Quiet Forest, Flowing Stream

That the pipa player Gao Hong has long lived in the US is evident in this collection, which reveals a depth of multiculturalism and synthesis of elements from India and Japan rarely found in her native China. All of the instruments recorded here are nicely up-front and resonant. The players themselves – especially Shubhendra Rao (sitar), Biplab Bhattacharya (tabla) and Kenny Endo (taiko) – combine solid traditional technique with 21st-century musical vision.

The title-track is a fine sonic painting of nature, combining Indian and Chinese plucked strings to great effect The music is mesmerising without resorting to clichés. Perhaps because of budgetary constraints, Gao’s ‘Flying Dragon Concerto’ features only piano accompaniment – a great pity, since orchestral colours that should have been vividly suggestive are entirely lacking here. The pipa concerto seems to be well-structured and mature; a full orchestral version would really do it justice.

The standout track here is ‘Celebration’, a work commissioned by the Jerome Foundation. In addition to their virtuosic display of drumming and strumming techniques, the musicians join in vocally, with a veritable vocabulary of phonemes communicating unbridled joyfulness. Gao is a fine composer in the 19th century sense of the word. She knows, respects and works fully within the traditional idiom of her instrument, crossing boundaries mainly by inviting collaborators from near and far.