For the concerto arrangements on this album, Xuefei Yang chose a string quartet for accompaniment to achieve a suitable balance, as Bach's concertos were likely played by small ensembles.
Interpretation
Xuefei Yang's arrangements for this album are inspired by J.S. Bach's own practice of transcribing his works for different instruments, aiming to make them sound like original guitar pieces.
Instruments
Xuefei Yang uses a Greg Smallman guitar for the concertos on this album, noting its powerful and resonant sound, and a Karl-Heinz Roemmich spruce-top guitar for solo works due to its clean, clear sound.
Performer Biography
Xuefei Yang, one of the world's finest classical guitarists, was the first guitarist in China to enter a music school and launch an international professional career, having been born after the Cultural Revolution when Western music was banned.
Recording & Production
The concertos on this album were recorded at Liverpool Philharmonic @ the Friary, West Everton, while the solo pieces and other transcriptions were recorded at Potton Hall, Suffolk.
Performer Biography
The renowned guitarist John Williams heard Xuefei Yang play and subsequently donated two of his own instruments to Beijing's Central Conservatoire.
Performer Biography
At age ten, Xuefei Yang's first public appearance was so acclaimed that the Spanish Ambassador in China immediately presented her with a concert guitar.
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