Curated Music Collection

[QingFeng]

Aim of Curated Music Collection:

To present an organised collection of music with the use of keywords (marked with #) to create meaningful connections and to facilitate searching. Examples of keywords may include but not limited to singer, composer, lyricist, arranger, and genre of music. A short introduction and any available tidbits of information may be included.

 

# Liu Jia Chang 刘家昌 

Chapter 1
Taiwanese singer-songwriter and film director in the 1960s and 1970s who died of cancer on 2 Dec 2024 at age 81. Liu reportedly composed more than 2,000 songs and is considered the Godfather of Music in Taiwan.  His influence in the Chinese music industry can be summed up by the following saying: Liu Jia Chang in the 1970s, Luo Da You in the 1980s, Li Zhong Sheng in the 1990s (70年代的刘家昌，80年代的罗大佑，90年代的李宗盛) – the three most prominent Taiwanese songwriters/producers of those three decades.

 

 

Cover in Japanese: https://youtu.be/iHDmwviPzVo

 

Cover in Japanese: https://youtu.be/RprY8gt7J-g

 

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2024 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Liu Jia Chang 刘家昌 

Chapter 2

 

 

 

A beautiful piano version: https://youtu.be/Sjjf2PgX-Sk

 

 

NB: Songs that Liu Jia Chang collaborated with the lyricist Qiong Yao (琼瑶) are listed in the next post.

Edited December 15, 2024 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Qiong Yao 琼瑶 

Chapter 1
Taiwanese romance novelist who passed away in an apparent suicide on 4 Dec 2024 at age 86. She was one of the most prolific and successful authors of her generation (1950s to 1970s) with more than 60 novels in print. She was also the screenwriter/film producer of her works and even wrote lyrics for the theme songs. Her lyrics are poetic and refined as they often include allusions to Chinese classical poems. 

The first three songs here were composed by Liu Jia Chang.

 

歌词引自冯延巳的《蝶恋花·庭院深深深几许》：庭院深深深几许，杨柳堆烟，帘幕无重数。

 

歌词引自秦观的《八六子》：无端天与娉婷，夜月一帘幽梦，春风十里柔情。

 

歌词引自李清照的《一剪梅》：云中谁寄锦书来？雁字回时，月满西楼。

 

歌词引自《诗经：蒹葭》：所谓伊人，在水一方。

Li Jian's version: https://youtu.be/EZtsGOBYvKA

 

Edited December 15, 2024 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Qiong Yao 琼瑶 

Chapter 2
The next three songs were composed by Zuo Hong Yuan 左宏元 (also known as Gu Yue 古月), another long-time collaborator.

 

 

 

我是一片云，天空是我家，朝迎旭日升，暮送夕阳下。

我是一片云，自在又潇洒，身随魂梦飞，它来去无牵挂。

 

歌词引自张先的《千秋岁·数声鶗鴂》：心似双丝网，中有千千结。

 

Edited December 15, 2024 by QingFeng

[Tihocan]

.

Edited December 13, 2024 by Tihocan

[Tihocan]

Sorry for hijacking your thread with songs from the same era.

.

 

Edited December 13, 2024 by Tihocan

[QingFeng]

 .

Edited December 15, 2024 by QingFeng

[pansapiens]

# Produce Pandas 熊猫堂

The first XL-sized boy/ bear band I've ever seen! They're China-based, about four years old. They're very good singers and very cute.

https://www.youtube.com/c/ProducePandas is their main channel, though (being Chinese) there's much more content on Bilibili. They've also won a few awards in China, though they're very slowly expanding internationally, primarily towards Japan. A lot of their songs are motivational-type rather than the usual love songs, and can feel targeted towards younger audiences.

 

La La La is one of their most famous songs, which they performed at the Youth With You 3 competition.

 

Sui Sui Nian is one of my favourite songs of theirs, because of the lyrics. It's a very fun song to sing along to!

 

Two of their members have also released solo EPs, which I think are really good.

 

And yes, they also do dance guides!

[QingFeng]

# Japanese City Pop 

 

Chapter 1: History

Japanese City Pop is a vague and broad definition of pop music that emerged in Japan during the late 1970s and 1980s, associated with the country’s economic boom. Jon Blistein defined it as: "An opulent amalgamation of pop, disco, funk, R&B, boogie, jazz fusion, Latin, Caribbean and Polynesian music, the genre was inextricably tied to a tech-fuelled economic bubble and the wealthy new 'leisure class' it created. “ It lost its appeal with the Japanese during the 1990s when the Japanese economic bubble burst, only to be revived in popularity in the 2010s with international audience.

More details:

 

Version with Japanese/English subtitles: https://youtu.be/c-W3svI9auI

 

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2024 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Japanese City Pop 

 

Chapter 2: City Pop Aesthetics
Not all Japanese pop songs from the 1970s and 1980s may have the characteristic vibe of City Pop. Besides the musical aspect (such as the jazzy and groovy style), City Pop also has its own aesthetics. Van Paugam said it succinctly: “Anything that would give the sense of living in Japan during its bubble economy era could be considered City Pop aesthetics.”  Images that come into mind immediately would include city scenes, retro technology (especially the quintessential Sony Walkman), retro anime, anything neon, cars and driving…. Then there is the unmistakable feeling of sentimentality and nostalgia of this genre. The current City Pop fans may be far too remote in place or time to be acquainted with the glittering Japanese past. But somehow, these songs evoke in them a nostalgia for the experience they have never known. And there is a word for this imaginary nostalgia:  anemoia (nostalgia for a feeling you never experienced).

 

 

 

 

Version with Japanese/English subtitles: https://youtu.be/jr8OFhl9_UY

 

More than anywhere else, the influence of Japanese City Pop is greatly evident all over Asia. And when cities embrace City Pop as their heartbeats, they may never sleep again. City Pop songs in different Asian languages are all the rage. Singing in multiple languages (Japanese, English, Cantonese), the following cover is a tribute to the iconic song of this new symbol of retro cool.

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2024 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Zakir Hussain

 

Tabla maestro, Zakir Hussain died on 15 Dec 2024 at age 73. He was the eldest son of Allah Rakha, also a tabla legend. Besides composing and playing classical Indian music, he was renowned for fusing Indian music with other musical styles. He had collaborated with many other foreign musicians and had become an international icon. His many accolades include four Grammy Awards.

Intro to tabla playing:

 

Chapter 1: Avant-Garde

 

 

 

 

Others:

Soundtrack from the movie, "Vanaprastham": https://youtu.be/AMw6KwsjTss

 

Music of the Deserts, "Nomads": https://youtu.be/VzKg-bBtyUc

 

Edited December 19, 2024 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Zakir Hussain

 

Chapter 2: Classical

 

This chapter introduces some of Zakir Hussain’s  jugalbandi performances which showcase his accomplishment as a classical Indian musician. Jugalbandi in Hindi literally means “entwined twins” or “tied together”. It is a unique aspect of classical Indian music where two solo musicians (two instrumentalists or a vocalist and an instrumentalist) perform together. It is more of a duo than a duet. The two musicians engage in a dialogue as equal partners, sometimes in harmony and sometimes in contrast. With lots of improvisation, the dynamic interplay creates an engrossing world of music for listeners.

Duo with mridangam:

Duo with sitar:

Duo with flute:

Duo with sarod:

Duo with santoor:

Others:

Duo with violin: https://youtu.be/xwAEK4ld230

 

Duo with another tabla (father and son duo): https://youtu.be/BgG7BhIBSAU

 

[QingFeng]

# Ave Maria

 

Chapter 1

Ave Maria is Latin for “Hail Mary”.

It is an ancient Catholic prayer and through the centuries, many composers have created different melodies using different sets of lyrics, resulting in many versions of this prayer. Many of these songs are sublime and beautiful.

Composed by Schubert:

Violin version: https://youtu.be/DvlTuBnpKpc

 

Composed by Bach/Gounod:

Piano & Cello version: https://youtu.be/hyUhEjtlDLA

 

Composed by Caccini/Vladimir Vavilov:

A different arrangement:

DiMaio's version: https://youtu.be/-gh6iygBUyE

 

[QingFeng]

# Ave Maria

 

Chapter 2

Composed by Michal Lorenc:

 

Composed by David Burke:

 

Composed by David Lanz:

 

Composed by Igor Krutoy:

 

[Steve5380]

On 12/22/2024 at 2:26 AM, QingFeng said:

# Ave Maria

 

Chapter 1

Ave Maria is Latin for “Hail Mary”.

It is an ancient Catholic prayer and through the centuries, many composers have created different melodies using different sets of lyrics, resulting in many versions of this prayer. Many of these songs are sublime and beautiful.

Composed by Schubert:

Violin version: https://youtu.be/DvlTuBnpKpc

 

Composed by Bach/Gounod:

 

 

 

I also find Franz Schubert's Ave Maria, in the first video, the most beautiful of all,  sublime like so much music written by the hand of this romantic music composer, one of the best.

 

On the second video,  Maria Callas sings the adaptation by Charles Gounod of the first Prelude in J. S. Bach's book "The well Tempered Clavier".  This simple composition is however a master piece of tonal progression that is so clever and beautiful.   Here is the original piano version, played by Helene Grimaud:  ( we can sing or whistle the melody of the Ave Maria to this playing, and it fits perfectly well! )  

 

 

[QingFeng]

# Operatic Pop (Popera)

 

Chapter 1

Operatic Pop or popera is a subgenre of music that combines elements of classical and pop. It is either pop music sung in operatic style or classical/opera music stylized as pop. Among the many operatic pop acts, Italian pop tenor Andrea Bocelli is perhaps the most successful of this classical crossover music.

We shall feature male voice choirs here for their flair and passion, and their beautiful harmonies that can “warm the cockles of our heart” and lift our spirits. In operas, they say it is not over until the fat lady sings. But for people like us, it cannot be over until the men in suits croon and make us swoon.

 

English version with lyrics: https://youtu.be/JtBnAVrOrZM

 

 

 

 

Version with Italian/English lyrics: https://youtu.be/KQT5qcACCWI

 

Edited January 2 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Operatic Pop (Popera)

 

Chapter 2

 

 

English version by The Lettermen with lyrics: https://youtu.be/XNmCjNarjJ4

 

 

ENCORE:

The following singer from Japan (Fujisawa Norimasa) does popera in his own unique way. He sings first using pop style, and then switches to the operatic style in the same song.

Version with German/English lyrics: https://youtu.be/udOvf8LqLYg

 

Edited January 2 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Shanghai Era Music (上海时代曲)

 

I use the term “Shanghai Era Music” to refer to Chinese music recorded in Shanghai from the 1920s to 1940s when Shanghai was the main hub of Chinese music. It was a thriving music industry then with Chinese folk music fusing with American jazz. Several singers dominated the scene, and among them were the Seven Great Singing Stars: Zhou Xuan, Bai Guang, Yao Li, Li Xiang Lan, Wu Ying Yin, Gong Qiu Xia, and Bai Hong. (七大歌星：周旋，白光，姚莉，李香兰，吴莺音，龚秋霞，白虹)

In order to give credit to songwriters of this era, we shall list the songs by composers. The most prolific songwriters then were Li Jin Guang, Chen Ge Xin, Li Hou Xiang, and Yao Min. (黎锦光，陈歌辛，李厚襄，姚敏) A point to note is that after 1949, the film and music industry had shifted from Shanghai to Hong Kong and songs written after 1949 were usually not considered to be from this era. However, we will still include songs written after 1949 by these composers originally from Shanghai. 

 

Chapter 1A

Before featuring the four main songwriters mentioned above, let’s start with famous songs written by other songwriters.

 

# 刘雪庵

 

 

# 贺绿汀

 

 

Others: 

秋水伊人| 龔秋霞: https://youtu.be/PfCKcawlWj0

春天里| 赵丹: https://youtu.be/DiGEze-dR9k

There was a saying which reflected the popularity of these four songs then:

街头遍唱《春天里》，巷尾和鸣《四季歌》，《秋水伊人》传信息，《天涯歌女》泪滂沱。

 

# 刘如曾（金流）

 

 

# 黃元之（黃貽鈞）

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 9 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

Chapter 1B

 

Songs from this era were once regarded as decadent/frivolous music （靡靡之音）. However, after decades of covers by different generations of singers, they have become evergreens in Chinese pop.

 

# 陈瑞桢

 

Others：

怀念|白光：https://youtu.be/GKonVHOgJlI

 

# 严折西
 

 

 

Others:

重逢|姚莉: https://youtu.be/v2pInBly7r8
告诉我|周旋: https://youtu.be/34ZTUt34TsM
断肠红|吴莺莺：https://youtu.be/VhIZ1LlJVwU

# 严个凡
 

# 梁乐音

 

Others:

歌舞今宵|李香兰：https://youtu.be/sbMBN7qCIGU
卖糖歌|李香兰: https://youtu.be/L3WW5S4ZP58
未识绮罗香|邓白英: https://youtu.be/ysuAA4sIqKA

# 严华
月圆花好|周璇：https://youtu.be/BSqHska6OlE
# 吴村
春之舞曲| 白虹：https://youtu.be/oDaJa_CbTIA

 

 

 

 

Edited January 9 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

 

# Shanghai Era Music （上海时代曲）

 

# Li Jin Guang 黎锦光 (aka 李七牛，金纲）

 

Chapter 2A

Li Jin Guang came from a family of musicians. He had seven other musically talented brothers and he was the seventh child. His second brother (Li Jin Hui 黎锦晖) was considered the pioneer of Chinese pop. The songs he composed in the late 1920s signified the beginning of Chinese pop. Here are two of them：

毛毛雨|黎明晖: https://youtu.be/79zF8rtPmIk

桃花江|周旋+严华: https://youtu.be/WoE07gPORcU

(Li Ming Hui 黎明晖 was the daughter of Li Jin Hui 黎锦晖).

Li Jin Guang was married to Bai Hong (白虹) for slightly over a decade before they divorced.

 

 

 

 

 

Others:

丟不了的情義|梁萍: https://youtu.be/tvFoTMSCX0Q

我想忘了你|吴莺音: https://youtu.be/3JX4Tb7a1T4

爱相思|姚敏+姚莉: https://youtu.be/e8CzTwWQvAA

谈不完的爱|张露+黄源尹: https://youtu.be/NfqPJApkDII

 

 

 

Edited January 15 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Li Jin Guang 黎锦光 (aka 李七牛，金纲）

 

Chapter 2B

Li Jin Guang and Chen Ge Xin (陈歌辛) were considered the two brightest stars in songwriting during the Shanghai era.

Li Jin Guang was crowned the King of Songs (歌王) and Chen Ge Xin was named Immortal of Songs (歌仙).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Others:

采槟榔|周旋: https://youtu.be/siHNRhDPZmw

星心相印|周旋+姚敏: https://youtu.be/7xigl1JdTmc

拷红|周旋: https://youtu.be/d-z5qHDBsgo

叮咛|周旋+严华: https://youtu.be/jBNmrpvFppE

 

 

 

Edited January 15 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Shanghai Era Music

 

# Chen Ge Xin 陈歌辛 

（aka 陈昌寿，林枚，怀玉，金成，庆余，金玉谷，戈忻）

 

Chapter 3A

Unlike his peers who had no formal training in music, Chen Ge Xin received lessons in songwriting, conducting and even singing. Besides busy writing pop songs, he also wrote and directed musical theatres. His son, Chen Gang (陈钢) is one of the composers of “Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto” (梁祝小提琴協奏曲) - one of the most famous works of Chinese orchestral music.

This song was so popular that it was covered in English by an American singer -- the first Chinese pop to be introduced to the West. 
Frankie Laine|Rose, Rose, I Love You:  https://youtu.be/OTnB9VRN_-Y

 

 

 

 

 

Others:

初戀女| 黃飛然: https://youtu.be/fhLmhAY0sxE

阿蘭娜|連城: https://youtu.be/9I_l2ffl--k

三輪車上的小姐|屈雲雲: https://youtu.be/Di1Zs_LKlz4

我要你|白虹: https://youtu.be/fYRVM-GBXsY

 

[QingFeng]

# Chen Ge Xin 陈歌辛 

（aka 陈昌寿，林枚，怀玉，金成，庆余，金玉谷，戈忻）

 

Chapter 3B

Chen Ge Xin had many students. One of the most famous was Wang Fu Ling (王福龄). Wang Fu Ling’s musical career began after he moved to Hong Kong with the rest of the musicians in the early 1950s. As such, his songs were not included in the Shanghai Era. Some of the songs that he wrote include the following: 不了情, 南屏晚钟, 今宵多珍重等.

 

 

 

 

 

Others:

是梦是真|龚秋霞: https://youtu.be/qVh5OwYMshY

花样的年华|周旋: https://youtu.be/G5hzyUiISvI

歌女之歌|周旋: https://youtu.be/BODk4tZpdAY

渔家女|周旋: https://youtu.be/874VzxTBq5E

 

 

Edited January 16 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Shanghai Era Music

 

# Li Hou Xiang 李厚襄

(aka 候湘、司徒容、江风、高剑声、水西村、江风)

 

Chapter 4A

After 1949, Li Jin Guang and Chen Ge Xin did not settle in Hong Kong and gradually stopped writing new songs, Li Hou Xiang made the move and together with other songwriters from Shanghai such as Yao Min (姚敏), Wang Fu Ling (王福龄), and Qi Xiang Tang (綦湘棠), they kept the spirit of Shanghai era alive with their new songs. The era from 1950s to 1970s was sometimes called the Hong Kong era.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Others:

醉在你怀中|白光: https://youtu.be/TP24Aa8fI4s

黄昏|白光: https://youtu.be/wcm4or5d-0E

[QingFeng]

# Li Hou Xiang 李厚襄

(aka 候湘、司徒容、江风、高剑声、水西村、江风)

 

Chapter 4B

 

Besides the composers from Shanghai, there were musicians from other countries who came to Hong Kong.

Japanese songwriter Hattori Ryoichi (服部良一), better known by his Chinese name Xia Duan Ling (夏端龄) came to work with Yao Min. Many of his Japanese songs that he wrote earlier were covered in Mandarin during this time, such as the following: 苏州夜曲, 寒雨曲, 说不出的快活等.

Then there was Filipino, Vic O Cristobal (葛士培) who was famous for the hit song 欢乐今宵.

Together, they made 1950s the peak of the Hong Kong era. Many of Li Hou Xiang’s songs were written during this time too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Others:

月下的祈祷|周旋: https://youtu.be/CjxkkDese-A

遙遠寄相思|張伊雯 （a collaboration between Li Hou Xiang and his brother Li Hou Biao 李厚表 aka 李中民 ）：https://youtu.be/jRUKqpjxM1s

 

 

Edited January 18 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Shanghai Era Music

 

# Yao Min 姚敏

(aka 梅翁，秦冠，吕莎，周萍，杜芬)

 

Chapter 5A 

After settling in Hong Kong, Yao Min’s career was at his peak in the 1950s and 1960s. Together with other composers such as Li Hou Xiang, Wang Fu Ling as well as Hattori Ryoichi, they ruled the Chinese music scene. There was another composer who made a name for himself during this time. He shifted to Taiwan instead of Hong Kong, and began his music career there. He was Zhou Lan Ping (周蓝萍) who wrote the following unforgettable songs: 绿岛小夜曲，回想曲，昨夜你对我一笑，阿里山的姑娘 as well as the lyrics for 月光小夜曲.

 

This song was also covered in English: https://youtu.be/hYqgY2tgDGE

 

 

 

 

 

Others:

一年又一年|姚莉: https://youtu.be/lrxkzhUvRq8

三年|李香兰: https://youtu.be/ICL061nPcA8

三年离别又相逢| 周旋: https://youtu.be/V8lpFUQKrXM

寒夜的街灯|白光: https://youtu.be/_0KUXVBoTwU

 

 

Edited January 22 by QingFeng

[QingFeng]

# Yao Min 姚敏

(aka 梅翁，秦冠，吕莎，周萍，杜芬)

 

Chapter 5B

Yao Min was the brother of Yao Li, one of the seven great singers during the Shanghai era. From the 1950s, new singers emerged and they include: Ge Lan, Gu Mei, Cui Ping, Jing Ting, Ye Feng, Pan Xiu Qiong, Ling Bo. (葛兰，顾眉，崔萍，静婷，叶枫，潘秀琼，凌波)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Others:

家家有本難念的經 |潘秀瓊: https://youtu.be/gqTTepgqzkk

小窗相思|叶枫: https://youtu.be/phLZXkk7ESg

良夜不能留|佩妮: https://youtu.be/ScsNl_v84A4

薔薇訴願|葛蘭: https://youtu.be/GxRhfLWG61Y

 

Afternote:

Yao Min passed away in 1967. Together with his passing, the Hong Kong era ended. Hattori Ryoichi went back to Japan. Zhou Lan Ping died in 1971 at age 46. Li Hou Xiang passed away in 1973 at age 57. Instead of Mandarin songs, more and more Cantonese songs were composed in Hong Kong as the people of Hong Kong began forging their own identity. One of the composers to emerge was Gu Jia Hui (顾嘉辉), brother of Gu Mei (顾眉). He started writing Mandarin songs in the 1950s but went on to become one of the most influential composers of Cantonese songs.

 

[QingFeng]

# Shanghai Era Music

 

Appendix A: Spring Festival

The first day of the first lunar month heralds the arrival of spring. Here are songs from the Shanghai Era to celebrate the Spring Festival.

 

# Chen Ge Xin 陈歌辛

 

 

 

 

# Li Jin Guang 黎锦光

 

 

# Yao Min 姚敏

 

 

Others：

合家欢 |周旋：https://youtu.be/NrQq323ruus

春风吻上我的脸|姚莉：https://youtu.be/Fs8cYa1Z2Tk

春天是我们的|董佩佩+黄河：https://youtu.be/UGnz5XNqWHM

春之歌|邓白英+逸敏：https://youtu.be/1ILU02jJhIo

 

 

 

 

[QingFeng]

# Shanghai Era Music

 

Appendix B: Chinese New Year 

The following songs are classics from the 1940s to 1950s to celebrate the Chinese New Year (CNY).

One of the most popular CNY songs has to be the song by Chen Ge Xin, "Gong Xi Gong Xi". Ironically, he did not compose it to celebrate CNY but to mark the end of WWII.

 

# Chen Ge Xin 陈歌辛

 

 

 

# Li Jin Guang 黎锦光

 

 

# Li Hou Xiang 李厚襄

 

 

# Zhou Lan Ping 周蓝萍

 

 

# Yao Min 姚敏

 

 

Others：

小拜年|张清真：https://youtu.be/6IUFPpDbcN8

大拜年|姚敏+姚莉+白虹: https://youtu.be/DoyqiO2L0-U

向王小二拜年|白光: https://youtu.be/E_ITzHDwq8Q

拜年|琳黛+严峻: https://youtu.be/3ucZcqxJhSs