Art and Literature are alleged as two of the most sublime aspects of civilisation. A fusion of these sounds magical, nevertheless it is a challenging task to convey the nuances of one using the other as a medium as Mr. Seth has endeavoured to do in his latest book ‘An Equal Music’.
Portraying the universal nature of human emotions in a warm, humane manner that attracts attention and induces a reader’s genuine interest in the characters has been a distinctive feature of Mr.Seth’s style of writing. If a comparison to his other novels is to be made on this basis, it is exactly where ‘An Equal Music’ would pale. And understandably so. A blended tale of love and music, it manages to convey, but fails to communicate.
The plot is simple and slightly clichéd – Michael, the main protagonist and narrator is a depressed violinist leading a melancholy life. He is benumbed by the twin tragedies of failure in musical ambitions and love, which reflects on all his relationships. His teammates of the Maggiore quartet, his not-so-promising students, his mentor and his family consisting of his father and aunt are merely part of the background of his morbid existence. His thoughts and dreams centre on music and memories of Julia Mac Nicholl, a beautiful pianist who studied music with him in Vienna, and has been estranged from him for over ten years.
Julia symbolises the essence of Michael’s music. Michael had broken up with her when he was unable to cope with music studies under his strict and demanding mentor, a decision that he repents for the rest of his life. Having resolved to a life of playing second fiddle (literally) with a borrowed violin, there is little else in Michael’s world other than music.
Julia suddenly surfaces again in Michael’s life, and though she has several constraints including her marriage and family, she starts meeting Michael secretly and agrees to tour Vienna with his quartet. In a chance encounter with Julia’s son Luke, Michael realises that Julia is slowly going deaf – A shock that affects him deeply and causes him to have a nervous breakdown while performing on the tour. Unable to compromise between her love for Michael and their music and her affection for her family, Julia decides to leave Vienna and Michael. The last straw of Michael’s peace and probably his sanity dangles precariously in balance when his neighbour and benefactor Mrs.Formby passes away, and he is persuaded to return her violin.
From here, the story goes on through a series of maudlin chimes and sentimental sighs towards an expected ending. The prose is beautifully conceived, well presented and poetic, but somehow fails to endorse the story in the right direction. Besides a melange of sorrowful musings, the only focal point in Michael’s life (And the novel) is music – Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart, Bach and Hayden among others could almost pass off as characters. Values and feelings do not actually clash – They are merely accepted and analysed by the characters with a nonchalant air. Even the humour seems dark and ironic, as it is woven between intense emotional wordplay.
The finest parts of the book too, are the sections describing the complex and exhilarating process of making music. Michael seems to come alive as a person only when he is involved with music – Hearing, playing or even thinking about it. The way the Maggiore rehearses moving from the initial stage towards perfection with the emotions of the musicians pouring out, matching the notes they strum, expresses a trance-like state that can be actually experienced by the reader. ‘An Equal Music’ can be described more as a beautiful symphony that is to be heard and felt rather than a novel to be read.
Note: I had posted the same review at amazon.com and https://meghdutam.com quite sometime ago.
https://amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/cm/member-reviews/-/A1U2XV0TWUAZF2/1/ref=cm_cr_auth/002-6164494-0344848
https://meghdutam.com