Lei Qiang plays the erhu, a two-stringed Chinese fiddle with a snakeskin resonator; it is an instrument that is at least 1,000 years old. Between 1982-1993, Lei Qiang performed with the Shaanxi Provincial Song & Dance Troupe, Shaanxi being the province where he was born. On this first CD, he proposes arrangements for the erhu and Western orchestras, consisting of a series of traditional pieces alongside compositions by three Chinese composers, in particular three pieces by composer Liu Tian-Hua (1895-1932), quite probably recorded for the first time outside China. The orchestral parts were recorded in China, while the erhu parts were recorded in Montréal, Canada. Lei Qiang is an accomplished and sensitive erhu player. A pleasure for the ears. ~ Bruno Deschênes, All Music Guide
