It is said that music begins where words end. But many writers have tried to merge these two worlds, either by portraying musicians as characters, or by writing about the effects of music on some plot. For music and literature lovers, critic August Nemo has selected seven short stories that blend these elements:
– A Wagner Matinee by Willa Cather
– The Wind Blows by Katherine Mansfield
– A Mother by James Joyce
– The Music of Erich Zann by H. P. Lovecraft
– The Music on the Hill by H.H. Munro (Saki)
– A Lover of Music by Henry van Dyke
– The Tragedy of a Comic Song by Leonard Merrick
For more books with interesting themes, be sure to check the other books in this collection!
Over de auteur
Born in Burma (now Myanmar) in 1870, H.H. Munroworked as a journalist before gaining fame as a short story writer under the pen name Saki. His works, which include the classic stories ‘Tobermory’ and ‘The Open Window, ‘ offer a satirical commentary on Edwardian society and culture.
Willa Cather, (born December 7, 1873, near Winchester, Virginia, U.S.died April 24, 1947, New York City, New York), American novelist noted for her portrayals of the settlers and frontier life on the American plains.
James Joyce(2 February 1882 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, short story writer, poet, teacher, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde and is regarded as one of the most influential and important authors of the 20th century.
H.P. Lovecraftwas born on August 20, 1890, in Providence, Rhode Island. The horror magazine Weird Tales bought some of his stories in 1923. His story ‘The Call of Cthulhu’ came out in 1928 in Weird Tales. Elements of this story would reappear in other related tales. In his final years, he took editing and ghostwriting work to try to make ends meet. He died on March 15, 1937, in Providence, Rhode Island.
Katherine Mansfield was born on October 14, 1888, in Wellington, New Zealand. After moving to England at age 19, Mansfield secured her reputation as a writer with the story collection Bliss(1920). She reached the height of her powers with her 1922 collection The Garden Party. Her last five years were shadowed by tuberculosis; she died from the disease on January 9, 1923, at the age of 34.
Henry Jackson van Dyke Jr.(November 10, 1852 April 10, 1933) was an American author, educator, and clergyman.