Promotional Information

At the turn of the twentieth century, students returning from abroad brought 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.

About the Author

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.

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