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Debut Recording CD release by MSR Classics
With Violinist Shuai Shi, as the Jade Duo 2016 Global Music Awards Silver Medal Winner Outstanding Achievement Album Outstanding Achievement Duo CD purchase available at
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“What is remarkable about this recital...is not only the varied character of the music, but how effective they are in interpreting each piece. From the earnest early romanticism of the Schumann to the breezy lyricism of the Fauré to the knotty, mysterious modernism of the Bartok, they don’t make a wrong step anywhere. I am especially impressed by the Schumann, as the most effective tempos elude almost everyone else… If you want all three of these pieces on one disc, though, this is definitely the one to get.”
Joseph Magil, American Record Guide [July/August 2015]
“ It shouldn’t work at all, coupling these composers together, but the results are amazing... by some miracle the Jade Duo’s brilliance in coming to terms with the notion of this conglomeration was inspired from on high if anything ever was... The Jade Duo, China-originated and only three years on the scene, appear here for the first time on record, and I was little prepared for the bold and almost throwback nature of these readings. They don’t shirk on big-band presentation, and are not afraid of wearing each composer quite heart-on-sleeve... MSR has given them a fine beginning, and I certainly hope they plan on following up this wonderfully-recorded studio disc.”
Steven Ritter, Audiophile Audition [May 2015]
“ Fauré’s First Violin Sonata…has been a favorite of violinists since at least 1927, when Jacques Thibaud recorded it with Alfred Cortot...There are much more recent versions than those as well, by Joshua Bell with Jean-Yves Thibaudet... But for sheer beauty of tone, fluent and fluid playing, and emotional refinement, Shi and Chen strike the perfect balance. ”
Fanfare Magazine [March 2015]
“ We all tend to expect sensational technique from Chinese soloists...but quietly the rising Chinese musicians are becoming well versed in style, too. That’s clearly evident in the lovely, idiomatic readings of three violin sonatas from the Jade Duo. Given how different Fauré, Schumann, and Bartók are, I’m impressed by the stylistic range of violinist Shuai Shi and pianist Zhen Chen… Together and individually they play with complete assurance... As a calling card for their superior level of musicianship, this CD does very well by two musicians highly esteemed in China. ”
Huntley Dent, Fanfare[July/August 2015]
“This is the debut recording of the Jade Duo and from the evidence here I would say it bodes well for the two young performers... In performance the one outstanding trait of this duo is their ability to adapt with seeming ease to the style required to play the various repertory here: they capture the elegant yet passionate Romanticism of Faurè, the mood swings of Schumann from the playful and sweet to the stormy and angst-ridden, and the exotic but often percussive folk-inspired character of Bartok... The sound reproduction is very good... The album notes are informative. Overall, this is a fine debut disc for this young duo and augurs well for their continued success on the international stage. Recommended.”
Robert Cummings, ClassicalNet [April 2015]
“The debut album of the Jade Duo is noteworthy on several accounts... Bartók’s Sonata No. 2 is the hardest nut to crack... an expertly crafted account of this work, such as the Jade Duo give us here, will always win more kudos from those who really understand the genre and its difficulties than it will from the general public.”
Phil Muse, Atlanta Audio Society [January 2015]
Joseph Magil, American Record Guide [July/August 2015]
“ It shouldn’t work at all, coupling these composers together, but the results are amazing... by some miracle the Jade Duo’s brilliance in coming to terms with the notion of this conglomeration was inspired from on high if anything ever was... The Jade Duo, China-originated and only three years on the scene, appear here for the first time on record, and I was little prepared for the bold and almost throwback nature of these readings. They don’t shirk on big-band presentation, and are not afraid of wearing each composer quite heart-on-sleeve... MSR has given them a fine beginning, and I certainly hope they plan on following up this wonderfully-recorded studio disc.”
Steven Ritter, Audiophile Audition [May 2015]
“ Fauré’s First Violin Sonata…has been a favorite of violinists since at least 1927, when Jacques Thibaud recorded it with Alfred Cortot...There are much more recent versions than those as well, by Joshua Bell with Jean-Yves Thibaudet... But for sheer beauty of tone, fluent and fluid playing, and emotional refinement, Shi and Chen strike the perfect balance. ”
Fanfare Magazine [March 2015]
“ We all tend to expect sensational technique from Chinese soloists...but quietly the rising Chinese musicians are becoming well versed in style, too. That’s clearly evident in the lovely, idiomatic readings of three violin sonatas from the Jade Duo. Given how different Fauré, Schumann, and Bartók are, I’m impressed by the stylistic range of violinist Shuai Shi and pianist Zhen Chen… Together and individually they play with complete assurance... As a calling card for their superior level of musicianship, this CD does very well by two musicians highly esteemed in China. ”
Huntley Dent, Fanfare[July/August 2015]
“This is the debut recording of the Jade Duo and from the evidence here I would say it bodes well for the two young performers... In performance the one outstanding trait of this duo is their ability to adapt with seeming ease to the style required to play the various repertory here: they capture the elegant yet passionate Romanticism of Faurè, the mood swings of Schumann from the playful and sweet to the stormy and angst-ridden, and the exotic but often percussive folk-inspired character of Bartok... The sound reproduction is very good... The album notes are informative. Overall, this is a fine debut disc for this young duo and augurs well for their continued success on the international stage. Recommended.”
Robert Cummings, ClassicalNet [April 2015]
“The debut album of the Jade Duo is noteworthy on several accounts... Bartók’s Sonata No. 2 is the hardest nut to crack... an expertly crafted account of this work, such as the Jade Duo give us here, will always win more kudos from those who really understand the genre and its difficulties than it will from the general public.”
Phil Muse, Atlanta Audio Society [January 2015]
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