Beethoven in China: How the Great Composer Became an Icon in the People's Republic

(Paperback)

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At the turn of the twentieth century, students returning from abroad introduced Beethoven to China. The composer's perseverance in the face of adversity and his musical genius resonated in a nation searching for a way forward. Beethoven remained a durable part of Chinese life in the decades that followed, becoming an icon to intellectuals, music fans and party cadres alike, playing a role in major historical events from the May Fourth Movement to the normalisation of US-China relations. Jindong Cai, whose love for the musician began during the Cultural Revolution, and culture journalist Sheila Melvin tell the compelling story of Beethoven and the Chinese people.

Reviews

"Moser's love of this language, the product of decades of committee meetings and infighting, shines through in his lively narration of Putonghua's coalescence." --Los Angeles Review of Books

Author Bio

Jindong Cai is an orchestra conductor and a professor at Stanford University. He is a three-time recipient of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers award for Adventurous Programming of Contemporary Music.