On this album, Xianji Liu presents The Twelve Zodiac, a twelve-movement work for solo guitar by Brazilian composer Sérgio Assad, commissioned by Liu and dedicated to him. Inspired by the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, the music follows their traditional order from Rat to Pig, giving each a distinctive character. The work’s conception in the Year of the Horse resonates with its qualities of strength, energy and vitality.

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Assad’s writing is bold and eclectic, driven by a strong rhythmic pulse and enriched by shifting textures, harmonies and melodic styles. Insistent rhythms, ostinatos, tremolo, harmonics, lyrical passages and playful leaps evoke each animal in turn, from the Rat’s restless drive and the Ox’s strength to the Rabbit’s gentleness, the Dragon’s ceremonial dignity and the Monkey’s wit. In the lively finale, Liu brings the cycle to a close with virtuosity and imagination, revealing the guitar’s expressive range and the work’s vivid blend of character, sophistication and freedom.