The Reception of Mozart and Beethoven in Shanghai, 1900-1966

This thesis examines how Mozart’s and Beethoven’s music was received in Shanghai between 1900 and 1966. It focuses on how the compositions of these two classical musicians were strategically interpreted, adapted, and redefined within changing power structures, cultural identities, and national consciousness. The analysis covers three historical phases: the semi-colonial period, wartime, and the early years of the People’s Republic of China. The study relies on historical materials in Chinese and English (and occasionally German) from the Shanghai concession era, the period of the Anti-Japanese War, and the early PRC. These sources include concert programmes, newspaper reviews, and political documents.
Structured chronologically, this study divides the analysis into four key historical periods. The first period (1900–1920) explores the semi-colonial context of early twentieth-century Shanghai, when Mozart’s and Beethoven’s music represented elitism and cultural superiority among expatriates; the second period (1920–1942), witnesses intensified cultural negotiations and rising nationalism, and is situated in the context of changing relations between expatriate and Chinese communities; the third period (1942–1949) addresses wartime and immediate post-war turmoil, revealing how occupation, political upheaval, and civil conflict deeply affected musical performances and interpretations; and the final phase (1949–1966) focuses on the early People’s Republic of China, highlighting how socialist ideology reshaped interpretations of Western classical music, transforming Mozart’s and Beethoven’s works into revolutionary propaganda tools before rapidly discarding them due to ideological shifts.
This study argues that the changing reception of Mozart’s and Beethoven’s music in Shanghai highlights the dynamic relationship between cultural power, identity, and ideology. By exploring these interactions, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of musical reception, cultural politics, and the role of music in shaping ideological discourse.