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Title details for The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable - Wait list

The Instrumentalist

by Harriet Constable
Emilia Clarke
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Music, intoxication, and betrayal combine in this "immersive, impassioned" (The Guardian) debut novel inspired by the true story of Anna Maria della Pietà, a Venetian orphan and violin prodigy who studied under Antonio Vivaldi and ultimately became his star musician—and his biggest muse.

"The Instrumentalist is more than a history lesson—with this novel, Constable has crafted an engrossing tale about an unexpected coup de musique." —The New York Times
Anna Maria della Pietà was destined to drown in one of Venice's canals. Instead, she became the greatest violinist of the 18th century.
Anna Maria has only known life inside the Pietà, an orphanage for children born of prostitutes. But the girls of the Pietà are lucky in a sense: most babies born of their station were drowned in the city's canals. And despite the strict rules, the girls are given singing and music lessons from an early age. The most promising musicians have the chance to escape the fate of the rest: forced marriage to anyone who will have them.

Anna Maria is determined to be the best violinist there is—and whatever Anna Maria sets out to do, she achieves. After all, the stakes for Anna could not be higher. But it is 1704 and she is a girl. The pursuit of her ambition will test everything she holds dear, especially when it becomes clear that her instructor, Antonio Vivaldi, will teach Anna everything he knows—but not without taking something in return.

From the opulent palaces of Venice to its mud-licked canals, The Instrumentalist is a "searing portrait of ambition and betrayal" (Elizabeth MacNeal, author of The Doll Factory). It is the story of one woman's irrepressible ambition and rise to the top. It is also the story of the orphans of Venice who overcame destitution and abuse to make music, and whose contributions to some of the most important works of classical music, including "The Four Seasons," have been overlooked for too long.

For fans of The Queen's Gambit and Fingersmith, The Instrumentalist is an "enthralling, passionate, vivid" (Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Mercies) exploration of art and ambition, genius and exploitation, and loss and triumph.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    August 20, 2024

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781797182032
      • File size: 314739 KB
      • Duration: 10:55:41

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      June 24, 2024
      Constable’s mellifluous debut draws on the life of composer Anna Maria della Pietà (1696–1782), an orphan who became a violin prodigy at the age of eight and was tutored by Antonio Vivaldi. Raised at the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, Anna Maria dreams of becoming the youngest member of the orphanage’s renowned orchestra. She’s learned to play the flute and the oboe, but she finds her calling when she hears the violin. Sure enough, her new teacher, the virtuoso Vivaldi, sees promise in Anna Maria’s playing. When she’s 13, he invites her to collaborate with him. Anna Maria says she’s been thinking about writing a piece about spring, which gives Vivaldi the idea for his Four Seasons concerti. By the time Anna Maria is 17, she chafes at Vivaldi’s insistence on keeping her contributions secret. When she claims she’s destined for greatness as a composer in her own right, Vivaldi belittles her. Anna Maria then leaves the orphanage in a huff, and struggles to survive after pawning a necklace and living in a hovel. Constable richly portrays the city’s opulence and its seedy underside, and she charms in her portrayal of her fiery young protagonist. This will appeal to fans of historicals with strong female leads.

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from November 1, 2024

      Narrator Emilia Clarke channels the intensity of journalist and filmmaker Constable's atmospheric debut, charting the life and legacy of composer and virtuoso violinist Anna Maria della Piet� (1696-1782). Anna Maria was raised in Venice's Ospedale della Piet�, a convent and orphanage known for producing exemplary musicians through its world-renowned music school. Anna Maria shows promise in flute, oboe, and pianoforte, but when she encounters the violin, it is clear that she has found her calling. The school's new teacher, Antonio Vivaldi, recognizes Anna Maria's talent, and as he alternately pushes her, praises her, and uses her as a muse, her talent grows. Clarke exquisitely captures the nuances of life in the orphanage, where ambition mingles with dread, and opportunity offers both joy and devastation. Clarke's portrayal of Anna Maria hits all the right notes, communicating her fierce determination, pleasure in her own abilities, and the shame she feels in leaving her friends behind. Anna Maria's rage when she understands Vivaldi's self-serving acts of betrayal is incandescent, and the descriptions of her glorious music are pure poetry. VERDICT This gorgeously narrated, woman-centered reimagining of a spectacularly gifted musician crackles with energy, emotion, and longing. Highly recommended.--Sarah Hashimoto

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Emilia Clarke uses a soft voice and a crisp British accent interspersed with fluid Italian phrases for this story of music in early- eighteenth-century Venice. Venetian orphan Anna Maria della Piet, daughter of a local prostitute, is a violin prodigy who studies under Antonio Vivaldi. Descriptions of the harsh life in the Piet, an orphanage for the children of prostitutes, are interspersed with descriptions of musical notes that are full of color and strong emotion. In a vibrant voice Clarke describes the rigorous life the orphans endure and the ceaseless practice and pressure imposed on Anna Maria to perform her music flawlessly. Based on the real-life Anna Marie, who is considered Vivaldi's muse, this story will haunt listeners long after it's finished. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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