The Instrumentalist

De: Harriet Constable

Narrado por: Emilia Clarke

A stunning debut novel of music, intoxication, and betrayal 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.

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 portrait of opportunities dangled only to be snatched away. It is the story of one woman’s irrepressible ambition and rise to the top. And it is 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 a searing exploration of art and ambition, genius and exploitation, and loss and triumph.

©2024 Harriet Constable (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Beautiful

Beautifully written informative and memorable
The reader was exceptional. Thoroughly enjoyed this story

Exceptional and belived

La Historia es un misterio

Es interesante descubrir, como “Ana María” que la vida es mucho más de lo que nuestros ojos pueden ver dentro de nuestro pequeño mundo en el que vivimos. Y la manera en que somos, muchas veces, mal agradecidos con la vida.

Descriptive and mesmerizing

The eloquence of the author’s descriptions of feelings, sights, music and situations was impressive. A work of art. I loved learning about this part of history that, without this book, may not have been brought to light.

Bravo!!

One of the best, most infuriating story I’ve listened to! I am bereft to have finished it! Emilia Clarke is an excellent narrator!

Stunning portrayal of the past

Enjoyed. Lovely historical fiction book of an amazing figure. This book seems under-hyped. Great audio version. Would recommend

Excellent!!

I started out not wanting to like this because I don’t typically resonate with 3rd person. This book surprised me- the story drew me in and got better and better! Excellent description and storytelling. Jump in!

One of the best books this year

This author knows how to develop characters and weave in accurate historical figures, places and events throughout the book. A fascinating historical novel.

Makes you wonder how many other women were behind celebrated men

I enjoyed the vivid imagery as well as the performance of the narrator. I had always wondered about Vivaldi’s relationship with the girls of the orphanage where he was the conductor.

Republic of Music

My review title refers to a phrase the author and her characters often use to describe the scene in Venice when many notable Italian contributions to classical music were composed and performed. The author does an amazing job of bringing the Republic alive, engaging all the senses.

The protagonist in this tale is a real historical figure and it’s great that her story is being brought to light. (This is not the first novel to do that.). She’s arrogant and somewhat beastly at times, but her single-mindedness leads to magnificent achievements. The author truly excels at describing her anxieties and especially her pleasure when she triumphs, as she often does.

I found it slightly troubling that the novel’s deviations from known facts about Anna Maria have the effect of denigrating Vivaldi, who was her mentor. Maybe that’s deserved and maybe not, but this is fiction, not a biography, so it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. In any case, it’s an absorbing, informative and beautifully written piece.

Rich and vivid

So rich in detail and history told with vivid color capturing your attention within the first few phrases!