Book Review
Jan. 1st, 2011 11:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariMusic In China
by Frederick Lau
This book on Chinese music attempted to cover a vast topic succinctly, and mostly succeeded through the wise choice of highlighting several representative genres and traditions rather than attempting to be truly comprehensive. There were copious music examples on the accompanying CD, although I wish that a few more of them had been of complete pieces or sections rather than the 30-second excerpts typically offered. Also, the copy I got from the library clearly had a faulty CD - the descriptions in the book did not always match up correctly to what was on the CD (usually the text described a full piece when the CD had only a short excerpt). This didn't hinder my ability to get through the book, but it did mean that I had to take a less rigorous approach to the listening exercises. My only other criticism is that Lau took an almost too neutral approach to the actions of the Chinese government, particularly as regards the suppression of the Cultural Revolution. while I understand the necessity and utility of keeping this book politically neutral, I would have liked at least some discussion of the effects of such extreme governmental manipulation of a nation's musical life. Otherwise, I really enjoyed getting to know more about the vast and varied landscape of China's music.
by Frederick Lau
This book on Chinese music attempted to cover a vast topic succinctly, and mostly succeeded through the wise choice of highlighting several representative genres and traditions rather than attempting to be truly comprehensive. There were copious music examples on the accompanying CD, although I wish that a few more of them had been of complete pieces or sections rather than the 30-second excerpts typically offered. Also, the copy I got from the library clearly had a faulty CD - the descriptions in the book did not always match up correctly to what was on the CD (usually the text described a full piece when the CD had only a short excerpt). This didn't hinder my ability to get through the book, but it did mean that I had to take a less rigorous approach to the listening exercises. My only other criticism is that Lau took an almost too neutral approach to the actions of the Chinese government, particularly as regards the suppression of the Cultural Revolution. while I understand the necessity and utility of keeping this book politically neutral, I would have liked at least some discussion of the effects of such extreme governmental manipulation of a nation's musical life. Otherwise, I really enjoyed getting to know more about the vast and varied landscape of China's music.
