Friday 7 May 2010

Wutai Shan Buddhist Music (1992)

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Spirit of the Earth, BBC Radio 3.

Concert of temple music performed by monks from Wutai Shan (or Mount Wutai), Shanxi, China.

Venue: Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham, UK.

Date: Sunday 12 July 1992.

Broadcast on BBC Radio 3; 21:50 - 22:50, Sun 12 July 1992.

Part of Radio 3's Spirit of the Earth festival.



Introduction by Donald Macleod with notes by Stephen Jones:

"Nihao, and welcome once again to Birmingham. Initial greeting in Chinese but although our concert tonight..."

Performers:

Guanzi (double reed wind): Ren Liang,
Sheng x 2 (free reed wind): not named,
Dizi (flute): not named,
Yunluo (tuned gongs): Liao Man ("abbot of the most important temple in Wutai Shan"),
Small cymbals: not named,
Muyu (woodblock): not named,
Bell and drum: not named.
Nao and bo (large cymbals) played by sheng and dizi players.


Music:

Instrumental suite: Bai Ma Tuo Jing (the white horse carrying the scriptures).
Start at 5:45, end at 19:00.

Instrumental and vocal: San Bao Zan (a hymn to the three treasures; Buddha, Dharma, Zanga). From the ritual releasing the flaming mouths or feeding the hungry ghosts.
Start at 20:15, end at 26:20.

Instrumental version of two hymns: Hymn to the western paradise, One thousand calls to the Buddha.
Start at 27:30, end at 37:35.

Instrumental suite (a sequence of melodies and percussion interludes): Da Chong Jing.
Start at 38:15, end at 52:40.
(has pause at 46:25 due to cassette tape being turned over during recording from the radio).



This is a cassette tape recording of a BBC Radio 3 broadcast of a concert of temple music performed by monks from Wutai Shan, Shanxi, China, at the Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham, UK.

Date of broadcast and concert: Sunday 12 July 1992.

Radio broadcast FM > cassette tape, TDK MA90, Nakamichi CR-1 > WAV, Edirol R09 > FLAC > LAME mp3 vbr 165


Download link: http://sharebee.com/528c614d
Filename: Wutai Shan music, Birmingham, UK, 12 July 1992.mp3
Size: 63.16 MB

Newspaper article about the Spirit of the Earth festival:
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Update

Here's the interval talk "Sacred Mountains".

Download link: http://sharebee.com/10834062
Filename: Sacred Mountains, Spirit of the Earth concert interval talk,BBC Radio 3, Sun 12 July 1992.mp3
Size: 13.25 MB

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just listened to this - excellent.
Fine fine selection of music on your blog and very informative resources. Looking forward to exploring more....
Thank you for taking the time to post such lovely&fascinating music
M

huqinbloger said...

Post updated with the interval talk.

I'm really glad that there are people out there who like and are interested in this music.

Anonymous said...

Cheers!

I was looking with interest at the interval talk listed.

A great semi-related read for anyone so inclined:

Bill Porter's 'Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits'

M