Over a decade ago I was lucky enough to travel around China, and my fellow traveller and I discovered a shared interest in Chinese music, especially the Guzheng instrument. Played on the lap with long strings, it appears like a pedal steel guitar. My friend had lessons briefly, and realised not only is the Chinese musical scale very different, but every note corresponds to a Chinese character. With this knowledge I appreciated their traditional music even more. I had never seen the instrument the pipa played live, even when I visited the vast country. Also a stringed instrument, it is played balanced on the knee, with the player not being able to see the strings. That was sorted when I saw Wu Man, in the perfect surroundings of the Hub.
Wu Man is known as one of the foremost players of the pipa in the world, and was the youngest student to attend the Central Conservatory of Music in China, at 13 years old. This was a very special performance, as Wu was joined by Sirojiddin Juraev from Kazakhstan playing various stringed instruments and Abbos Kosimov from Uzbekistan on percussion. Instead of the usual East meets West, here we had East meets East. The trio performed original pieces from their rehearsals, traditional ones and improvisations.
Early on in the concert Wu Man played a traditional Chinese piece solo, which she said afterwards dates back to the 19th century, but is actually a lot older as only at that time did they begin to notate music. During this performance I felt transported back to Ancient China, such was the atmosphere, virtuosity and passion of her playing. As the concert progressed, I became just as impressed and spellbound by the other two musicians. Juraev played with such assurance and sympathy, especially in his call and response sections with Kosimov. Kosimov moved the crowd to gasps of awe with his solo section, wherein he incorporated a number of different percussion instruments, one that played like the old Scottish double spoons!
Throughout the final moments of this passionate yet meditative performance all three players seemed to traverse many types of music. Afterwards my father said he could discern some Greek bouzouki styles, and I heard the sounds of the African kora, one of the ultimate stringed instruments. It is a testament to the masterful yet sympathetic approach of all three, that they embraced each other’s styles, and transcended them.
Words by Martin Sandison
