital (1985 cassette)

Artist/Performers: Chen Jiebing, Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble Orchestra
Chén Jiébīng 陈洁冰, shànghǎi gēwǔtuán guǎnxiányuèduì 上海歌舞团管弦乐队
Album: Erhu Recital, èrhú dúzòu 二胡独奏
Year: 1985
Company: China Record Co. HL-384

Cassette tape track list:
A1. xīn hūn bié 新婚别 The Parting of the Newly Wedded
A2. tīng sōng 听松 Listening Pine
B1. liáng xiāo 良宵 New Year's Eve
B2. yángguān sān dié 阳关三叠 Yang Guan Melody
B3. chūn shī 春诗 Spring Poem
B4. pútáo shú le 葡萄熟了Grapes Ripen

Filename: Chen Jiebing - Erhu Recital (1985 cass).zip
Size: 45.28 MB, 130 vbr mp3 in zip folder inc covers and notes in Chinese
Download link: http://sharebee.com/a6d1b29e

The recordings on this cassette tape are erhu solo with a symphonic-like accompaniment by a large orchestra modelled on the western symphony orchestra but with Chinese instruments.

The erhu player is Chen Jiebing, also know as Jiebing Chen.

Post up-dated.

Zhāng Ruì 张锐 - Liu Tianhua Erhu Solos (China Record, 1982)



Performer: Zhāng Ruì 张锐,
Album: "Erhu Solos Composed by Liu Tianhua Performed by Zhang Rui"
Liú Tiānhuá èrhú dúzòu qǔ jí, Zhāng Ruì yǎnzòu
刘天华二胡独奏曲集, 张锐演奏

Year: 1982 (recorded in 1981)
Format: cassette tape

Track list:
A1. liáng xiāo良宵
A2. kōng shān niǎo yǔ 空山鸟语
A3. bìng zhōng yín 病中吟
A4. kǔ mèn zhī ōu 苦闷之讴
A5. dú xián cāo 独弦操
B1. guāng míng xíng 光明行
B2. yuè yè 月夜
B3. bēi gē 悲歌
B4. xián jū yín 间居吟
B5. zhú yǐng yáo hóng 烛影摇红

Download link: 40MB 130 vbr mp3 in zip folder inc covers

Translation of titles:
Bìng Zhōng Yín (病中吟) 1918 (recitation of ill-being)
Yuè Yè (月夜) 1924 (moon night)
Kǔ Mèn Zhī Ōu (苦闷之讴) 1926 (song of depression)
Bēi Gē (悲歌) 1927 (sad song)
Liáng Xiāo (良宵) 1928 (beautiful evening)
Xián Jū Yín (闲居吟) 1928 (recitation of leisure)
Kōng Shān Niǎo Yǔ (空山鸟语) 1928 (empty mountains bird song)
Guāng Míng Xíng (光明行) 1931 (towards brightness)
Dú Xián Cāo (独弦操) 1932 (exercise on one string)
Zhú Yĭng Yáo Hóng (烛影摇红) 1932 (shadows of candles flickering red)

This album of the ten erhu solo pieces composed by Liu Tianhua is performed by Zhang Rui, without accompaniment as originally composed.

To me, the erhu sound and the playing style on this recording has less of the characteristics that would be typical of the erhu and erhu music. It's almost as if how a classical violinist would would play these pieces. The notes on the cassette does mention that Zhang Rui did learn the violin.

Four of these tracks are also on the CD "A Collection of Music Played on the Erhu Vol 1" (1992, China Record) http://huqinblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/collection-of-music-played-on-erhu-vol.html

This is a video of Zhang Rui performing huái xiāng xíng 怀乡行 (journey of nostalgia for hometown) on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUymInzy3og

A Collection of Music Played on the Erhu Vol 1 (1992 CD, China Record)



Performers: Min Huifen 闵惠芬, Zhāng Ruì 张锐, Wáng Guótóng 王国潼, Wáng Yíqín 王宜勤, Jiāng Jiànhuá 姜建华, Zhāng Sháo 张韶, Zēng Xún 曾寻
Album: A Collection of Music Played on the Erhu Vol 1
(An Album of Liú Tiānhuá's Works)
CD Year: 1992
CD Company: China Record CCD-92/166
AAD

Track list:
01. bìng zhōng yín 病中吟 Reciting on the Sickbed - Min Huifen 闵惠芬
02. yuè yè 月夜 In the Moon Night - Zhāng Ruì 张锐
03. kǔ mèn zhī ōu 苦闷之讴 Chant of Depression - Zhāng Ruì 张锐
04. bēi gē 悲歌 Lament - Wáng Guótóng 王国潼
05. liáng xiāo 良宵 A Fine Night (chú yè xiǎo chàng 除夜小唱 Song of New Year's Eve) - Wáng Yíqín 王宜勤 et al
06. xián jū yín 闲居吟 Reciting in Leisurely Living - Jiāng Jiànhuá 姜建华
07. kōng shān niǎo yǔ 空山鸟语 Birds are Singing in the Tranquil Valley - Zhāng Sháo 张韶
08. guāng míng xíng 光明行 Marching on a Bright Road - Zēng Xún 曾寻
09. dú xián cāo 独弦操 Air on One String - Zhāng Ruì 张锐
10. zhú yǐng yáo hóng 烛影摇红 Candle Light's Shadow Swings in Red Colour - Zhāng Ruì 张锐

This is the first volume of a 10-CD set of erhu music published by China Record in 1992. It seems the recordings have all been previously released on various albums. For example the two tracks by Zhang Rui were on his 1982 cassette, see http://huqinblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/zhang-rui-liu-tianhua-erhu-solos-china.html

In contrast to that album which are erhu only (as originally composed), the recordings of the ten Liu Tian erhu solos here have various arrangements, ranging from solo to large ensembles.

The rest of the volumes will be posted in the future.

Download link: 49MB 130 vbr mp3 in zip folder inc covers

Note that depending on the zip program you are using, the folder might not extract properly, older versions 7-Zip do not work. It appears this is because the file names contain Chinese characters.

If you are having problems, newer versions of 7-zip or WinRAR will work, the Chinese characters will appear as underlines when extracted.

Note: this post has a lot of dead links which have to be up-dated.

Yue Ye (moon night, Yuè Yè 月夜) is a composition for the erhu by Liu Tianhua (Liú Tiānhuá 刘天华). The date given on the score is 1924, I assume this is the year of publication.

Here are 4 different recording of the piece. All are erhu only, which I prefer. It seems many if not most recordings have accompiment, ranging from just with yangqin to a small ensemble to the large modern Chinese orchestra.

Wang Yijie
Link, 7.2MB
This is my favourite of these four. The erhu tone is big, rich and full-bodied.

Liu Changfu 刘长福
Link, 5MB
This one is more reflective, less intense, with a sweeter and gently beautiful tone.

Xu Ke
Link, 8MB
The first thing that strikes me about this recording is that the player is playing the piece like a violin player.

Wang Guotong
Link, 9.8MB
This recording is noticeably slower than the other ones here. The erhu is tuned one semitone lower than the standard tuning (assuming A = 440hz), to D flat and A flat. So I wonder if it has been slowed down. All the other tracks on the CD this recording is from have the same open string tuning.

Zhang Rui
Link, 6.2MB
This is from a 1982 cassette released by the China Records Company(HL 113).