When Ritual Collapses, Music Endures: Listening to Classical Music Amidst Turmoil / By Shao Song-hsiung

**Classical music was the pop music of its time.** **Musicians had to face life and death, love and desire, rivalries, and the ravages of war.** **See how they responded to their era. Their circumstances resonate with ours, reflecting our own lives.** The profound appeal of classical music lies in its deep engagement with all aspects of life. Whether it be love, friendship, politics, war, hardship, religion, or philosophy, the fears and aspirations of humanity are intricately woven into its compositions, stirring the listener's heart and prompting introspection. Composers, performers, critics, and the anecdotes of the music world – in essence, all that pertains to classical music – are imbued with a unique charm in Shao Song-hsiung's prose. His writings illuminate the diverse tapestry of human life, recapturing the splendor of classical music as an art form. The pieces he reviews may hail from distant or recent eras, their subjects refined or commonplace, yet they invariably connect with present-day circumstances, allowing readers to reflect on their own lives. What we encounter is not merely information or critique about a musical piece or a musician, but rather the historical and cultural context of its creation, sometimes even its political motivations. His writing on classical music transcends the genre itself; he guides readers to appreciate this art by drawing from the world beyond the notes. ---------------------------------------------------- Shao Song-hsiung is my most admired music critic. This book offers numerous original insights and a distinctive perspective on classical music works. I had the privilege of collaborating with him on the book *Twilight of the Idols*, from which I learned immensely. This book is highly recommended. **—Leo Ou-fan Lee, Amateur Music Critic, Hong Kong; Emeritus Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong** Over the past decade, Hong Kong has cultivated a unique and precious culture of appreciating Western classical music: exploring the universal humanistic significance of Western music from the perspective of a "semi-outsider." Shao Song-hsiung's work is highly representative and inspirational. **—Ludwig, Music Columnist** Professor Shao is undoubtedly a "unique presence" in Hong Kong's music scene. Though not a musicologist, he has written extensively on music in a pro-am capacity. As a scholar, his writing is devoid of academic jargon, yet it exhibits scholarly rigor, unique insights, and extensive knowledge. For beginners in classical music, Professor Shao's articles can open the door to this world; for readers with some familiarity, his writings offer constant surprises and inspiration. **—Ann Ho, Recipient of the Hong Kong Arts Development Award for Young Artist (Arts Criticism)** Author: Shao Song-hsiung ISBN: 9789882372887 Binding: Paperback Language: Traditional Chinese Pages: 296 Dimensions: 222 x 152 mm **About the Author** **Shao Song-hsiung** is a humanities scholar specializing in Buddhism. He is passionate about music and film, and also enjoys literature, history, philosophy, religion, and divination. He holds the Shi Wu De Professorship in Chinese Buddhist Studies at Emmanuel College, University of Toronto. His primary research interests are Buddhist thought, Eastern philosophy, and religious culture. While classical music is not the subject of his academic work, it is an art form he deeply cherishes. He continuously studies and researches it in his spare time. He is the author of *Black and White Radiance: The Art of Horowitz* and *The Joy of Music: The Art of Bach's Goldberg Variations*, and co-authored *Twilight of the Idols: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue on Late Style* with Professor Leo Ou-fan Lee.