China

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Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0042281365324 Label: Polydor Group Manufacturer: Polydor Group Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: Polydor Group Release Date: 1983-11-24 Running Time: 41 Studio: Polydor Group
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Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Masterful and majestic album from the keyboard wizard. Comment: This outstanding and astonishing album was recorded in 1978 and released in 1979. That's almost 30 years ago. Although when listening to it, one gets the feeling that it could have been released a couple of years ago. That's how fresh and resonant Vangelis' music can be. This incredible album starts off with a stunning opener "Chung Kuo". You almost feel like you're transported back to a forgotten time through China's Dynasties. You hear raging percussion and assorted sound effects along with more toned down keyboards. Then there's the enchanting and haunting feel of "The Long March" and the sensuously gorgeous "The Tao Of Love". It finishes off with "Himalaya", the longest track at 10 mins 53 secs which is very epic in feel and I just love its use of different sounds of wind and percussion sounds. It makes you feel that you're there climbing up the steep slopes of these huge mountains. This track then slides into "Summit" which closes off this masterful album. What Vangelis has produced here is a superb and masterful album when he was at the pinnacle of his powers (between 1979 and 1984). I find this album a pleasure to listen to and think Vangelis is the keyboard king. Great stuff. Customer Rating: Summary: No 1 with fried rice please Comment: This is one of his great albums, a bit like a fortune cookie? Plain packaging covering the hidden delights, so no stars for the awful cover. Happiness will reign in your house from the first time you play this not so inscrutable CD. It starts of as it means to go on, brilliant, from the haunting Chung Kuo: You are transported there, maybe not knee deep in a paddy field harnessed to water buffalo? No with this majestic music you are part of a wealthy dynasty. Images of the Chinese people, sights and the culture a wait. The mournful piano on the Long March: plays the tune from the track before, but with a difference, that makes it new and goes into another direction. The Dragon: is brilliant, almost fireworks begin it and then the movement of a Chinese Dragon is captured and more. The tracks are short and sharp, no fillers here in fact the first 7 tracks are no longer then 5.51, and three are 2 minutes odd. It is like the taste and sounds of China bursting out, ok it is a western person's image, but it works for me. The Plum Blossom: is fantastic, one of my all time favourites. The Violin is played beautifully with so much vigour, beautifully accompanied by Vangelis sounds. The Tao Of Love: Tell me if there is a more moving and beautiful western oriental inspired piece of music than this, if there is? I know not! It is even better then Steve Hackett's oriental piece from Spectral Mornings! And that is saying something. I want to pick up a fan and tell a story of a lost love between a rice farmer and a princess just using movement and dance. When finished bow and then take short steps back to my couch. The little Fete: Voice of an oriental gentleman reciting a poem with Vangelis building the musical image. Superb. Yin and Yan: It starts like the oriental version of duelling banjos. Not!! What you would expect? Two sides to this song, of course the gentle and the not so gentle. This is my least favourite piece. Himalaya: No politics here, just what you want and expect from the maestro Vangelis. It is the longest track, 10.53. Nice piece, does it conjure up thoughts of snow capped mountains? Still very good, but I want to hang around the market again and see the dragon..... Summit: We are there, glorious views all around. The final track, after this it is all downhill. This is a great CD and like the food you will want more and more of this delicious delight. Customer Rating: Summary: Consistently inspired and interesting Comment: I've owned "China" since the mid 1980s, firstly on cassette and latterly on CD, and I still find it one of Vangelis's most interesting and enjoyable works. The tracks are individually quite varied but almost all equally successful. An element of orientalism is the common factor, hinted at by the choice of instrumentation and melody. Some tracks, such as "Chung Kuo" and "Dragon", are colourful and powerful, but probably my favourite track is "The Little Fete", a narrated Chinese poem accompanied by music of the utmost delicacy and romanticism. The final track, "Summit", ends with a feeling of sublimity and eternity rare in popular music. Highly recommended. Customer Rating: Summary: Evokes Fond Memories Comment: China was one of the albums I played to death during my seminal 'Rites of Passage' years between the ages of 16 and 19. It is a superb blend of techno keys and traditional chinese music with some stirring atmospheric tracks. Himalya and Summit capture what must be an awesome feeling of standing above the cloud base atop a snow peaked mountain. Forget Chariots of Fire and all the populist tracks that he produced in the late 80's and early 90's ... this is the real Vangelis at his best. Having now replaced the vinyl with cd ... it is once again being played religiously. Customer Rating: Summary: This in my opinion is his best..... Comment: China is my favourite Vangelis album; and my favourite track is "The Long March" which apart from personal memories always evokes distant vistas for me...... (my second favourite is "To the Unknown man" from an earlier album. but I digress) From the vigour of "The Dragon" (always a favourite subject) through the mysticism of the "Little fete" this disc rewards all who purchase it. An excellent record to chill out to. More Reviews