Beethoven wrote three “Leonora” overtures to his opera Fidelio, before settling on a fourth—the one customarily heard with the opera. The concept of multiple beginnings, or overtures, piques my literary imagination.
The end of 2024 is an overture to the new year. There’s plenty to be concerned about, but overtures also call for hope. Philosopher Byung-Chul Han’s slim volume, THE SPIRIT OF HOPE (translated by Daniel Steuer), is an enlightening work about hope as a practice, a philosophically-grounded, rational choice available to us as thinking, caring people.
This year, I’ve enjoyed reviewing for NPR, the Washington Post and other outlets, and interviewing authors whose work begs for a wider audience. A highlight was interviewing the “Swans of Harlem,” at DC’s Politics & Prose.
Thank you for your interest in my Substack. It’s a gift to be in touch with you.
This year has been an overture to my second novel, DUET FOR ONE (due out May 6, 2025), a musical love story. I’m anxious to share the music that infuses my book, and am planning a series of readings with live musical accompaniment to launch DUET.
Please take a listen to the exquisite sound of two pianos in Rachmaninoff’s Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos [starts about 1 minute in], with Martha Agerich and Lilya Zilberstein performing.
And please listen to the final movement of César Franck Violin Sonata: Allegretto poco mosso played by James Ehnes and Andrew Armstrong.
I hope this music heralds joy and hope for the New Year.
Til then,
Martha
P.S. ICYMI, here’s last week’s newsletter: At the museum of the American Indian.
I look forward to listening to the music you have recommended - thank you