Knave Volume 18 No 1 2, Jan Feb 1986

This is the fourth release by the BBC Philharmonic under its Chief Conductor, Juanjo Mena, and the discography is going from strength to strength – their recording of orchestral works by Falla was ‘Recording on the Month’ in BBC Music. They are joined on this recording by the bassoonist Karen Geoghegan.

Pushing Hands trains you to develop sensitive feeling, or “Listening Jin” to sense to your opponent’s intention, understand their Jin (power), neutralize it, and then counterattack. Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming clearly instructs the finer details of step-by-step Pushing Hands training, and with an emphasis on understanding the emitting of Jin and its applications. Techniques are taught solo and with a partner, from the most basic to advanced.

This is the second volume in a series devoted to the works for strings by Béla Bartók, with James Ehnes the featured soloist. Ehnes had earlier recorded the Violin and Viola Concertos (CHAN 10690), which was made Disc of the Month in Gramophone magazine. On this new recording, he turns to the Violin Sonatas and Rhapsodies, complemented by the earliest surviving work by Bartók for violin and piano, an Andante. He is accompanied by the pianist Andrew Armstrong.