Wu Fei and the Magic of the Guzheng
I fell in love with Wu Fei’s music when I listened to her for an assignment in my Music Cultures class. She is an extremely talented musician. She went to the China Conservatory of Music, where she played the guzheng. Her talents do not stop at her skills on the guzheng though. She also composes for many different genres such as choirs, sting ensembles, and Balinese gamelan. She also writes her own music and has released 4 albums, 2 solo and 2 collaborative.
Wu Fei is especially amazing because she is able to keep the history and the use of the guzheng true while also blending it into different genres. A perfect example of this is her collaboration with Abigail Washburn. In this album, Appalachian folk music and Chinese folk music are beautifully blended together, respecting the history of both while creating a whole new sound. The sound of the guzheng has more resonation and a smoother sound than the banjo, while the banjo is more staccato. In their music, they are able to make these two intents blend seamlessly together while also having their own distinct sounds. It is not two instruments you hear together often, but it is one I’d like to hear more. Here’s an example of Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn performing ‘Four Seasons’:
Preserving Chinese folk music (and Appalachian folk/bluegrass as well) in this age of Western music is extremely important. Folk music tells the stories of millions of people before us. Wu Fei is a perfect example of this because she performs many classical songs, and in her interview with NPR she stated how important it is for her to understand the true history of the songs she is performing and not just what she had been led to believe in some cases. I love Wu Fei and her music has greatly inspired me. I hope it inspires you as well. Here is a video of Wu Fei performing solo to finish off:
Works Consulted:
Garcia-Navarro, Lulu, and Denise Guerra. “Chinese Folk Music Meets Appalachian Tradition on ‘Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn.’” NPR, NPR, 5 Apr. 2020, www.npr.org/2020/04/05/826804361/chinese-folk-music-meets-appalachian-tradition-on-wu-fei-and-abigail-washburn. Accessed 15 Dec. 2023.
Mok, Robert T. “Heterophony in Chinese Folk Music.” Journal of the International Folk Music Council, vol. 18, 1966, pp. 14–23. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/834636. Accessed 15 Dec. 2023.
Wu Fei, www.wufeimusic.com/. Accessed 15 Dec. 2023.
Yang, Hon-Lun. “Music, China, and the West: A Musical-Theoretical Introduction.” China and the West: Music, Representation, and Reception, edited by Hon-Lun Yang and Michael Saffle, University of Michigan Press, 2017, pp. 1–18. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1qv5n9n.4. Accessed 15 Dec. 2023.