Song Zu Ying is considered by many in the know as the most artistically accomplished and beauteous interpreter of traditional Chinese folk songs at the beginning of the 21st century; indeed, Song's reputation as such is nothing new, as it was already being established around 1990. However, news travels slowly about musical developments in China, and this review may very well be the first instance where many listeners stateside have heard mention of Song. The Diva Goes to the Movies: A Centennial Celebration of Chinese Film Song is, in China, a release that enjoys the same kind of prestige that albums like The Three Tenors enjoys in the West. It features the top Chinese folksinger in 14 of the best-known movie songs taken from 1934, when the first Chinese synchronized sound films were produced, to 1979, a period just short of the time when the quality of Chinese motion pictures gained recognition in other parts of the world. The production quality of this set is very high indeed; it is housed in a sturdy digipack with 20 pages of notes and loaded with attractive, full-color photographs of Song Zu Ying. The text is given in Chinese and in well-transliterated English, and the information about each film is usefully given on its own page. The China National Symphony Orchestra provides a lush and expansive backdrop to Song's voice, comparable to that of Lalo Schifrin's arrangements for the Three Tenors, which may be a blessing or a curse depending on how responsive one is to these kinds of backings. The recording quality is outstanding. One possible barrier to enjoying this music from a Western point of view is the traditional style of singing employed by Song, which comes from the milieu of Peking Opera. While it isn't as stylized and generic as the singing employed by Indian playback singers such as Lata Mangeshkar, it is superficially similar enough to this that some Western ears might not be able to adjust to it. For those who have no problem with such singing styles, Song's voice strikes just the right balance between popular and classic forms of Chinese music, in addition to being an instrument that is as beautiful as the singer is attractive. Nonetheless, The Diva Goes to the Movies: A Centennial Celebration of Chinese Film Song is amazing in that just a few years before it was produced such a project might have been considered impossible. Pre-Revolutionary motion pictures were once considered both obsolete and culturally unacceptable, and many film archives in China buried their copies of such films rather than see them torched by authorities. This disc consists mostly of songs from 1930s films such as Street Angel and Song of the Fisherman that take pride of place alongside more standard Revolutionary-era films readily familiar to Chinese audiences. Although not for every Westerner, The Diva Goes to the Movies: A Centennial Celebration of Chinese Film Song is a artistic triumph for China and a lovely objet d'art for collectors, and those who have an understanding and interest in Chinese music will find much to enjoy in it. Review by Uncle Dave Lewis Tracklist 01 My Motherland, song (for the film Sangkamryung) 02 The Fisherman's Daughter At The Seaside, song (from the film Red Sea Clouds) 03 The Limpid Eyes of a Lady, song (from the film A Strange Case of Ancient Tower) 04 All Red the Hill, song (from the film "Sparkling Red Stars") 05 Small Bamboo Pole, song (from the film "Li Shuang-Shuang") 06 The Vagrant Songstress, song (arranged froma Jiangsu Folk Song) (from the film "Street Angel") 07 Flying Petal Song, song (from the film "Flying-Flower Village") 08 The Fisherman's Song, song (from the film "Song of the Fishermen") 09 Our Sunny Lives, song (from the film "Happy Enterprise") 10 Velvet Flowers, song (from the film "Little Flowers") 11 Why the Flowers Are So Red?, song (from the film "Guest on an Iceberg") 12 The Flower Is Gay, song (from the film "Ashima") 13 The Inhaled Fragrance, song (from the film "Mystical Travelling Companion") 14 The Oath of Marriage, song (from the film "Lusheng Love Song") FLAC Mã: https://www.adrive.com/public/gYvZds/SZyingMv.rar
