Delos Diary

Working with members of the Shanghai Quartet can be both exhilarating and intimidating.

The beauty and refinement of their playing can be exhilarating.

Their expertise in so many things other than music can prove intimidating.

They all dress well (no untidiness allowed), they all seem to possess multiple cameras (digital, of course). You take their picture, they take your picture, better than yours. Now it seems that Yi-Wen Jiang — violinist, composer, arranger, writer, photographer, and snappy dresser — is also a connoisseur of fine wines and writes a continuing and informative critique of his world-wide wine experiences. You can find it on the Quartet's website: www.shanghaiquartet.com.
This October the Quartet begins a tour that will take them to Tokyo and Osaka, Japan; Shanghai, China; and Seoul, South Korea. They will regale local audiences with large doses of Beethoven: Op. 18, Nos. 2 & 3; Op. 59, No. 3; Op. 95; Op. 127; and Op. 132, plus excursions into other major repertoire like the Mendelssohn Octet (this latter with help).
Will the Quartet, by any chance, surprise their audience in Shanghai by programming any of their seductive arrangements of Chinese folksongs? We have grown to enjoy these greatly on their Delos CD CHINASONG (DE 3308).

Perhaps such a gesture would seem too obvious. Instead Yi-Wen and his colleagues could hold wine tastings after each concert, while taking photos of everyone and giving lessons on good grooming.