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Wu Ziying : The Art of the Guqin, Volume 1
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The ethereal sounds of classical Chinese guqin (seven-string zither) music performed solo on an instrument from the Sung-Yuan period. Suitable for meditation and contemplation.
Genre: World: Asian
Release Date: 2005
The Art of the Guqin, Volume 1 Record Label: Wu Ziying
  • Buy CD - $17.00
Preview Song Name Time Format Price Select
Remembering an Old Friend (Yi gu ren) 8:17 Album Only
Incantation of Pu An (Pu An zhou) 11:05 Album Only
The Drunkard (Jiu kuang) 2:50 Album Only
Poem on the Autumn Wind (Qiu feng ci) 2:33 Album Only
A Drunken Fisherman Sings at Night (Zui yu chang wan) 5:24 Album Only
Geese Alight on the Sand (Ping sha lo yen) 6:48 Album Only
Moon over the Mountain Pass (Guan shan yue) 2:07 Album Only
Conversation between a Fisherman and Woodcutter (Yu qiao wen da) 9:04 Album Only
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Album Notes

Wu Ziying is a master of the guqin 古琴 (Chinese seven-string zither) and pipa 琵琶 (Chinese four-string lute). He studied with the twentieth-century's foremost Chinese masters of these instruments. Of particular influence on him were the great guqin players: Wang Jiru 王吉儒,Wu Jinglue 吳景略, Zha Fuxi 查阜西, Sun Zongpeng 孫宗彭, Xu Lisun 徐立蓀, and Gu Meigeng 顧梅羹.
Wu Ziying was a professor of traditional Chinese music at Shanghai Normal University and the Director of the Shanghai Qin Association. From 2001-3, he was a Visiting Artist in Ethno-Musicology at the School of Music, University of Washington. He now resides in the Seattle area where he continues to teach, perform, and repair instruments.
He performs on a guqin crafted some time during the 12th or 13th century called the "Perfectly Harmonized Jade and Pearl Qin" 璧合珠聯. It is an instrument renowned for its sweet, yet sonorous tone.

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REVIEWS

Truely unique
author: Jayne Williams
I first came across Wu Ziying's music a few months ago when a CD of it was included with the purchase of an excellent book from Blue Mountain Feng Shui Institute. The book featured a chapter about Guyin music and the CD really brought the words off the page and into life. I listened to that CD so much I knew I had to find some more material by this artist. After much internet searching I tracked down this CD and also Vol 2 here on CD baby. Living in the UK I was overjoyed to find that they could be delivered to me and after only a short wait recieved both Cds. I can't begin to describe how special I found this music. The resonance and tone soaked through me from head to toe. It reminded me sometimes of guitar, sometimes of harp and then of a dulcimer. The range of diferent playing techniques used even in just in one tune gave this music great variety and depth. A combination of masterfull playing and skillfull recording made these Cd's an absolute joy to listen to. Thank you so much Wu Ziying!
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A masterful recording by a true artist
author: David Abbot
Professor Wu's recording of guqin classics is among China's best offerings to the world, remeniscent of a time when this instrument was so highly valued that cultured people were expected to play it, and in fact it was said that playing the guqin would give you culture. Listening to this gentle artist's masterful renderings of some of the most well-loved classics for this most ancient instrument, in my heart I see wild geese flying over ancient temples, serene ponds, and other scenes that this music promises to reveal more clearly with repeated listenings.
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Gorgeous, quiet and lyrical Chinese music!
author: James Drage
I heard about Wu Ziying through the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. He's a professor of music at the nearby University of Washington. Originally I was on the hunt for some Pipa music. I had not heard of the Guqin before, but was definitely curious about a different form of Chinese music. After I got my copy from the Baby I was blown away by the beautiful tones of this instrument. If you enjoy Japanese Koto, you should definitely give this a spin. Quiet and lyrical it's great for afternoon relaxation or baby napping. The recording is top quality as you'd expect from the engineers at JSP. Thanks Baby!
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Absoute beauty!
author: Teresa Baker
I got this CD not having much experience with the Guqin but wanting to really get to know the beauty of this instrument. I was so happy to have purchased this CD. It was everything that I wanted it to be. I'm glad that I picked Mr. Wu b/c he is, in fact, a master at his craft. He does an excellent job with this instrument and you can really tell that he's a true master. The CD is extremely relaxing, beautiful, and hypnotic. It just takes you to another place!
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