Tan Dun: Ghost Opera

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genre
Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

Chinese-American composer Tan Dun melds Eastern and Western influences and explores spiritual themes in this five-movement piece for string quartet and pipa, featuring pipa virtuoso Wu Man. The Los Angeles Times calls it a “broad-minded, culture-bending opus.”

Description

Written by Chinese-American composer Tan Dun, Ghost Opera is a dramatic five-movement composition for string quartet and pipa—with vocalizations and percussive effects from water, metal, stone, and paper, performed by Kronos and Wu Man. The composition explores human spirituality, employing elements from Chinese, Tibetan, English, and American cultures, as well as a multitude of theatrical traditions. “Remarkable,” said the Los Angeles Times of the piece. “In this broad-minded, culture-bending opus, shards of Bach, Shakespeare, a bright pentatonic palette of Chinese origin and such sonic exotica as the water gong find peaceful and poignant coexistence.”

ProductionCredits

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Judith Sherman
Recorded January 1996 at Skywalker Ranch, Nicasio, CA
Engineer: Craig Silvery
Assistant Engineer: Chris Haynes
Mastered by Judith Sherman and David Harrington at SoundByte Productions, New York City

Art Direction and Design by Frank Olinsky
Cover: Cylindrical Vessel Supported by Three Rhinoceros (late 14th c. BCE) by Don Hamilton

Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

Nonesuch Selection Number

79445

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
ns_album_artistid
67
ns_album_id
201
ns_album_releasedate
ns_genre_1
0
ns_genre_2
0
Album Status
Artist Name
Kronos Quartet
MusicianDetails

MUSICIANS
Kronos Quartet:
David Harrington, violin, water bowl, bowed gong, vocals, one-stringed lute, cymbals, stones
John Sherba, violin, paper whistle, vocals, cymbals, stones, one-stringed lute, bowed gong, waterbowl
Hank Dutt, viola, vocals, cymbals, stones, bowed gong, water bowl
Joan Jeanrenaud, cello, vocals, bowed gong, water bowl

with
Wu Man, pipa, soprano voice, vocals, bowed gong, tam-tam, Tibetan bells, paper

Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
CD+MP3
Price
0.00
UPC
075597944525BUN
Label
MP3
Price
5.00
UPC
075597944563
  • 79445

News & Reviews

  • In celebration of Nonesuch Records' 60th anniversary, the label has partnered with photographer Michael Wilson—who has exquisitely captured dozens of Nonesuch artists over the past quarter-century—to produce Michael Wilson / 25 Years: A Nonesuch Collection, an extremely limited quantity of 100 box sets containing newly created prints from his Nonesuch archive, out now. You can take a quick look inside here. Designed by the Grammy-winning team at SMOG Design, each box comprises twenty 12" x 12" prints, numbered and signed by the photographer. Artists featured are Allen Toussaint, Ambrose Akinmusire, Audra McDonald, Bill Frisell, The Black Keys, Brad Mehldau, David Byrne, Dr. John, Emmylou Harris, Frederic Rzewski, Jeremy Denk, Kronos Quartet, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Manuel Galbán and Ry Cooder, Philip Glass, Randy Newman, Rhiannon Giddens, Stephin Merritt and Lemony Snicket, Steve Reich, and Timo Andres, who wrote a note for the box.

  • For Nonesuch Records' 60th anniversary, the label has partnered with photographer Michael Wilson—who has exquisitely captured dozens of Nonesuch artists over the past quarter-century—to produce Michael Wilson / 25 Years: A Nonesuch Collection, 100 box sets of 20 newly created prints from his Nonesuch archive, due September 13. Here, Wilson shares stories from the photo sessions behind the images in the box, with Allen Toussaint, Ambrose Akinmusire, Audra McDonald, Bill Frisell, The Black Keys, Brad Mehldau, David Byrne, Dr. John, Emmylou Harris, Frederic Rzewski, Jeremy Denk, Kronos Quartet, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Manuel Galbán and Ry Cooder, Philip Glass, Randy Newman, Rhiannon Giddens, Stephin Merritt and Lemony Snicket, Steve Reich, and Timo Andres.

Buy Now

  • About This Album

    Written by Chinese-American composer Tan Dun, Ghost Opera is a dramatic five-movement composition for string quartet and pipa—with vocalizations and percussive effects from water, metal, stone, and paper, performed by Kronos and Wu Man. The composition explores human spirituality, employing elements from Chinese, Tibetan, English, and American cultures, as well as a multitude of theatrical traditions. “Remarkable,” said the Los Angeles Times of the piece. “In this broad-minded, culture-bending opus, shards of Bach, Shakespeare, a bright pentatonic palette of Chinese origin and such sonic exotica as the water gong find peaceful and poignant coexistence.”

    Credits

    MUSICIANS
    Kronos Quartet:
    David Harrington, violin, water bowl, bowed gong, vocals, one-stringed lute, cymbals, stones
    John Sherba, violin, paper whistle, vocals, cymbals, stones, one-stringed lute, bowed gong, waterbowl
    Hank Dutt, viola, vocals, cymbals, stones, bowed gong, water bowl
    Joan Jeanrenaud, cello, vocals, bowed gong, water bowl

    with
    Wu Man, pipa, soprano voice, vocals, bowed gong, tam-tam, Tibetan bells, paper

    PRODUCTION CREDITS
    Produced by Judith Sherman
    Recorded January 1996 at Skywalker Ranch, Nicasio, CA
    Engineer: Craig Silvery
    Assistant Engineer: Chris Haynes
    Mastered by Judith Sherman and David Harrington at SoundByte Productions, New York City

    Art Direction and Design by Frank Olinsky
    Cover: Cylindrical Vessel Supported by Three Rhinoceros (late 14th c. BCE) by Don Hamilton

    Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

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