Thursday, February 7

Happy Chinese New Year! It's the lunar new year, ushering in the Year of the Rat. We've got Chinese music, Chinese-American music, Chinese music on Western instruments, Western music on Chinese instruments - and some plain old Western music too, as is our wont.

If you're not already booked for the weekend, please check out Midday Music's list of classical concerts and take your pick.

11 AM

• Fung: Pizzicato for String Quartet. Ying Quartet. Telarc 80690.
  
• Telemann: "La Lyra," Suite in E-flat major. Northern Chamber Orch, Ward. Naxos 8.554019.
  
• Nielsen: Aladdin, Suite (including Nielsen's idea of a Chinese Dance). New York Scandia Sym, Matson. Centaur 2780.
  
• VColeman: Concerto for Wind Quintet: Danza. Imani Winds. Koch 7599.
  

12 N

• Traditional: Two Chinese Songs: Blue Little Flower; Mido Mountain. Yo-Yo Ma and members of the Silk Road Ensemble. Sony 89782.
  
• Chen & He: Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto. Takako Nishizaki, New Zealand Sym, Judd. Naxos 8.557348.
  
• Riley, T.: The Cusp of Magic: Buddha's Bedroom; Royal Wedding. Kronos Quartet, Wu Man (pipa). Nonesuch 360508.
  

1 PM

• Traditional/Kessler: Chinese Folk Music: Kang Ding; Jasmine. Washington Saxophone Quartet. Americus 19981007.
  
• Vivaldi: Four Seasons: Autumn: Allegro, on traditional Chinese instruments. Chinese Baroque Players. Kaisonic 44032.
  
• Kreisler: Tambourin Chinois. Robert McDuffie, Cincinnati Pops, Kunzel. Telarc 80402.
  
• Schumann: Piano Quintet in E-flat, Op. 44. Christian Zacharias, Cherubini Quartet. EMI 50819.