Who 'owns' classical music? Chinese musicians on the stages of the world

The so-called “classical music” (also known as serious music or “E-music” in our context) is a musical tradition that has spread more and more since the 17th century, and in recent decades at an increasingly rapid pace across the globe. It has been especially successful in East Asia, particularly in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and especially the People's Republic of China.

Today, the largest piano and violin factories are located in China, and most concert halls and opera houses are currently being built in Asia, with China leading the way. Not only are far more children and young people learning classical instruments there than in Europe (in China, this is also a “legacy” of the one-child policy), but classical music is also the genre with the highest prestige and cultural capital. As a result, other musical traditions, such as playing the pipa and erhu, have not been completely displaced, but they are now given far less importance. Lang Lang’s father was an erhu player, but he would never have recommended his son learn the erhu; he should aim higher and thus learn to play the piano.

The media have also observed the rise of music in China, to the extent that China is becoming the “guardian of tradition.” China is turning into the “oriental land of classical music,” yet even as more and more Asian musicians conquer the world’s stages, suspicion remains high. Can an Asian truly play Beethoven “correctly”? Is their success based solely on drill and imitation? Doesn’t it take Viennese blood to play the Viennese waltz “authentically”? Isn’t there too much movement and affectation—indeed, “Chinese acrobatics”—in the Chopin performances of Yuja Wang and Lang Lang? This paper stems from a book project that will address the globalisation of classical musical practice, the fears it triggers, and the opportunities it offers.

The lecture will last approximately 45 to 60 minutes (in German), followed by a discussion and an opportunity for questions.

Participation is possible online via Zoom only.

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