“Music, such music, is a sufficient gift.”

“Let me show you the Olympic Park from my window.”
I was on a video call with a friend in London. 

“Yes, please!”
“See it?”
“… …”
“I’m adjusting my camera, wait.”

The night view of London, many tiny light from near and far appeared on my screen.

“Lovely view.”
“How concrete is your trip to London in Summer?”
“Not concrete at all, I will only plan it after the travel restriction is lifted.”
“Yeah, these days my plan is changing on daily basis. It’s just impossible to plan.”
“Same here. But now I’m reading a book that take me back to London. Seriously! Hyde Park, Oxford  Street, Regent Street, Double-Decker Bus in red … …”

**************************
 
This fiction is about a London based violinist -Michael Holme’s life. The story is not my cup of tea. Briefly, Michael could not get over his ex-girlfriend (Julia) and later he was having affair with her. Julia is a pianist and she is deaf. Anyway, this is just how the story goes. Apart from that, this book is a genius in narrative and describing the nuance of feeling related to music. Oh, the book is “An Equal Music” by Vikram Seth. 
 
In this book review, I am going to talk about:
1. A beautiful thought.
2. A beautiful soul.
3. A friend called Solitariness.
4. An illustration of musician troubles. 
 
1. A beautiful thought. 
At the end, Julia ended the extramarital relationship with Michael, and they see each other no more. Michael came to her concert, she was playing Bach’s “Art of Fugue”. The music was immensely wonderful that he said: 
 
“Music, such music, is a sufficient gift. Why ask for happiness; why hope not to grieve? It is enough, it is to be blessed enough, to live from day to day and to hear such music – not too much, or the soul could not sustain it – from time to time. ”  
 
I think, for Michael, the best response that Julia can give to him is to be true to her passion in music. I like the thought and how the book end. 
 
Now, my life without live concerts. Why grieve? Why ask for more? I have been once acquainted with this grace – the beauty of music, isn’t it enough? For it was already a sufficient gift. 
 
2. A beautiful soul. 
Mrs Formby is Michael’s childhood neighbour, she has a beautiful soul, wise and selfless. She exposed the world of music to Michael when he was a boy, gave him lessons, helped him find violin teacher, lent him her expensive violin. Every time when I read the interaction between Mrs Formby and Michael I found it is transcendent beautiful. For example, this. 

She asked him if he would be doing concert in home town which she hoped so. However, Michael was not very sure about it. And she replied: 

“You’ll play here when you’re ready. And, quite frankly, if isn’t in my lifetime, I won’t mind. Some things can’t be forced. Or at any rate, if they are, no good comes of them.”

Even when she was close to death, she still managed to get a solicitor to make sure her violin would be secured to Michael’s possession. And her last letter to Michael said: 

“You have been a true friend of mine since you were six or seven years old, and we have seen each other pass through both good times and bad. I want to help you increase the good times, and this is the best way that I can think of to ensure this. Besides, I can’t bear to imagine my violin passing by sale into the hands of a stranger when it’s been played by you for so many years.” 

I closed the book after reading this, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and thanks God for all the Mrs Formbies He has placed in my life. 

3. A friend called Solitariness.
There were moments as I was reading the book and keep wondering, was it actually talking about me? It was like the feeling of seeing someone greet me on the street randomly, I’m not sure if she/ he greets at me, and turned my head to check if someone was behind me before I say “hello”.  

For example, when having the situation of life out of control, I would exactly do the same. 

“I go to my rehearsal. I live on in the apartment in Sant’Elena. I read and walk and do the usual things. Is this what happens when your life is not in your own hands?”

That was when rehearsal still not prohibited. When no rehearsal, then the situation is looking like this:

“Concentrate on these few things: the bread, the papers, the milk, some vegetables, some food to microwave, the book you will read tonight. Read words again: you have no quartet to play, no music to look over. Defer till its own time the work you do. 

Tune the strings, though. Play scales. More than father, mother, friend or lover, it has companioned you. The residue now rests in weeks, in days. Play scales on it, things that may bring you calm. Remove the chin-rest, feel its wood again. 

Balance your books. Ride buses. Walk. You are in the lonely majority. Which … … “

The only differences are I do not play violin and I do not have microwave. Since I love books and practice music, I will call solitariness a friend. 

4. An illustration of musician troubles. 
What I amazed about the book is the life of musician been portrayed authentically and hilariously. Musician has many sweet troubles, one of them is designing concert programme. Let this essay end with my selection of excerpt from “An Equal Music” by Vikram Seth.    

 



Gute Nacht und träum was schönes.