Chen Yi’sBa Banis based on a Chinese folk tune frequently played by traditional Chinese ensembles.It takes its title from the formal structure, which consists of eight great phrases, each containing eight beats – ba ban literally means “eight beats.”The combination of Chinese and Western influencescharacterizes Chen Yi’s cross-cultural fusion.She not only uses the 12-tone row and other techniques of Western music, but she also uses the pentatonic scale and a single thematic idea within a piece to express the Chinese folk music style. Displaying spectacular pianistic virtuosity and structural artistry, Ba Ban is rapidly gaining attention as one of the great works for solo piano of the late 20th century.Chia-Ching Shen
Classical Music | Piano Music
Chen Yi
Ba Ban Play
Recorded on 09/12/2013, uploaded on 01/02/2013
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Chen Yi’s Ba Ban is based on a Chinese folk tune frequently played by traditional Chinese ensembles. It takes its title from the formal structure, which consists of eight great phrases, each containing eight beats – ba ban literally means “eight beats.” The combination of Chinese and Western influencescharacterizes Chen Yi’s cross-cultural fusion. She not only uses the 12-tone row and other techniques of Western music, but she also uses the pentatonic scale and a single thematic idea within a piece to express the Chinese folk music style. Displaying spectacular pianistic virtuosity and structural artistry, Ba Ban is rapidly gaining attention as one of the great works for solo piano of the late 20th century. Chia-Ching Shen
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Ba Ban
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