In 1973, Western music was banned in the People's Republic of China. But in a remarkable breakthrough cultural exchange, the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted a tour of closed-off China, becoming the first American orchestra to visit the communist nation. Jennifer Lin's Beethoven in Beijing provides a fabulous photo-rich oral history of this boundary-breaking series of concerts the orchestra performed under famed conductor Eugene Ormandy.
Lin draws from interviews, personal diaries, and news accounts to give voice to the American and Chinese musicians, diplomats, journalists, and others who participated in and witnessed this historic event. Beethoven in Beijing is filled with glorious images as well as anecdotes ranging from amusing sidewalk Frisbee sessions and acupuncture treatments for sore musicians to a tense encounter involving Madame Mao dictating which symphony was to be played at a concert.
A companion volume to the film of the same name, Beethoven in Beijing shows how this 1973 tour came at the dawn of a resurgence of interest in classical music in China--now a vital source of revenue for touring orchestras.
Following his memoir Cured, a fascinating deep dive into the dark Romanticism of Goth music, a misunderstood genre and culture, by co-founder of The Cure, Lol Tolhurst
GOTH is an entertaining and engaging historical memoir, a journey through Goth music and culture, and an exploration of a place that offered refuge for the misfits of the 1980s and ever since. Written by Lol Tolhurst, cofounder of The Cure, GOTH is infused with stories from Tolhurst's personal trove of memories, as well as anecdotes about the musicians, magicians, and artists who made it all happen--a veritable garden of earthly delights for the longtime Goth fan and newcomer alike. Equal parts teacher and storyteller, Tolhurst explores early art and literature that inspired the genre and looks into the work of T. S. Eliot, Edgar Allan Poe, Sylvia Plath, and more. He outlines the path of Gothic forebears and shows how many musicians played in punk bands before transitioning into Goth endeavors. He introduces readers to the "Architects of Darkness"--BAUHAUS, SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES, JOY DIVISION, and THE CURE--and discusses a group he calls the "Spiritual Alchemists," bands like DEPECHE MODE and COCTEAU TWINS. He tracks the expansion of the genre overseas, from England to New York, Los Angeles, and beyond. Gothic fashion was an important part of the movement as well, and Tolhurst discusses the clothing that accompanied and complemented the music. Finally, Tolhurst examines the legacy of Goth music, and shows how its influence can still be seen to this day. As thoughtful and thorough as it is utterly bewitching, GOTH is a timeless testament to why Goth matters--and why it always will.