Rhapsodies in Red and Blue

China’s oldest orchestra was founded in 1879, two years before the Boston Symphony. Since then, classical music has woven its way into the lives of ordinary Chinese people. Millions of Chinese children take piano and violin lessons every week and many of today’s most important living composers have emerged from the country. Today on Soundcheck, Jingdong Cai and Sheila Melvin, co-authors of Rhapsody in Red: How Western Classical Music Became Chinese join us to discuss the history of Western classical music in China. We also look at “Rhapsody in Blue,” the George Gershwin classic that is the subject of a fascinating new compendium called The George Gershwin Reader, edited by Robert Wyatt and John Andrew Johnson. Wyatt joins us to share some historic recordings of the piece, as well as a recording of Gershwin’s own radio show from the 1930s.
Additional Resources:
» Rhapsody in Red: How Classical Music Became Chinese
» The George Gershwin Reader