Mourning de Pachmann

The Quest for the Spirit of Chopin

Carl Abbott

In January 1933, widowed Canadian psychiatrist Charles Flemming traveled to Rome to deliver a paper at an international psychiatric meeting and to further research the career of the eccentric Ukranian pianist, Vladimir de Pachmann, for a biography he has always wanted to write. En route, he learns of a young, virtually blind Polish pianist, Agnieszka Lipska, who will be giving several recitals in Rome. She has familial retinitis pigmentosa and her specialty is the music of Chopin. Charles and Agnieszka are introduced by Simon Williams, a music critic assigned to review the recitals. Her beauty and talent enraptures the heart of the lonely doctor and a romance develops. Shortly after arriving in Rome, Charles discovers that a manuscript containing aspects of de Pachmann’s life has been stolen from his hotel. This along with other complications, including a near-drowning in the Tiber River, ultimately involves the scrutiny of Mussolini’s fascist police. At her final recital, Agnieszka resists the restrictions of the government by playing the Polish National Anthem as an encore disguised as an anonymous Polish mazurka. However, a music critic recognizes the piece and the lovers are forced to flee Rome with the help of the Polish ambassador. They travel to Kraków, where Charles meets Agnieszka’s family. Before leaving there is concern over Agnieszka’s abdominal pain, which appears to require gynecologic surgery. On his ship back to Canada, Charles opens and reads a disturbing letter written by Agnieszka’s mother about her daughter’s past – a suppressed memory. The truth is revealed later on his return to Toronto.

Written for a mature audience with interests in music, history and mystery, Mourning de Pachmann investigates the subtleties of love, guilt and forgiveness, ambition and ego, as well as the rewards of a personal adventure of a lonely, middle-aged man and a younger woman. In this historical novel the reader will learn much about the career of the real-life de Pachmann, who still mystifies musicologists and critics; life in fascist Italy where it is illegal to sell condoms and dangerous to deny the wishes of Il Duce, Benito Mussolini; and Europe on the verge of another world war.

Hamilton Books

Pages: 286 • Trim: 6⅛ x 9¼

978-0-7618-5745-7 • Paperback • December 2011 • $55.99 • (£43.00)

Subjects: Fiction / Historical / General, Fiction / Biographical, Music / Genres & Styles / Classical, Music / Individual Composer & Musician

Mourning de Pachmann

The Quest for the Spirit of Chopin

Paperback

Summary

In January 1933, widowed Canadian psychiatrist Charles Flemming traveled to Rome to deliver a paper at an international psychiatric meeting and to further research the career of the eccentric Ukranian pianist, Vladimir de Pachmann, for a biography he has always wanted to write. En route, he learns of a young, virtually blind Polish pianist, Agnieszka Lipska, who will be giving several recitals in Rome. She has familial retinitis pigmentosa and her specialty is the music of Chopin. Charles and Agnieszka are introduced by Simon Williams, a music critic assigned to review the recitals. Her beauty and talent enraptures the heart of the lonely doctor and a romance develops. Shortly after arriving in Rome, Charles discovers that a manuscript containing aspects of de Pachmann’s life has been stolen from his hotel. This along with other complications, including a near-drowning in the Tiber River, ultimately involves the scrutiny of Mussolini’s fascist police. At her final recital, Agnieszka resists the restrictions of the government by playing the Polish National Anthem as an encore disguised as an anonymous Polish mazurka. However, a music critic recognizes the piece and the lovers are forced to flee Rome with the help of the Polish ambassador. They travel to Kraków, where Charles meets Agnieszka’s family. Before leaving there is concern over Agnieszka’s abdominal pain, which appears to require gynecologic surgery. On his ship back to Canada, Charles opens and reads a disturbing letter written by Agnieszka’s mother about her daughter’s past – a suppressed memory. The truth is revealed later on his return to Toronto.

Written for a mature audience with interests in music, history and mystery, Mourning de Pachmann investigates the subtleties of love, guilt and forgiveness, ambition and ego, as well as the rewards of a personal adventure of a lonely, middle-aged man and a younger woman. In this historical novel the reader will learn much about the career of the real-life de Pachmann, who still mystifies musicologists and critics; life in fascist Italy where it is illegal to sell condoms and dangerous to deny the wishes of Il Duce, Benito Mussolini; and Europe on the verge of another world war.

Details

Hamilton Books

Pages: 286 • Trim: 6⅛ x 9¼

978-0-7618-5745-7 • Paperback • December 2011 • $55.99 • (£43.00)

Subjects: Fiction / Historical / General, Fiction / Biographical, Music / Genres & Styles / Classical, Music / Individual Composer & Musician

Author

Carl Abbott is a semi-retired physician who graduated with a MD degree from Dalhousie University Medical School in 1959. He obtained his FRCPC in internal medicine in 1965 and has practiced endocrinology in Halifax, NS since then. His interests include painting with watercolors, music, and the maladies of musicians and composers from the past.

Table of Contents

Who’s Who
Acknowledgments
Foreword

Chapter One An army of cripples
Chapter Two Speak nothing but good
Chapter Three No disputing about tastes
Chapter Four The best possible introduction
Chapter Five Woman is ever changeable
Chapter Six A pleasing countenance
Chapter Seven The Lord’s day
Chapter Eight Believe you have it
Chapter Nine Seize the opportunity
Chapter Ten The pure in heart
Chapter Eleven Yield not to misfortunes
Chapter Twelve The naked truth
Chapter Thirteen The comedy is finished
Chapter Fourteen Small beginnings
Chapter Fifteen Holy ground
Chapter Sixteen Gross negligence
Chapter Seventeen To err is human
Chapter Eighteen With equanimity
Chapter Nineteen Memory that is not love
Chapter Twenty Abuse of the best things
Chapter Twenty-One By faith, not by arms
Chapter Twenty-Two Great stress on little things
Chapter Twenty-Three Others of the same sort
Chapter Twenty-Four To know all things
Chapter Twenty-Five Let them hate me
Chapter Twenty-Six Fortune favours the bold
Chapter Twenty-Seven Gentle in manner
Chapter Twenty-Eight Wisdom of the heart
Chapter Twenty-Nine In those very words
Chapter Thirty Love is blind
Chapter Thirty-One The essence of life
Chapter Thirty-Two The everlasting memory
Chapter Thirty-Three The renewal of love
Epilogue

Bibliography
Biography

Mourning de Pachmann

The Quest for the Spirit of Chopin

Carl Abbott

Mourning de Pachmann

The Quest for the Spirit of Chopin

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