Robert Blumenthal's Reviews > The Song of Hartgrove Hall

This novel was such a pleasant surprise. Full disclosure, I am a musician and composer, so it was very much easier for me to relate to this story (though I am not British or live in a giant, old house). It involves two stories in fact, one starting in 1946 that involves a family of 3 brothers, two of whom compete for the same beautiful Jewish singer Edie Rose. It's established early on who the eventual "winner" was, as the book starts in the year 2000 with the youngest brother Fox mourning the death of his beloved Edie. The second story revolves around Fox's grandson, who is a masterful prodigy, playing at the young age of 5. The first story is one that is compelled by the desire to discover how Fox ends up with the enchanting Edie, and the second story is the development of his relationship with his odd but fascinating grandson. Fox is a musician and composer in his own right and sees the grandson as a means to revive his inner music and to rise from the grief of the death of his dear wife.

There's also an old house in the mix and what is to become of it, as well as Fox's obsession with discovering the old folk songs of his region, which he incorporates and uses as inspiration for his compositions. The piece of the title becomes a representation of an important moment in his life and is played at several points in the novel.

Without the knowledge and/or deep appreciation of classical music, this novel may be a bit tedious for some. I, however, found it enchanting and quite moving.