A player of many ages

Some of their previous owners were masters Wu has admired since she was a student. One belonged to Jin Zuli (1906-2000), who Wu met during a summer break when she was pursuing her master's degree, traveling to Shanghai to learn to play the classic piece Flute and Drum Music at Sunset with the master.

"It gives me great joy to play these old silk string pipa previously played by masters. It's truly an honor to be able to record this album," she says.

Wu spent a whole day in her hotel in Shanghai in the winter of 2023 testing the 11 instruments to decide which one should be used to play which piece.

"I wanted to preserve the distinctive sound of the old pipa," says Wu. "I dedicated my entire day to acquainting myself with each of them, 'dating' them one by one by playing them and familiarizing myself with their characteristics."

"The resonance in my fingers as they glide across the strings is nothing short of profound. I can feel the essence of my predecessors coming through each instrument," she adds.

Unlike contemporary pipa, which have strings made of steel, old pipa had strings made of silk. They also varied in the size and thickness of their bodies, which poses a challenge to controlling nuances such as strength and tonal quality.