A BOOK OF LISZTS
A most ingenious and original solution to the moral and aesthetic problems thrown up by the cult of biographical fiction is given in John Spurling’s A Book of Liszts - a brilliant set of supple variations encircling the life and career of the great virtuoso Franz Liszt. Michael Holroyd, Guardian Books of the Year
Variations on the theme of Franz Liszt (Seagull Books, 2011). John bought a CD of piano music by Liszt and became fascinated first by the music and then by the composer, whose personal charisma and incomparable skill as a virtuoso pianist made him the 19th-century equivalent of a modern international star. This novel tells the story of an extraordinary man in an unusual way. The fifteen self-contained chapters are written in various styles and from various points of view. |