HAJI MAJI

The 42000-43000 Victor series contains some of the most incredible Chinese music ever recorded. Predominately Cantonese, many of these recordings are reissues from the one sided 8000 series which were recorded in New York City and San Francisco as early as 1902. Because these were sold in the United States they are easier to find here, sometimes in great condition as leftover store stock.

This one has the classic Cantonese fiddle-banjo sound, that is, gaohu-sanxian sound.

>VICTOR 42126 A1

A beautiful recording featuring the end blown Chinese flute called Xiao, reminiscent of Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian flute music.

>VICTOR 42178 B2

Here’s another classic sounding Cantonese recording from the early 20th Century. This is a good example of the typical record from this Victor series.

>VICTOR 43246 A3

I had decided not to post this recording because it’s pretty scratchy, but because it’s one of my all time favorite Victor records and I because you must be an intrepid bunch of music lovers to be here in the first place, I figured what the hell. Enjoy.

>VICTOR 43337 B3

I’m always amazed at how cacophonous these Chinese records can be and here’s a perfect example. A  Cantonese instrumental played on the suona. The suona is a type of shawm that originated in Northern China and eventually spread across China for use in military, wedding, folk and opera music. It’s similar to the Turkish zurna and the Indian shennai, among  others.

After World War II, local entrepreneurs around the world started setting up their own record companies. Tsing Ping is one of the many Chinese-owned labels that emerged in this period, many of which were based in Chinese immigrant communities throughout Southeast Asia. Tsing Ping and Num Sing (see below) were based in San Francisco.

>TSING PING 33a

Welcome to any visitors from Excavated Shellac! Have a look around, I’m sure you’ll find something you haven’t heard before!

I’ve already posted something from Oriental Records and quite a few Cantonese records, but I just couldn’t resist sharing this recent find. Otherworldly!

(see COMMENTS for title/performer translations).

>ORIENTAL 5354B

Hello, Dear Listener, I’m back after a busy few months of Real Life and ready to present some more obscure Chinese Opera records! I figure the hardcore Haji Maji listeners have probably worn out all my previous postings through repeated daily listenings, so today I will be posting THREE different records from some small independent labels of the 1940’s and 50’s. Stay tuned, there will be a few surprises in July…

First up is a record on the Num Sing label, This one is for fans of chaotic percussion and players of trash can lids!  The title is roughly General Zhao Tzi Lung, on Horseback, Saves his Master. Thanks to Patrick for adding these details via the comments section.

>NUM SING 2003c

Here’s another one I’ve never seen before….Golden Star Records from Hong Kong. This Cantonese record is most likely from the 1940’s or early 1950’s. It’s interesting to compare the way the Cantonese musical style has changed from the earlier records I’ve posted…listen to the Beka, Columbia dragon, Hindenburg, etc.

(ps-See COMMENTS for title and artist info)

>GOLDEN STAR 526d

Another rare label associated with Deutsche-Grammophon, Polyphon uses the same numbering as Hindenburg and Pagoda.
Typically wonderful Cantonese style singing here by Lum Kwun San. (Thanks to Patrick Lau)

The first recordings in China took place in 1903 in Shanghai and were supervised by Fred Gaisberg. His observations on the first recording session:

“Their idea of music is a tremdous clash and bang: with the assistance of a drum, three pairs of huge gongs, a pair of slappers, a sort of banjo, some reed instruments which sound like bagpipes, and the yelling of the singer, their so-called music was recorded on Gramophone.”
“On the first day, after making ten records we had to stop. The din had so paralyzed my wits I could not think.”
Gaisberg went to make over 300 hundred recordings in China.
(From Gaisberg’s autobiography as quoted in the notes to the Rounder cd “Rain Dropping on the Banana Tree“)

>POLYPHON V 490