Vivien Schweitzer on the Ying Quartet

"On 'Dim Sum,' a recent CD from Telarc, the Ying Quartet plays short works by living Chinese-American composers, music that blends traditional Chinese sounds and techniques with the Western string quartet idiom. The most memorable part of the ensemble’s concert on Friday evening was an encore from that disc: Vivian Fung’s 'Pizzicato for String Quartet.' Ms. Fung’s evocative work, inspired by Chinese and Asian instruments like the pipa and gamelan, features percussive gestures and a medley of plucked sounds, including strumming. At one point the musicians rapped their knuckles against the wood of their instruments. … The four siblings — Timothy and Janet Ying, violinists; Phillip Ying, violist; David Ying, cellist — offered committed performances" ("Music in Review," New York Times, 4/22/09).
Other works on "Dim Sum" include "Song of the Ch'in" by Zhou Long, "Shuo" by Chen Yi, movements II and IV from "Silent Temple" by Bright Sheng, "Fu" by Ge Gan-ru, "Gobi Gloria" by Lei Liang, "Leggeriezza" and "Larghetto nostalgico" from the String Quartet No. 1 by Chou Wen-chung, and "Drum and Gong," "Cloudiness," and "Red Sona" from Colors by Tan Dun.