Gao Weijie - Images from Baima (2007)

One of the most popular idioms to emerge in 20th century Chinese music is the concertante work for traditional instruments and western symphony orchestra. Ranging in complexity from sentimental arrangements of folk melodies to grand virtuoso vehicles modelled after the European Romantic tradition, to avant garde studies in timber and texture, this vast literature has existed with very few examples ever making it outside of China. Gao's "Images of Baima" is a miniature concerto for erhu and zhonghu (the violin and viola of the Chinese two-string fiddle family). While a stylistic throw-back (it sounds like Rimsky-Korsakov or Borodin in an orientalist mode), it is dazzlingly orchestrated and a terrific vehicle for the soloists.

Gao Weijie is one of China's most esteemed composers, music theorists, and teacher to many of today's most exciting and innovative composers. Born in Shanghai in 1938, he grew up during the turbulent year's of China's War of Resistance against Japan and the following chaos of the civil war between the KMT and the communists. Despite these challenges, Gao graudated from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in 1960, where he would later teach, becoming professor of composition and chair of Composition Department. Since 1989 Professor Gao has been teaching composition and music analysis at Composition Department of Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.
Gao has composed in nearly every musical form, ranging from symphonic music, to chamber music, to ballets,
to film and TV music, to many songs. His musical accomplishments have yielded him many awards. In 1981 he received 2nd prize in the First National Composition Competition for his symphonic ballad,“An Old Story of the Grassland.” In 1983 he won a first prize in the Third National Composition Competition with “An Evening Banquet in Shu Palace” (for Chinese orchestra). In 1987 the Ministry of Culture of PRC presented him with a prize for his ballet music “The Savage Land.” His chamber music for Chinese instruments, “Dizi Music Drifts in Luocheng on a Spring Night,” was awarded an Art Program prize in 1994 by the Thirty-first Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. Gao’s recent compositions include “Faraway Dreams” (for percussion and orchestra) performed in Beijing in 1994 and in London in 1998; Symphony No. 1 in 1990; “Images of Baima” (Concerto for two Erhu’s and orchestra) performed in Hong Kong in 1991; “Shao I” performed in France and USA in 1998; “Shao II” commissioned by Radio France and first performed in Paris in 1996; “Dreams of Meeting II” performed in Hong Kong in 1998; Dreams from the Heaven” performed in Canada in 1998; and “Late Spring” commissioned by Loos Ensemble and performed in The Hague in 2000. Gao is a member of Chinese Musicians Association and serves as President of Exploratory Union for Musical Composition.
Tracks
Images from Baima
01. I - Introduction
02. II - Hunting
03. III - Nocturne
18'46"