First, I want to thank you all for your interest in my chamber music tapes! UltraAnalogue Recordings has grown out of my life long love of classical music & my audiophile roots! It's been fun following my good friend & tube maven, Tony Ma's posts with you all on this forum....
I usually have the musicians write more personalized "liner notes" for our recordings, rather than something everyone can find on Google....I was especially moved by what Xiang wrote for our recent recording, "The Chaccones". I've posted it here for all the read....These "notes" are tucked away in the various "sets" in the "store" section of the website. (ultraanaloguerecordings.com)
My focus with UltraAnalogue Recordings, is to offer the audiophile community new tape software of passionate performances which can test the limits of your audio systems & increase the magic of the audio-music experience. If any of you happen to be in the Toronto area, please let me know.....I'm happy to play some of these master tapes for you....
Mozart Duo. K. 423
Unlike string quartet, piano trio, or violin and piano duo, string duo is a relatively limited form, which doesn’t provide composers enough free rein to illustrate their musical imagination. However, Mozart handled this form in such mastery way that the two distinctive voices are beautifully balanced.
In the summer of 1783, Mozart visited Joseph Haydn’s brother, Michael Haydn, who was extremely ill. Michael Haydn, on the other hand, had just finished four of the six duos, which was commissioned by the Archbishop; however, he was afraid of not finishing the rest of the commission due to his illness. Knowing his friend’s despair, Mozart composed two duos in only two days and wanted Michael Haydn to put his name on and send them to the Archbishop.
As beautiful as the story is, it is more than obvious that these two duos are highly Mozartian and no one would possibly take that by mistake.
Both duos are originally composed for violin and viola. By changing the viola part one octave down, Werner Reiner arranged them to be suitable for playing on a cello. For me, the combination of violin and cello provided a wider range of color and sonority compared to violin and viola.
This G major Duo is one of my favorite duos. Unlike many other classical string duos which tends to put the viola/cello in the position of accompanying the violin all the time, Mozart made these two voice relatively equal so that the listeners can almost hear constant active conversations between two instruments from beginning to end.
In the recording session, SJ and I were trying to explore different possibilities to bring out as many colors as possible without losing the spontaneity. In the minor section of the third movement, we bravely decided to use baroque-like bowings and sound to fit the shape of the music. In contrast to the major section that contains fast running triplets and trills, such special minor section brings us to a completely different world of simplicity. Too stylistic? Too simple? Too complicated? I guess it’s better to let the listeners judge.
Vitali Chaconne and Bach Chaconne
For me, recording both Chaconnes on the same tape was not only a difficult physical task, but also an unbearable emotional journey.
It was 18 years ago, while my dad and I were browsing in the music section of a bookstore in my hometown Inner Mongolia, one cassette drew our attention. It was a classical album by Chinese violinist Qing Zheng, whose eyes were almost blind after she was born. However, she overcame so many unimaginable difficulties to study violin because of her enthusiasm to music and became a great violinist. I remember my dad bought this cassette and whisper (halfjoke-like) to me, “Maybe one day you will play for this great violinist!” The first piece of this album is Vitali Chaconne, and I still remember how stunned I was after I listened to the first chord of the violin solo – so powerful, rich, yet vulnerable…Undoubtedly, such deep impression left such a magnificent mark on my six year old soul.
You must be wondering, “Why are you telling me this?” Well, four years after that, I moved to Shanghai, and not long after, I became a student of Qing Zheng at Shanghai Conservatory! Life is full of coincidences and adventures, sometime one word or one note can change our life. Maybe it was the first chord of Vitali Chaconne that led me to the professional violin career; maybe my dad’s joke had sowed the seeds of hope in my young unconsciousness!
The most striking thing in this piece is the unimaginably wide range of colors and emotions, which was considerably rare in baroque music. Unlike Bach’s Chaconne which is very well balanced with harmonic structure and aesthetic proportion, Vitali’s Chaconne modulates from one key to another constantly in such ease, its tentacles even reach keys like B flat minor and E flat minor!
Not only the unique modulations make it romantic, the singing elements also shine with the light of emotion. In the middle soft section, listeners almost have to be closer to the speaker in order to capture every little details of the whispery – so sweet, delicate, and vulnerable. In the end when the theme comes back with octaves, I could feel the roar from so deep in my soul spewing out desperately, as if the violin is trying to cry its heart out.
In Bach’s Chaconne, one can hardly find such direct expression; instead, the emotions were somehow spiritual and philosophical.
My first experience of recording Bach Chaconne happened four years ago in Chicago. I was in the concert hall alone and the recording facilities were all on. About five minutes before I played the Chaconne, I received a call from my dad, saying that my mom just got leukemia and might not live very long. I remember how hard it was to force myself hold the tears and start the first tragic D minor chord of the Chaconne, but once I started, my heart was filled with music and images. When the major section comes after the long-lasting storm like arpeggio passage, I can see the river reflects the gorgeous golden dusk. If one can possibly imagine how heaven looks like, this would be it. However, reality comes back after the beautiful dream. The sorrow of d minor lasts till the end of the Chaconne. Unlike the mournful beginning, the last section inherits both the tragedy from the first section, and the hope of the major section, which leads us into the final destination – the resurrection. In the past four years, I witnessed my mom’s illness and death, but every time I played Bach Chaconne, her image emerges to my heart. Thank you Bach, for teaching me that death is not the end, it is a beginning, beginning of a new world and new life experience, since I believe that she is in a better place now.
Xiang Yu 2013
I usually have the musicians write more personalized "liner notes" for our recordings, rather than something everyone can find on Google....I was especially moved by what Xiang wrote for our recent recording, "The Chaccones". I've posted it here for all the read....These "notes" are tucked away in the various "sets" in the "store" section of the website. (ultraanaloguerecordings.com)
My focus with UltraAnalogue Recordings, is to offer the audiophile community new tape software of passionate performances which can test the limits of your audio systems & increase the magic of the audio-music experience. If any of you happen to be in the Toronto area, please let me know.....I'm happy to play some of these master tapes for you....
Mozart Duo. K. 423
Unlike string quartet, piano trio, or violin and piano duo, string duo is a relatively limited form, which doesn’t provide composers enough free rein to illustrate their musical imagination. However, Mozart handled this form in such mastery way that the two distinctive voices are beautifully balanced.
In the summer of 1783, Mozart visited Joseph Haydn’s brother, Michael Haydn, who was extremely ill. Michael Haydn, on the other hand, had just finished four of the six duos, which was commissioned by the Archbishop; however, he was afraid of not finishing the rest of the commission due to his illness. Knowing his friend’s despair, Mozart composed two duos in only two days and wanted Michael Haydn to put his name on and send them to the Archbishop.
As beautiful as the story is, it is more than obvious that these two duos are highly Mozartian and no one would possibly take that by mistake.
Both duos are originally composed for violin and viola. By changing the viola part one octave down, Werner Reiner arranged them to be suitable for playing on a cello. For me, the combination of violin and cello provided a wider range of color and sonority compared to violin and viola.
This G major Duo is one of my favorite duos. Unlike many other classical string duos which tends to put the viola/cello in the position of accompanying the violin all the time, Mozart made these two voice relatively equal so that the listeners can almost hear constant active conversations between two instruments from beginning to end.
In the recording session, SJ and I were trying to explore different possibilities to bring out as many colors as possible without losing the spontaneity. In the minor section of the third movement, we bravely decided to use baroque-like bowings and sound to fit the shape of the music. In contrast to the major section that contains fast running triplets and trills, such special minor section brings us to a completely different world of simplicity. Too stylistic? Too simple? Too complicated? I guess it’s better to let the listeners judge.
Vitali Chaconne and Bach Chaconne
For me, recording both Chaconnes on the same tape was not only a difficult physical task, but also an unbearable emotional journey.
It was 18 years ago, while my dad and I were browsing in the music section of a bookstore in my hometown Inner Mongolia, one cassette drew our attention. It was a classical album by Chinese violinist Qing Zheng, whose eyes were almost blind after she was born. However, she overcame so many unimaginable difficulties to study violin because of her enthusiasm to music and became a great violinist. I remember my dad bought this cassette and whisper (halfjoke-like) to me, “Maybe one day you will play for this great violinist!” The first piece of this album is Vitali Chaconne, and I still remember how stunned I was after I listened to the first chord of the violin solo – so powerful, rich, yet vulnerable…Undoubtedly, such deep impression left such a magnificent mark on my six year old soul.
You must be wondering, “Why are you telling me this?” Well, four years after that, I moved to Shanghai, and not long after, I became a student of Qing Zheng at Shanghai Conservatory! Life is full of coincidences and adventures, sometime one word or one note can change our life. Maybe it was the first chord of Vitali Chaconne that led me to the professional violin career; maybe my dad’s joke had sowed the seeds of hope in my young unconsciousness!
The most striking thing in this piece is the unimaginably wide range of colors and emotions, which was considerably rare in baroque music. Unlike Bach’s Chaconne which is very well balanced with harmonic structure and aesthetic proportion, Vitali’s Chaconne modulates from one key to another constantly in such ease, its tentacles even reach keys like B flat minor and E flat minor!
Not only the unique modulations make it romantic, the singing elements also shine with the light of emotion. In the middle soft section, listeners almost have to be closer to the speaker in order to capture every little details of the whispery – so sweet, delicate, and vulnerable. In the end when the theme comes back with octaves, I could feel the roar from so deep in my soul spewing out desperately, as if the violin is trying to cry its heart out.
In Bach’s Chaconne, one can hardly find such direct expression; instead, the emotions were somehow spiritual and philosophical.
My first experience of recording Bach Chaconne happened four years ago in Chicago. I was in the concert hall alone and the recording facilities were all on. About five minutes before I played the Chaconne, I received a call from my dad, saying that my mom just got leukemia and might not live very long. I remember how hard it was to force myself hold the tears and start the first tragic D minor chord of the Chaconne, but once I started, my heart was filled with music and images. When the major section comes after the long-lasting storm like arpeggio passage, I can see the river reflects the gorgeous golden dusk. If one can possibly imagine how heaven looks like, this would be it. However, reality comes back after the beautiful dream. The sorrow of d minor lasts till the end of the Chaconne. Unlike the mournful beginning, the last section inherits both the tragedy from the first section, and the hope of the major section, which leads us into the final destination – the resurrection. In the past four years, I witnessed my mom’s illness and death, but every time I played Bach Chaconne, her image emerges to my heart. Thank you Bach, for teaching me that death is not the end, it is a beginning, beginning of a new world and new life experience, since I believe that she is in a better place now.
Xiang Yu 2013
Last edited:
