Rhapsody in Red: How Classical Music Became Chinese

by Sheila Melvin, Jindong Cai

Book by Melvin, Sheila, Cai, Jindong

Genres: Music, History

376 pages, Hardcover

First published September 21, 2002

About the author

Sheila Melvin writes about culture in China. She is a regular contributor to The International Herald Tribune and Caixin, and her articles have appeared in numerous other publications, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She is the author of two books, Rhapsody in Red: How Western Classical Music Became Chinese (co-authored with her husband, Jindong Cai) and The Little Red Book of China Business. She is at work on a new book that examines China’s quest to become a cultural superpower. She regularly gives talks on arts and culture in the PRC. She splits her time between the San Francisco Bay area and Beijing.

Reviews

[Paolo Pietropaolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding work of journalism, history, musicology, anthropology, and social commentary. Melvin and Cai are wonderful writers and painstaking researchers who have filled this book with the riveting stories behind the history of Western classical music in China. It's one of the best books on music I've ever read, and I learned a lot about China, too, along the way. Highly, highly recommended.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous discussion of Western classical music in China. The discussion of the twentieth-century years, especially the Cultural Revolution and what has transpired since, are especially informative and illuminating.

[Elaineqiansiyin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informational. Apparently the authors conducted extensive research for the book. I like the way how history is presented in the book, through interviews and conversations.