Music Talks

Previously, we introduced Tuo Le band from the Tibetan Plateau, who is dedicated to inheriting ancient Tibetan vocals, a folk art listed in China's Intangible Cultural Heritage. The chanting originated in India and entered into the Tibetan region with the influence of Buddhism, and gradually became part of Tibetan people's lives. Today, we continue to join Tuo Le as they chant us to Tibetan Plateau.

Song Lists:

1. Intro BGM: Good Will 善愿

2. My Heart Upward 我心向上

3. Auspicious Words 吉祥语

4. Ode to the Best Wishes 如意颂

5. Calling 呼唤

6. Life and Growth in Nature 生生不息

7. Fearless 勇往前行

The banhu is a member of the bowed-string family, mainly featured in regional operas from the northwest of China for quite some time. It was once considered a folk instrument and was not typically performed on a big stage.

Thanks to several generations of banhu performers that made a valuable contribution towards optimizing its playing techniques and broadening its musical expression, the banhu nowadays is a solo instrument and has led in Chinese ensemble since 1949.

In this episode, we will introduce three renowned banhu symphonies, which differ from the traditional banhu genre.

Our guests on the show, Professor Li Heng will share with us his inspirations behind the compositions that we will hear today, while Mr Zhang Xuguang will provide his understanding from the angle of the performing artist of these pieces.

Song lists:

1. The Song of Narration, 叙事曲

2. Journey to Qinchuan, 秦川行

3. Gaze in the Distance, 远望

Today, we talk about fitness and music. Through interviewing musicians from China National Traditional Orchestra and others, let's hear what their workout habits are and how music affects them. In addition, we'll get their recommendations on some Chinese tunes that you could add to your workout playlists - all in today's Music Talks.

Song Lists:

1. BGM: The Rhyme of Drum 鼓之韵, by Zhu Jianping

2. Made in China 中国制造, by Zhu Jianping

3. New Fengyang Flower Drum 新凤阳花鼓, by Zhu Jianping

4. BGM: The White Tea 白毫银针, by Pei Changjia

5. The Green Snail Spring 碧螺春晓, by Pei Changjia

6. The Shepherd's Song 牧羊曲, composed by Wang Liping, guzheng by Zhang Lu

7. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 卧虎藏龙, composed by Tan Dun, erhu by Jin Yue

The bawu is a free-reed bamboo pipe with a single metal reed, predominantly performed in the Yi, Miao and Hani communities in southwest China’s Yunnan, Guizhou Provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

With soft and mellow tonality, many say the music of the instrument speaks directly to people’s heart.

Today, Mr He Weiqing, the chairman of the Bawu Group of the China Ethnic Orchestral Society, brings us several classic and modern bawu songs.

Song lists:

1. BGM: Catching Fish in Rice Fields, composed and performed by He Yuan

2. The Fishing Song, composed and performed by Yan Tieming

3. A Night in Dong Village, composed by Yang Ming, performed by Zheng Qiang

4. Scenery by the Lake, composed and performed by Yu Tianyou

5. Spring Arrives at the Pasture, composed and performed by Yan Tieming

6. Holy Tibet, composed by Cao Pengju and Cao Chen, performed by Zheng Qiang

7. The Aroma of Tea, composed by Jiang Yiwu and Jin Yage; performed by Jiang Yiwu

Get a glimpse of the classics of the East with 'Music Talks'. Join in on the discussions, performances and stories from China's top instrumentalists.

Tuo Le band is renowned for Tibetan chanting, a folk art listed in China's Intangible Cultural Heritage. The chanting originated in India and entered into the Tibetan region with the influence of Buddhism, and gradually became part of local people's lives. However, nowadays, fewer young people can chant like their elders can/did. To prevent this ancient practice from disappearing, Tuo Le takes it upon themselves to carry it on. Today, we join Tuo Le as they sing us to Tibetan Plateau.

Song Lists:

0. BGM: The song of longevity 长寿之歌

1. The Good Wish 善缘

2. The Gem's Glaze 琉璃光

3. The sun and the birds with golden wings 太阳金翅鸟

4. The happy god of fortune 欢喜财神

5. The Green Promise 绿色的约定

Guangdong Hakka music is one of the three major musical genres in the province, which has more than 1600 years of history.

Inscribed onto the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2006, its music is classic and elegant, incorporating elements of diversified musical styles throughout the nation.

Today, we have Xiong Changjiang with us, a celebrated touxian performer with the Guangdong Hakka Opera and Music Research Institution, who introduces historical background of the genre and brings us several new adaptations of traditional Hakka pieces, rearranged by the late influential composer Zhang Yunling.

Song lists:

1. BGM: Joy of Ping Mountain, 平山乐

2. The Arrival of Spring, 百家春

3. A Ride in the Bamboo Raft, 双扶船

4. Peeking behind the Curtain, 挑帘

5. The Whizz, 博古

6. Nostalgia, 怀古

7. The General’s Command, 将军令

'Shen Jun', a reputed band from Inner Mongolia has been active on stage over the years. The group is phenomenal at playing several Mongolian instruments, in combination with stunning vocality, as we've heard in the previous episode.

Today, we continue to join Chao Lumen from Shen Jun in a few more of their works that bring you closer to life on the pasture. Also, the band creatively rearranged some global songs for their Mongolian fiddles to play.

Song Lists:

1. BGM: Here comes the spring 春天来了

2. The Ancient Journey 远古征程

3. The Toast Song 祝酒歌

4. The Dome Hat 圆顶帽

5. Father's Grassland & Mother's River 父亲的草原母亲的河

6. The Phantom of the Opera 歌剧魅影

7. Smooth Criminal 犯罪高手

Previously, we have introduced to you the Chinese zither, or the guzheng, famous for its abundant musical expressions, especially depicting water in motion.

Today, we get up-close with Miao Qing, a guzheng performer with the top orchestral band in the nation---the China National Traditional Orchestra, who introduces a new model of the zither called the binary guzheng and brings us some of her prevalent modern guzheng songs.

Song lists:

1. The Copper Drum Dance, 铜鼓舞, composed by Li Meng, orchestration: Xie Peng, conductor: Zhang Guoyong

2. Lady Rushi, 如是, composed by Wang Danhong

Founded in 2011, 'Shen Jun' is a reputed band from Inner Mongolia that has been active on stage over the years, infusing modernity into traditional nomadic melodies. The band is not only remarkable at playing the fiddle but versatile in mastering diverse instruments as well. Some members are also excellent singers, full of nomadic flavour that connects their audiences to the vast grassland. Another amazing feature of their performances includes what is called “throat singing”, is one of the oldest forms of music.

SONG LISTS:

1. BGM: Attachment 依恋, performed by Shen Jun

2. The grass 小草, performed by Talin Tuya(kouxian) and Shen Jun

3. Here comes the spring 春天来了, performed by Shen Jun

4. The raven steed 黑骏马, performed by Shen Jun

5. Galloping horses 万马奔腾, performed by Chi Bulag and Shen Jun

6. Cradlesong 摇篮曲, performed by Shen Jun

7. BGM: Toast Song 祝酒歌, performed by Shen Jun