Epics of Love Song Zuying

• Zhao Ji Ping (b. 1945): Crying Ospreys - Guan Ju:
• 1 Crying Ospreys - Guan Ju 04:50
• Liu Qing: The Song of Yue People - Yue Ren Ge:
• 2 The Song of Yue People - Yue Ren Ge 03:43
• Fang Shi (b. 1978): Song of the Western Islet - Xi Zhou Qu:
• 3 Song of the Western Islet - Xi Zhou Qu 05:36
• Meng Yong (b. 1954): For the Moment Drinking Wine - Qiang Jin Jiu:
• 4 For the Moment Drinking Wine - Qiang Jin Jiu 05:24
• Long Wei Hua (): A Journeyer's Song - You Zi Yin:
• 5 A Journeyer's Song - You Zi Yin 05:22
• Tang Yong Jiang: A Twig of Mume Blossoms - Yi Jian Mei:
• 6 A Twig of Mume Blossoms - Yi Jian Mei 04:33
• Wang Gang (b. 1960): A Riverside Town - Jiang Cheng Ji:
• 7 A Riverside Town - Jiang Cheng Ji 05:36
• Yin Qing (b. 1954): Charm of a Maiden Singer - Nian Nu Jiao:
• 8 Charm of a Maiden Singer - Nian Nu Jiao 03:33
• Xu Pei Dong: On the Trail of Sweet Incense - Xing Xiang Zi:
• 9 On the Trail of Sweet Incense - Xing Xiang Zi 04:35
• Slow, Slow Tune - Sheng Sheng Man:
• 10 Slow, Slow Tune - Sheng Sheng Man 05:35
• Yin Qing: Bells Ringing in the Rain - Yu Lin Ling
• 11 Bells Ringing in the Rain - Yu Lin Ling 04:44
• Yang Ge Yang: Phoenix Hairpin - Chai Tou Feng:
• 12 Phoenix Hairpin - Chai Tou Feng 05:46
• Tang Yong Bao: To the Tune "Groping for Fish" - Mo Yu Er:
• 13 To the Tune "Groping for Fish" - Mo Yu Er 04:01
• Meng Yong: The Peony Pavilion (Scene 10) - Mou Dan Ting:
• 14 The Peony Pavilion (Scene 10) - Mou Dan Ting 04:53
• Total Runtime 01:08:11

Info for Epics of Love

Renowned Chinese ethnic vocalist Song Zuying, accompanied by conductor Yu Long and China Philharmonic Orchestra, performs an anthology of ancient Chinese poems that spans over 2,500 years of time.

The essence of love both graceful and epic, transforming over generations through the works of Chinese "Literati", is wonderfully embodied into the sensational vocal performance of the unique singer.

With an ensemble of prominent musical talents in the country, the album illustrates the marriage of East and West by modern classical orchestrations and choirs crossing-over with exotic Chinese solo instruments and recitals. Tasked with such an ambitious project, the Stockfisch crew travelled to Beijing with their own equipment in 2011, recorded in the spectacular concert hall of China National Radio.

Before the invention of pictogram characters, Chinese in ancient times just used simple instinctive sounds to express emotion. These sounds developed into tunes which were composed about experiences in everyday life, and these in turn became catchy melodies which were passed down through generations. This is what we now call a “song”. Then, after sophisticated Chinese characters emerged, people began to incorporate lyrics into the tunes. A typical song had two parts; one is the melody - to express emotion - the other is the lyric, which records events.

The Book of Songs (Shi Jing) is the oldest compilation of poetry in Chinese history (circa 1046-771 B.C.). It comprised of three sections: “stylistic”(feng), “classic”(ya) and “ritualistic”(song), all of which could be performed vocally together with instruments. The book is considered to be the very foundation of Chinese literature and art. Track 1 "Crying Ospreys" on this SACD is taken from "The Book of Songs".

Song Zuying, vocals
Children’s Choir of China Central Radio
Liao Changyong
Choir of China Opera and Dance Drama Company
China Philharmonic Orchestra
Yu Long, conductor

Digitally remastered

Song Zuying
is one of China's most prominent and best-established vocal artists. She studied at the Minzu University's Music School and the China Conservatory of Music with a doctorate degree in ethnic vocal music. During her brilliant career as an ethnic singer of more than two decades, Song Zuying has performed a wide repertoire of Chinese ethnic songs and artistic vocal works from overseas, and starred in major operas including "Red Coral" and musicals like "Tropical Rains". Nearly twenty of her signature songs have become popular classics at home and abroad, including "Spice Girls", "Waiting for You", "Good Days", "Winding Waters Leading to My Home", "I Will Grow Into You", "Soldiers Together", "Soldier Boys", "Hero", "Chapter of Sunshine", "From Good to Better", "New Ode to Liuyang River", "Gazing at the Moon", "Our Love for China", "Flying Song of the Earth", "An Oriental Jasmine for You", "Blue Skies", "Hope Springs Eternal in China", "A Joyful Heart", "Let us Dance", and "Blossoms of Pagoda Tree"; all these works have become household songs throughout China and among Chinese people living abroad.

Song Zuying has made a point of fusing her artistic pursuit with the essence of China's ethnic and folk music, and her singing bears a distinctive mark of China's ethnic vocal tradition. As her efforts of expanding and reinventing the tradition came to assimilate features of modern vocal arts, she has evolved an inimitable style of expressive singing, which has proved a spectacular success in China's contemporary vocal music. Over the years, Song Zuying has won a host of awards and honors at China's most prestigious music competitions, including, the Top Award at the China National Ethnic Vocal Music Competition, multiple Golden Awards at the CCTV Music Video Competition, multiple honors at the China Central Radio's "the Nation's Favorite Singers", multiple top honors at the SARFT TV Art "Starlight Awards", Gold Record Award of China, CCTV China Ethnic Music Legacy Award, China Ethnic Vocal Music Excellence Award, "Plum Blossom Award" of Chinese Drama, the honor of "Artist of Excellence and Integrity", "China Charity Award", one of China's Most Globally Influential Women in 2005, the Public Image Award and Remarkable Achievement Award of Chinese Artists in 2008, and "Notable Talent", as well as the Kennedy Center Honors and the nomination for the 49th Grammy Awards.

Booklet for Epics of Love