 Xuefei Yang's second album, "Si Ji," is both ground-breaking and beautiful. On this adventurous recording Yang introduces Chinese inspired melodies to the classical guitar canon. Challenging customary boundaries is nothing new for Yang whose native culture regards the guitar as a mere folk instrument. She was the first professional guitarist to teach at the Central Conservatory in Beijing, where traditional instruments like piano and violin were emphasized. A child prodigy, she made her Spanish debut at 14 in Madrid where famed composer Joaquin Rodrigo was in attendance. Guitarist extraordinaire John Williams was so impressed by Yang's prodigious abilities that he gave her one of his guitars. At 27 Yang remains an exceptional talent and her recent recording presents an authentic patchwork quilt reflecting her vast musical heritage. On "Yi Dance" her guitar emulates the "pipa" or traditional Chinese lute. On another composition, "Heavenly Bird," Yang offers a reflective reading of a Fujian Folk Song. The guitarist is also not afraid to experiment with new approaches to her instrument. On "South Sea Peace" she uses a prepared guitar with two sets of strings each with separate tunings resulting in a sound that resembles the Japanese koto. On the "Sound and Image" compositions, Yang fuses the traditional pentatonic mode with an alternative tuning to create her own musical imagery inspired by Su Xiaobai's lush landscape paintings. Perhaps one of the most interesting pieces is "Mayila," which at first sounds uniquely Western but is in fact based on traditional Eastern melodies. Not only is Yang's "Si Ji" an exceptional tour de force but is also a recording that should be very accessible to a variety of musical tastes. Classical guitar aficionados looking to expand their musical horizons will thoroughly benefit from this album. Also international and acoustic music enthusiasts will find this music quite compelling. Yang's technical abilities and fluency on her instrument are flawless and impeccable throughout this impressive and innovative recording. However, the strength of this masterwork lies in the inherent love she has for the music of her native heritage and her willingness and ability to introduce them to a wider audience. |