Youmi Kim – Huihui Cheng [Youmi Kim; Silke Evers; Noa Frenkel; Ensemble Experimental] [Wergo: WER 64322] [Audio CD]

On this portrait CD the Chinese composer Huihui Cheng presents a multi-coloured spectrum of playful, mysterious and unreal sounds which are produced both by instrumental/vocal and electronic means. To feature intermedia elements of her work, like dance, performance and video installation, the CD is supplemented with videos and a smartphone game. The works of Huihui Cheng lie in a field of tension between old and new. Titles as Narcissus & Echo or Calling sirens are borrowed from ancient Greece. On the other hand, the musical language is fresh and is implemented by contemporary means as electronic and video feed. The connection between apparently antithetical or remote things is a central thought in Huihui Chengs work. Expanded sound-sources play an important role in several compositions. The snakelike hair of the soloist in Me Du a consists of tubes as extensions of the body. Sounds are produced by blowing or scratching and others are triggered, as filters, amplification or delays. Likewise, the sound generation in the piano solo Messenger does not work in conventional manner but through an item of clothing which is connected directly with the strings and brings them into vibration.