Hungry Generations: A NOVEL The Weinstein Sonata - Couverture souple

Melnick, Daniel

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0595308031 ISBN 13 : 9780595308033

Editeur : iUniverse, 2004

Synopsis

“A poetic story”: “More than combustible, it marks a collision of cultures and worlds: Petrov’s Europe, decimated by the Nazis, versus Jack’s fantasyland of Hollywood. A past that haunts the soul versus a present that has none.” --Cleveland Plain Dealer “The Weinstein Sonata brings the characters richly to life, beautifully weaving music and musical composition into the fabric of the storytelling [and] eloquently capturing the musicians’ past and historical era with precision and panache.” --Publishers Weekly “Melnick seems to have absorbed the tragedy of music which Adorno knew so well…For those who [love] serious music, it will be supremely satisfying.” --The TLS The Weinstein Sonata, volume one of Hungry Generations, imagines the world of émigré writers and musicians who fled from Nazi Europe and settled in Los Angeles. In 1972, Alexander Petrov, a legendary larger-than-life classical pianist, befriends the young composer Jack Weinstein, a distant relative who begins work in one of the Hollywood Studios. Petrov’s stories about his fellow émigrés deepen his friendship with Jack, who yet finds himself disrupting the balances in Petrov’s turbulent family: the pianist’s gay son is drawn to Jack, and the daughter falls in love with him, which leads to Petrov’s violent, tragic reaction. All the while, Petrov’s brilliant stories have mixed myth-making with memory - about Thomas Mann, Theodor Adorno, and above all the great twentieth-century composers Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and Bartok. Jack’s love of their music – and of Beethoven’s – infuses a piano sonata he composes, and soon these composers enter his Chagall-like dreams, criticizing and blessing his music.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

The novel [is] quite wonderful and, in ways beyond the currently modish usage, magical bringing into life, with passion and wryness that incredible Beverly Hills world [of European expatriates].-Thomas Flanagan, The Year of the French and other works."Like a memorable piece of music The dilemmas and desires of the characters will haunt you."-Sheila Schwartz, Pushcart/O'Henry award-winning fiction-writer.Hungry Generations imagines the amazing world of émigré artists who fled from Nazi Europe and settled in Los Angeles.In 1972, the legendary classical pianist Alexander Petrov befriends a young composer Jack Weinstein, who works in the Hollywood studios. Their delving, passionate discussions of music deepen their friendship. Yet Jack finds himself disrupting the balances in Petrov's turbulent family. Each generation here struggles with its hunger for meaning and love in a disastrous time.During their talks, Petrov tells fascinating stories about his émigré friends from the 1940s, including Schoenberg and Stravinsky; Jack's love of their music-and Beethoven's-infuses a piano sonata he composes during the year. Soon these composers enter his Chagall-like dreams, criticizing and blessing his music. The imaginary conversations among historical artists throughout Hungry Generations connect it to a rich tradition, including novels by Roland, Hesse, Lawrence, and Mann.

Biographie de l'auteur

Daniel C. Melnick was born in Los Angeles. He attended UC Berkeley and has taught for years at the State University in Cleveland, where he and his wife, a painter, raised their three children. He has published essays, stories, and a book on modern fiction and music, Fullness of Dissonance.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: iUniverse
• Date d'édition: 2004
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0595308031
• ISBN 13: 9780595308033
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 198
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: GPSR Kontakt; gpsr@libri.de; ; Friedensallee 273; Hamburg; 22763; Allemagne