For an unusual instrument (and an unusual story) try Louise Marley's novel The Glass Harmonica. I'd be delighted to hear what others thought of this book.

Rosefolly

Bel Canto features an opera singer, and I read somewhere that the whole novel is written to reflect the changing pace of a symphony. I didn't realize that as I read, not being terribly musical, but I found the fact interesting afterwards.

Sara Selkirk, a renowned cellist, in Bath, England, is featured in three mysteries by Morag Joss.

I can think of two books that have to do with musicians who play violin as a part of a chamber music group. One is 'An Equal Music' by Vikram Seth. 'Music' is about a violinist who can't seem to get over his first love; he finally learns something about her that is both poignant and devastating to him. It was published in 2000 by Vintage.
The other one is 'As It Is In Heaven' by Niall Williams. Published by Warner Books in 2000, it is a quirky and surprising story of the ways of love between fathers and sons, husbands and wives, citizens and towns, and people and music. Music is a very big part of the plot for each book.

Rose Tremain's Music and Silence is about an English lute player who joins the orchestra of King Christian IV of Denmark. I found it a very intriguingly-told historical novel.

Oh that is a good book! So is Bel Canto - but then I am one of the few I know who didn't mind the ending....

Time of our Singing by Tim Powers is about a interracial family who use music as their link. Outstanding book, tho some of the descriptions of music are difficult to get if you don't have background (what was amazing tho was in reading these paragraphs, I didn't get all of the vocabulary, but I certainly got the feel for it)

I read a great book many years ago about a young piano prodigy, but I have no idea what the name of it was. It's the book that made me want to form/join a book discussion group because it was so good and I really wanted to discuss it with someone. It was a long book, and the boy eventually went to Wolf Trap or some well known musical school/camp. He was self-taught initially, but then got to have lessons, although his mother had no money.

I'll see if I can dig up some memory of the name or author.

Grace Notes by Bernard Mac Laverty is about a female composer from Ulster, from a Catholic family. It's really very good, but peters out a bit at the end with a slightly pretentious description of a performance of a composition that goes on for about four or five pages.

But a good novel, none the less. Short-listed for the Booker in 1997.

Once I read an historical novel, well detailed, so critics claimed, depicting the turbolent relationship between Beethoven and his brother's son
Beethoven and his brother's wife didn't go on very well,
so L.v.B. wanted to raise the boy and make him a musician, but the boy although had a knack at music, wasn't that talented, hence the turbolent relationship
the title is "Beethoven's Nephew" by Luigi Magnani.
I think it is out of print at the moment, I read it , more or less, thirty years ago,in Italian of course
I check it up on Abe-books and it currently available in the used ones

grelobe

My goodness, what a great list of recommendations! Every one of these books sounds interesting. And the only one I knew of before is Bel Canto, which I have indeed been meaning to get around to. I will need to save this thread.

grelobe - I didn't realize that you live in Italy until you mentioned reading the book in Italian and I looked at your Garden Web page. Are you a native Italian who knows English really, really well - or a transplanted English-speaker?

Kathy before answering your question; may I ask you in what sequences I should type in order to show a blushing face?!?!
I am a native Italian who is trying to learn English

grelobe

One of my favorite books with a musicians' theme is a little known, romantic work of Hermann Hesse: "Gertrud", written in 1910.

grelobe, I think you do very well with your English!

I liked the ending of "Bel Canto" and thought it fitting, given the details of the plot and other circumstances.

Here is where I reduce the level of discourse a bit by bringing up the Anne McCafferty Dragon series. The Harpers Guild is very important on Pern (the keepers of knowledge, basically) and several of the books features musicians and singers. I who know nothing of the musical arts was fascinated by some of the training involved. I think I remember that musicians are expected to learn to craft their own instruments? Those who have read the novels more recently could better point you to the best ones, and certainly music is not central to any of them.

Or maybe it is, the Harper Hall Trilogy might be a good start. Sorry it has been a long time since I could keep up with McCafferty.

I'd second Frieda's recommendation of Music and Silence a beautifully written book.
How about the children's story The Musicians of Bremen?

There was a 1946 UK film noir The Seventh Veil staring the wicked James Mason and delicate pianist Ann Todd (he beats her over the hands with his stick "Play d*mn you!" and there was a book of that name, but I don't know which followed which.

Corelli's Mandolin that we discussed here some time ago.

Also Cynthia Harrod-Eagles' Bill Slider mystery series--his Significant Other plays in an orchestra. I really like the series.

Interesting thread - Martin - we are about to start on Grace Notes when we have finished reading The Dubliners - just now getting in touch with 'The Dead '. James Joyce, a gifted musician himself introduces so many musical allusions in the series of stories particularly 'The Dead'
I have very little musical knowledge - apart from muusical appreciation - and I would love to understand fully David Mosley's essay ' Music and Allusion in 'The Dead' - maybe a musician amongst us would care to comment.

'..although she sang very rapidly she did not miss even the smallest grace notes (from The Dead)

"If he had not become a writer, there is a very good chance that James Joyce would still have made a name for himself by pursuing a career as a vocal performer. In 1904 he even shared the stage with the great opera singer and recital artist, John McCormack; and later on in life, after he had established himself as an author, he tirelessly promoted the singing career of his fellow Irishman and tenor, John Sullivan.

The close relationship between James Joyce and music has long been recognized by his readers, critics, and biographers. Joyce, like his father, was both an excellent singer (with a sweet tenor voice) and an accomplished pianist with an encyclopedic mastery of music of every type and genre, rivaling his vast knowledge of world literature. As a writer, he nevertheless incorporated music into all his works in increasingly complex ways, especially in Chamber Music, Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist, Ulysses, and Finnegans Wake."

Jan

Jan, I consider myself a musician (although not as practiced a musician as I used to be), but I'm not familiar with Mosley's essay and it's been many years since I read The Dead.

I did find an essay online by Mosley entitled, "Music and Language in The Dead." Do you think this the same essay you referred to in your post?

Now I'm so curious that I'm going to have to reread The Dead and then read the essay, even though I'm feeling the pressure of finishing The Piano Tuner so I can hurry and reread Kristin Lavransdatter. There is not enough time in a day to read everything I want!

This group is so well-read (not surprisingly), but also quite learned and artistic. I'm truly impressed, and most appreciative of what you're sharing. I'm being a sponge here.

Grelobe - I'm surprised that you say you're learning English. You seem to know it well already. I know French pretty well myself, but I think it would be difficult to read a site like this in French, and even harder to participate in it. Good for you!

Jankin, "The Dead" is my all-time favorite short story. I'm no great shakes at analyzing and explaining why something appeals to me, but perhaps I subconsciously have always responded to Joyce's interweaving of lyrical language with the allusions to music. Indeed, that in itself could explain a lot of the reason I have been enamored with "The Dead" for so many years. I am a (French) horn player, an instrument that will not respond to technique alone but whose tones must be coaxed by instinct to a large extent. I also play piano but not so instinctively. Alas, I can't sing worth a hoot.

Have you seen John Huston's film adaptation of "The Dead"? I love it. Tony Huston's screenplay deviates from the original story in a few instances, but only to tighten up visuals, I think; otherwise, much of the dialogue is word for word. There's a significant addition, too, that I think is quite wonderful: it's a recitation of a Gaelic poem translated by Lady Gregory that I wish I could quote.

Easy Silence by Angela Huth is a novel about a string quartet and what happens when a young female viola player is taken on, especially the 'mid-life crisis' that is experienced by the leader.

Frieda, I also liked The Dead, although Joyce's Araby holds a special place in my heart.

Davita's Harp by Chaim Potok has a musical theme to it.

Adam

Re above posts - there are a few sites devoted to Joyce's misuc/literature but if you google up JJ and music
you'll even more that the Mosley cotribution. I'm not sure if I got the name right.
Kathy - I am always amazed at how well read RPers are - I've reached a stage in life where I read only for my satisfaction and pleasure (this still does not include Jane Austen). So pleased musicians have responded - how wonderful to be able to play an instrument or sing.
Freidag, yes I do have the Huston video - and will play it for my group when we've finished the Dubliners. Joyce is an incredibly brilliant writer at his best. 'The Dead' is a absorbing, stimulating and moving story - getting close to the narrative techniques of Dubliners looking up all the allusions, social, political, historical has been exciting, entertaining and informative and I recommend it to solitary readers and reading groups alike - it is well worth a reread.

I'm off to Shropshire for Easter and wish you all a happy holiday weekend,

Jan

The Dead, John Huston's last movie, starring his daughter Angelica, is also my favorite movie. I must get a copy of The Dubliners one of these days soon. I have no desire to read James Joyce's novels, but I think I might like his shorter fiction.

I wonder how important it is that the author of a music-based novel be a musician himself? I am not one; I enjoy listening but am woefully ignorant. Inaccuracies of fact would pass me by unnoticed. Would a non-musician who is a lover of music be able to capture the feeling of the music experience the way a musician would? I don't know. I did notice that several of the authors mentioned on this thread had music backgounds. Louise Marley, the author in my response, had a career as an opera and concert singer before becoming a writer.

Rosefolly

>I wonder how important it is that the author of a music-based novel be a musician himself?

Rosefolly - That's an interesting question. Now that you've made me think about it, I suspect that it would be quite important, but that's just my guess.