Uniquely inspired by sixteen pristine, biodiverse isles belonging to the territory of her homeland Sri Lanka, Tanya Ekanayaka's sixteen contrastive and palpable compositions, or 'Piano Isles', comprising this album, embody two distinct forms of composition-performance. Eight works were composed between 2022 and 2024. The remaining eight Extempore Compositions involved simultaneous composition-recording, on a single day of the album recording session in April 2024, each as a whole, and each incorporating a distinct musical motif - a form of artistry never presented through any of Tanya Ekanayaka's previous work.
Pipa master Gao Hong and guqin virtuoso Zhao Xiaoxia revisit some of China's best-known traditional pieces, such as Three Variations on the Plum Blossom and Yangguan Sandie, complementing them with improvisation and adaptation full of their own unique creative charm. Here, they masterfully combine the rich history of traditional culture with the avant-garde energy of contemporary art to create a work that is both a philosophical meditation and a spiritual journey.
Duos—Alone: Dàn tranh & Piano - Vietnamese & Western Classical Music / Tri Nguyen
Naxos World Music
CD
$8.49$16.99Save 50%Aug 11, 2023
Tri Nguyen, classical pianist and dàn tranh (Vietnamese zither) master, presents 14 enchanting pieces composed in the form of a heartfelt letter to his late mother. With his bicultural upbringing, Tri showcases his mastery of the piano, at times reciting Bach, Vivaldi, Ravel… as well as his profound knowledge of the ancient techniques of dàn-tranh playing. An elegant blend of ancient and modern, Western and Asian, touching on tales of his childhood, the challenges of Covid-19 and his profound love and gratitude for his mother.
