While I was a sound artist in residence at the Swatch Art Peach Hotel in Shanghai I was able to explore the soundscapes - and musical traditions of that city. One day I took a trip with a fellow sound recordist to Fuxing Island, where we discovered a man playing the erhu in a local park. The erhu or Chinese fiddle has two strings and can be traced back to proto-Mongolic instruments which first appeared in China during the Tang dynasty. It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras and is the most popular of the huqin family of traditional bowed string instruments used by the various ethnic groups of China.
The small amplifier and concrete shelter gave a great acoustic as you’ll hear on the recording. Then I got to record a virtuoso erhu student in the practice rooms at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Another wonderful sonic treat.
Recorded in binaural stereo with head worn DPA 4060s - listen with good headphones to get the full immersive experience.
