VA - The Hugo Masters: An Anthology of Chinese Classical Music (4CD, 1992)

Chinese classical music is a much larger field than Western classical music. It covers a huge geographical area as well as a time frame of thousands of years. Although some of China's musical instruments have changed very little in hundreds or thousands of years, others were adapted to Western standards under the influence of Russian musicians during the middle of this century. In some cases, frets were added to non-chromatic instruments and tonalities standardized. The liner notes of The Hugo Masters: An Anthology of Chinese Classical Music contain extensive documentation of the various instruments used in Chinese solo and orchestral music, with descriptions of their history and modifications, as well as an essay to help Western listeners understand the background of Chinese classical music.

The instruments fall into four categories, each constituting a separate compact disk:
Volume One: Bowed Strings
Volume Two: Plucked Strings
Volume Three: Woodwinds
Volume Four: Percussion
These disks are available individually or as a collector's series in a beautifully designed silk boxed set.

The music itself is highly varied and richly emotional. The music paints pictures of China's people, their culture and homeland, and their dreams and their despair. The Hugo Masters: An Anthology of Chinese Classical Music is a joint effort of the Hugo and Celestial Harmonies labels to bring this definitive anthology to listeners worldwide. This is the first time these recordings have become available to audiences outside of Hong Kong. For listeners unfamiliar with Chinese classical music, these works are a powerful and emotional awakening.

VOLUMES:
Volume One: Bowed Strings
Volume Two: Plucked Strings
Volume Three: Woodwinds
Volume Four: Percussion

TRACKLIST:

Disc: 1
1. Night Thoughts - Li Ming-Xiong
2. Spring Morning In Suzhou - Deng Jian-Dong
3. Stroll Of New Town - Yun Hi-Yun
4. Little Piece Of Henan - Liu Ming-Yuan
5. Listening To The Pines - Hua Yan-Jun
6. Crescent Moon At Dawn - Liu Ming-Yuan
7. Zhong Hua Liu Ban - Shen Feng-Quan
8. Flicking Of Candles - Liu Tian-Hua
9. Market Gathering - Zeng Jia-Qing
10. Rains Patterning At Plantain Leaves - Traditional
11. Lament Of Zhaojun - Traditional
12. Beautiful Scene Of Spring - Traditional
13. Xiaoyao Ferry - Min Hui-Fen

Disc: 2
1. Ambush - Yang Wei, The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra
2. Like Waves Against Sand - Ma Mei Ye
3. Sword Dance - Wu Jiang, The Conservatory Of Music, Shanghai
4. Moonlit Night Of Stone Forest - Liu Bo, The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra
5. Petrel - Wang Wen Li, Nanjing Arts Academy
6. Beyond The Great Wall - Xu Feng Xia & Du Chong, The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra
7. The Defeating Song Of Chu - Roa Ning Xin, Xinhai Music Conservatory, Guangzhou
8. High Mountains And Flowing Water - Wang Wei, Conservatory Of Music, Shanghai
9. Homeward Prose - Cheng Gong Liang, Nanjing Arts Academy
10. Parting At Yangguan - Wu Zhao Ji, Suzhou University
11. The Broken String Effect Of Zheng - Li Ban, Railways Arts Troupe, Beijing

Disc: 3
1. Journey To Suzhou - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
2. Fisherman Song - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
3. San Wu Qi - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
4. A Spray Of Flower - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
5. Song Of Green River - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
6. Autumn Meditation At Dressing Desk - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
7. Three Variations Of Plum Blossom - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
8. Morning In Miao Mountain - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
9. Beating Down The Dates - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
10. Phoenix At The Lakeshore - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
11. Love Song Of Mountain Village - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
12. Herdsman Song - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
13. A Rank-Seven Official - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory
14. The Idle Song-Thrush - Du Chong With The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory

Disc: 4
1. Zhoushan Luo-Gu - The Frontline Dance And Music Group
2. The Rumbling Ocean (Part 1) - Li Min-Xiong
3. The Rumbling Ocean (Part 2) - Li Min-Xiong
4. The Rumbling Ocean (Part 3) - Li Min-Xiong
5. The Rumbling Ocean (Part 4) - Li Min-Xiong
6. General's Victory - Li Min-Xiong
7. Squabbling Ducks - Li Min-Xiong
8. Kwai Gu Duan - Li Min-Xiong
9. Celebrating Lantern Festival - Li Min-Xiong
10. Shi-Ba-Liu-Si-Er - Li Min-Xiong
11. Great Harvest - Li Min-Xiong
12. Day Of Jubilant - Li Min-Xiong
13. Flying Dragons And Jumping Tigers - Li Min-Xiong
14. Pine, Bamboo, Plum - Li Min-Xiong